T.S Eliot's 'The Lovesong of J Alfred Prufrock': Seeking Love But Finding None - Essay Sample

T.S Eliot’s "The Lovesong of J Alfred Prufrock" depicts a character who is in the quest of looking for love, but he is not able to find love because of various factors that distance him from the world at large. Despite the title, which denotes a love song, the content is ironic because there is no love illustrated but rather a disparaged person who cannot find love. The thematic description fits perfectly in the modern concept of love finding and what love looks like in the contemporary world. (Guven, 84) Most of the men trying to find love and lovers today face similar dilemmas that the main character Prufrock faced within the poem.

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The first depiction of love in contemporary society is the uncertainty of love. The subject of love and lovers is so uncertain that one would not be sure who their lover is or whether they are in love. It is when Elliot says, “let us go then, you and I.” (Eliot, 130) it is uncertain from the beginning who the ‘you’ is, and until the end of the poem, the identity is uncertain. It is no different in modern society where most of the people claim to be in love but with uncertain identities. Love is no longer sure in terms of the loved one that may be engaged. Most times, the one you consider yours may not be yours only to realize by the end that the uncertainty that existed from the beginning is more apparent toward the future.

The modern hypocrisy in love affairs is also widely arguable in Eliot’s poem. There is no safe space to present yourself as you are because of the society that is very hypocritical and may not give you room to express the normal you. Elliot implicitly shows this hypocrisy by saying, “To prepare a face to meet the faces that you meet.” (Eliot, 132) Since he is aware of the hypocrisy that exists in the streets, he feels that you must make yourself up to fit in. The condition is worse when you have to present yourself as being confident, educated, romantic, and lovable. Still, society has its way that it wants you to introduce yourself to get the love that you seek. Prufrock feels that the women who come and go talking about Michelangelo know nothing or little about him a bit; nevertheless, they still talk about him often. There is no genuine in what the people present about themselves. The world is full of hypocritical talks and representations, and therefore, it is difficult to find love. He implies that nobody shows his real face in this world, and that’s the reason why one needs to make up before going out to look for love.

Lack of creativity and confidence in Prufrock is a depiction of the portrayal of love in the modern world. Despite being learned, knowledgeable and smart, Prufrock still wonders how he will propose to a woman he loves. “how do I dare?” “how do I begin?” (Eliot, 133) He tries to emphasize the lack of creativity in modern men in trying to approach women. They lack the confidence to make known their intentions despite having achieved all other spheres of life like education. The thought that one may not find you attractive or handsome makes most men retreat and, above all, the courage of proposing before other people, how they would give you questionable stares and make you feel less. (Hart, 180) Lack of confidence makes people think about the underestimation by society, and therefore, they end up not making their moves. They find excuses to hide their inability to blame it on minor things which do not add up. “is it the perfume from a dress that makes me so digress?” (Eliot, 135)

Elliot criticizes the people living in the 21st century for lack of communication and the poor communication thein, which leads them the loneliness and solitude. They cannot utilize the education they acquired and be progressive in society; instead, they hide their inadequacies like the crab hides in the deep seas.

Works Cited

Güven, Samet. "A Modernist Approach to TS Eliot’s The Love Song of J. Alfred Prufrock." Journal of History Culture and Art Research 4.2 (2015): 80-87.

Eliot, Thomas Stearns. "The love song of J. Alfred Prufrock." Poetry 6.3 (1915): 130-135.

Hart, Matthew. "Visible Poet: TS Eliot and Modernist Studies." American Literary History 19.1 (2007): 174-189.

https://www.researchgate.net/publication/288888493_A_Modernist_Approach_to_TS_Eliot's_The_Love_Song_of_J_Alfred_Prufrock