An interior monologue is a narrative technique that reveals a character’s unspoken thoughts and feelings. “The Love Song of J. Alfred Prufrock” (1915) is not a direct story but an interior monologue. T. S. Eliot (1888–1965) presents Prufrock’s private thoughts, fears, and hesitations. His mind speaks openly through fragmented ideas. Let us see this. 

Private Thoughts: Prufrock shares his secret feelings with the reader throughout the poem. He says, 

“Do I dare disturb the universe?” 

Stream of Consciousness: The poem flows freely, like a mental stream. Ideas appear suddenly and shift quickly. The following line shows deep memory.

“I have measured out my life with coffee spoons.” 

Self-Doubt and Fear: Prufrock’s mind is full of fear. He worries about baldness, thin arms, and rejection. He repeatedly questions, 

“How should I presume?”

Fragmented Images: The poem uses images of fog, sea, and mermaids. These pictures come from Prufrock’s imagination. They connect loosely, like thoughts in a nervous mind. The structure matches his restless and anxious inner voice.

In short, the poem is an interior monologue because it records Prufrock’s private voice. His self-doubt, fragmented images, and mental flow reveal the modern mind. Eliot makes readers hear the inner conflict of a lonely man.