Journal 17 - Prufrock

Journal 17 - “The Love Song of J. Alfred Prufrock” – T.S. Eliot (p.775)

1. What is the significance of the poem’s epigraph? How does it relate to Prufrock?

The poem’s epigraph is six lines of a quotation from Canto of the Inferno by Dante Alighieri. Eliot does not translate it out of Italian, which makes people think that Eliot is ignorant and flashy. However, Eliot’s real purpose is that he wanted people to truly be interested enough to translate the quotation themselves.

2. Make a list of questions that Prufrock asks. Do you see a pattern/theme to these questions or are they random?

Prufrock asks very random questions. Should I eat a peach? Should I part my hair from behind? Do I dare? All of the questions are asking “should I” or “should I not?” He is unsure of himself, with low self esteem.

3. What do you think is Prufrock’s main flaw/problem?

Profrock’s main flaw/problem is an internal conflict. In the poem, he is speaking to a lover and he wishes to tell her how he feels about her. He doesn’t believe that anyone will read this poem, because he is not bold enough to express his feelings in that way. He is self conscious and said that he would feel disgraced and embarrassed if people knew about his feelings.

4. Why do you think this is called a love song? In what way is it a love song?

This is a love song in an ironic way. The title is used loosely as the poem centers itself around Prufrock’s feelings. He is actually expressing his lonliness, isolation, and unhappiness which is the complete opposite of love. The poem is very much about his physical and mental wandering and displeasure with his own life. He is very alone and not bold enough to express his feelings for his desired woman, and the title is therefore ironic.