Interpretation of the Love Song of J. Alfred

Interpretation of The Love Song of J. Alfred Prufrock

The Love Song Of J. ALfred Prufrock is about an older, intellectual man, who takes us on a journey with him through the city streets. This dramatic dialogue describes the feelings and emotions about Prufrock. It follows him through the street scene and notes a social gathering of women discussing Michelangelo. He describes yellow smoke and fog outside the house of the gathering, and keeps insisting that there will be time to do many things in the social world. The way he describes the fog like “the yellow fog that rubs its back upon the windowpanes” is shows so much imagery.

Prufrock spends a lot of time worrying over his social actions, worrying over how others view him. He thinks about women's features and their scents, but does not know how to act towards them. He talks about being socially awkward and afraid. Showing signs of high anxiety in this verse,” Shall I part my hair behind? Do I dare to eat a peach?” and the way T.S Elliot describes his appearance as thin, balding and old. I interpret that as anxiety to live and eat. Prufrock has become entirely obsessed with how others view him and how old he feels.

Prufrock wonders if, after various social gestures, it would have been worthwhile to act

decisively if it resulted in a woman's rejection of him. He lives a boring repetition filled life which

is illustrated in this verse, “Have known the evenings, mornings, afternoons, I have measured

out