The Love Song of J. Alfred Prufrock
Poetry
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T. S. Eliot
The Love Song of J. Alfred Prufrock Full Poem
S’io credesse che mia risposta fosse
A persona che mai tornasse al mondo,
Questa fiamma staria senza piu scosse.
Ma percioche giammai di questo fondo
Non torno vivo alcun, s’i’odo il vero,
Senza tema d’infamia ti rispondo.
Let us go then, you and I,
When the evening is spread out against the sky
Like a patient etherized upon a table;
Let us go, through certain half-deserted street...
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The Love Song of J. Alfred Prufrock Key Facts
Key Facts
Full Title: The Love Song of J. Alfred Prufrock
Author: T. S. Eliot (1888–1965)
Written Time: 1910–1911
First Published: 1915 in Poetry: A Magazine of Verse; later included in Prufrock and Other Observations (1917).
Genre: Modernist Poem, Dramatic Monologue
Form: Free verse with irregular rhythms and fragmented structure
Rhyme Scheme: No fixed rhyme scheme (occasional...
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The Love Song of J. Alfred Prufrock Summary
Summary
Introduction: T. S. Eliot’s “The Love Song of J. Alfred Prufrock” is not a true love song but a cry of fear and loneliness. Prufrock is a shy, aging man who wishes to express love but cannot. His thoughts move through dark city streets filled with fog and empty rooms. He hesitates, asks, “Do I dare?” and worries about time, age, and people’s judgment. He dreams of being brave like Lazarus...
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The Love Song of J. Alfred Prufrock Themes
Themes
Isolation and Loneliness: Prufrock lives in a world filled with people, yet feels completely alone. He is unable to form genuine emotional or social connections. His shyness and fear of rejection separate him from others. The repeated image of women talking and the silent streets reflect his mental isolation. Eliot shows that modern life creates individuals who live inside their own minds,...
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The Love Song of J. Alfred Prufrock Literary Devices
Symbols
The Fog and Smoke: The yellow fog and smoke move like a slow cat through the streets. They symbolize confusion, dullness, and hesitation. The fog hides vision and truth, just as Prufrock hides his emotions and avoids making clear decisions.
Coffee Spoons: “Coffee spoons” symbolize the dull routine of Prufrock’s life. They represent how he measures time through small, meaningless acts. His...
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The Love Song of J. Alfred Prufrock Quotes
Quotes
“Let us go then, you and I,
When the evening is spread out against the sky
Like a patient etherized upon a table.”
Explanation: These opening lines set the mood of the poem. The evening, compared to an unconscious patient, shows the lifeless and paralyzed modern world. It introduces Prufrock’s tired and numb feelings, reflecting spiritual emptiness and loss of vitality.
“In the room the...
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Notes
Explore 14 detailed notes related to The Love Song of J. Alfred Prufrock. Each note provides in-depth analysis, explanations, and critical insights.