The Love Song of J. Alfred Prufrock, published in 1917, is T.S. Eliot’s most striking early achievement. It presents a stream of con⁃ sciousness in the form of a dramatic monologue, and marked the be⁃ ginning of Eliot’s career as an influential poet. The poem presents the meditation of a middle aged man on expressing his love to the woman he loves. When Prufrock wants to tell his feelings to the woman that he has a crush on, he is indecisive and struggles on his way.
在这首诗中，作者用一种情诗的形式来表达作者面和自己的内心的一场对话，表达作者在面对自己的价值体系和对自我认识的时候的犹豫和彷徨。我们现在通过诗句中的一些意象来探究一下作者想表达的情感。 Eoliet give himself an internal dialoge in a form of love poem of Prufrock. The poem shows Pru 在这首诗中，Prufrock 表达了当面对a分析诗中所要表达的情感，我们要分析诗中给出的意象 In the whole poem, Prufrock shows his confusing , perplex, and hesitation when he was going to visit an upper class lady express his love to her. And the poet does not show his emotions and feelings directly, but use the tool of symbols and images. We could analysis the images to know the conveyed emotions.
The quotation at the beginning of the poem comes from Dante. “If I but thought that my response were made to one perhaps returning to the world, this tongue of flame would cease to flicker. But since, up from these depths, no one has yet returned alive, if what I hear is true, I answer without fear of being shamed.
In context, the epigraph refers to a meeting between Dante and Guido da Montefeltro, who was condemned to the eighth circle of Hell for providing counsel to Pope Boniface VIII, who wished to use Guido’s advice for a nefarious undertaking. This encounter follows Dante’s meeting with Ulysses, who himself is also condemned to the circle of the Fraudulent. According to Ron Banerjee, the epigraph serves to cast ironic light on Prufrock’s intent.
In my opion , Like Guido, Prufrock had never intended his story to be told, so his station and emotion is the same as the Gudio. The following anylise will confirm it.
The poem begin with a peaceful invitation. Let us go, you and I This line seems that Prufrock invite you , and also seem that Eloit invite himself.
The evening is spread out against the sky Like a patient upon a table . The first half of sentence makes readers feel peaceful , but the comparison in the latter half of sentence present stupor , despaired, stifled atmosphere. The next lines Eloit describe a image which reveal the city of wasteland in evening. The atmosphere move from rousing to quiet and lonely. Prufrock must to face the overwhelming question. To Prufrock ,the question is how to express his love , but not only just the hesitation when meeting his lover.
In the room the women come and go Talking of Michelangelo.
Let’s turn to the women in the dinner party. Women are talking about Michelangelo, but it’s just a pose, they women don’t have deep interest in art. This two lines are appeared several times in the poem. The works of artists can not be easily understood
15 The yellow fog that rubs its back upon the window-panes, 16 The yellow smoke that rubs its muzzle on the window-panes, 17 Licked its tongue into the corners of the evening, 18 Lingered upon the pools that stand in drains, 19 Let fall upon its back the soot that falls from chimneys, 20 Slipped by the terrace, made a sudden leap, 21 And seeing that it was a soft October night, 22 Curled once about the house, and fell asleep.
来自 http://www.ruanyifeng.com/blog/2006/01/j.html
Moreover, the images “yellow fog” and “yellow smoke” bring readers a sense of sick and misted. “Yellow”,the color of fog and smoke, gives readers a sense of sinking into a dirty world. All the images represent the dirty sick world and trifles of upper society daily life.
After Prufrock enter into the party, he put himself into a tight spot. He don’t want to meet the lady. But it is a inevitable question.
……
And time for all the works and days of hands
That lift and drop a question on your plate
……
I have measured out my life with coffee spoons
……
……after tea and cakes and ices.
All the images Eliot describe indicate that Prufrock is killing his time by drinking coffee, by eating cakes and ices. It’s boring and pointless. It is what the up-class do every day.
Prufock said to himself " there will be time” then he stare into the people and sink into hesitation over and over again. Prufrock even think out many absurd ideas . He tried to fence off the question. It is hard to answer it.
Because once Prufrock made a decision to express his love, he will be somebody who talk of michelangelo. Prufrock know the secular people at all. He know their eyes and arms. He know their evening and morning. Prufrock feel discomfort and nervous when meeting them. ( The eyes that fix you in a formulated phrase, And when I am formulated, sprawling on a pin, When I am pinned and wriggling on the wall, )
Prufrock is afraid of that even if he express his love, the lady may not accept his love.( If one, settling a pillow by her head Should say: “That is not what I meant at all; That is not it, at all.”
No! I am not Prince Hamlet, nor was meant to be; Am an attendant lord, one that will do To swell a progress, start a scene or two, Advise the prince; no doubt, an easy tool, Deferential, glad to be of use, Politic, cautious, and meticulous; Full of high sentence, but a bit obtuse; At times, indeed, almost ridiculous— Almost, at times, the Fool.
Prufrock believe his hesitation is not the same as Hamlet’s. His hesitation is humble and meticulous. Hamlet knew the result of his choice, but prufrock don’t. Hamlet’s hesitation is the Incommensurability Between Morality and Prudential Rationality. Prufrock’s problem is his self-cognition and value system. If Prufrock know who he is and where he will go, he will go there at once.
But though I have wept and fasted, wept and prayed, Though I have seen my head (grown slightly bald) brought in upon a platter, I am no prophet — and here’s no great matter; I have seen the moment of my greatness flicker, And I have seen the eternal Footman hold my coat, and snicker, And in short, I was afraid.
John the Baptist’s head brought in upon a platter due to his faith. Prufrock don’t know his faith, and he is afraid to have faith( and in short, I was afraid.). Prufrock know it will pay a great price to have faith. Prufrock know this world, but he is powerless to his fate.
I grow old … I grow old … I shall wear the bottoms of my trousers rolled.
Shall I part my hair behind? Do I dare to eat a peach? I shall wear white flannel trousers, and walk upon the beach. I have heard the mermaids singing, each to each.
Prufrock suddenly said to himself “I grow old… I grow old… “. It’s a negative attitude to the overwhelming question. He would not like to get an answer. And this attitude is presented in the next few lines.
I have seen them riding seaward on the waves Combing the white hair of the waves blown back When the wind blows the water white and black. We have lingered in the chambers of the sea By sea-girls wreathed with seaweed red and brown Till human voices wake us, and we drown.
Prufrock use the sea-girls to show his attitude to the question. He feel it is a mistake to response to the question. Once you answer it, you will drown to te sea.
Let’s go back to the quotation, why Eloit use the Guido’s words? my answer is the have a emotional reconigation when they face the unknow fate.they can’t control the feature,and they don’t know who they will be.
为什么说这个问题大？因为作者知道这个世界里的人是那些无知又虚伪的人，知道他们的眼睛，知道他们的胳膊，知道他们只会说出一些格式化的词语，逼着Prufrog钉在大头针下面。可是Prufrock却要向这样的俗世中的一个人表白。要融入这个病态的世界吗？放弃掉自己的性格，变得和他们一样，但是假若即使如此，情人依旧扔下一句，我不是这个意思。
假若prufrock知道自己是谁，自己要走向何处，那么他会毫不犹豫地走向那里，他的犹豫不像hamlet一样，至少hamlet知道自己要去做什么，也不像 John the Baptist 一样，至少John the Baptist 有自己的信仰。 在选择面前，他是卑微的，无力的，他知道这个世界，但是不知道自己的命运。
Prufrock 迷茫又清醒，他说我老了，我老了，为什么要这样子说？我认为是一种消极的不在去弄明白这个问题。 自己再也不敢去面对这个问题，因为一旦回答了这个问题，从前的自己消失，出现一个新的自己。就如同那些听到海妖的歌声一样，一开口就是错，无论你回答了什么。
回头来看三个人的性格冲突的地方。