![]() ![]() In fact, to Prufrock, the issue is extremely important – the fate of his life depends on it. By downplaying the importance of the issue, Prufrock echoes his lack of self-worth. Once again, Eliot uses the device of ambiguity to reflect the internal struggle in Prufrock and lead the reader to ask themselves again “What is the ‘overwhelming question’ that Prufrock is asking? ” Unfortunately even Prufrock himself doesn’t have the answer… even recognizing the issue itself is beyond the simplicity of his mind, which he confesses by saying “I am no prophet- and here’s no great matter ”(84). However, this is only one explanation where there are a number of possibilities. In this case Eliot uses hyperbole to give the reader the impression of the seriousness of Prufrock’s insecurities – they are his whole “universe. ![]() Possibly, he’s asking if he should dare “and drop a question on your plate ”(30) meaning one of his “dares” could be something that he’d like to ask a woman but can’t he also asks “Do I dare/ Disturb the universe? “(45-46). He’s indecisive and unsuccessful in his attempts to communicate with other people, repeating “visions and revisions”(33) and “decisions and revisions… “(48).Įliot uses repetition here to emphasize the concept of Prufrock’s alterations in behavior – whether he does change his behavior or not is another issue… most likely he doesn’t because he also repeats the question “‘Do I dare? ‘ and, ‘Do I dare? ‘”(38). Prufrock has difficulty communicating with people – not surprising considering his extreme lack of confidence in his appearance. Unfortunately, his lack of confidence isn’t limited to his looks. Prufrock is insecure and frightened of peoples’ reactions to his balding head and slim, aging body. Not only is he unhappy with the nature of his appearance, having “To Prepare a face to meet the faces that you meet ” but he is fearful of what others will have to say about him: “(They will say: ‘How his hair is growing thin! “(41) and “(… ‘But how his arms and legs are thin! ‘)”(44). Prufrock’s dissatisfaction in his personal appearance is one, but not the most important of his idiosyncrasies. ![]() This “question” is associated somehow to his psyche, but both its ambiguity to the reader and Prufrock’s denial to even ask “What is it? “(11) gives some insight into his state of internal turmoil and inability to reason. The issue of his fate leads Prufrock to an “overwhelming question… 10) which is never identified, asked, or answered in the poem. Prufrock feels much the same way, but his hell and the fate of his life are more in his own mind and have less to do with the people around him. By inserting this quote, a parallel is created between Prufrock and the speaker, Guido da Montefeltro, who is very aware of his position in “hell” and his personal situation concerning the fate of his life. The beginning of the poem is pre-empted by an excerpt from Dante’s Inferno which Eliot uses to create the poem’s serious tone, but also to begin his exploration of Prufrock’s self-consciousness. However, through his use of Prufrock’s profound self-consciousness he skews the reader’s expectations of a “Love Song” and takes a serious perspective on the subject of love, which many authors do, but few can create characters as deep and multi-layered as Prufrock probably the reason that this poem still remains, arguably, Eliot’s most famous. Alfred Prufrock,” Eliot explores the timeless issues of love and self-awareness – popular themes in literature. ![]()
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