In the poem entitled, “The Love Song of J. Alfred Prufrock” by T.S. Eliot, there are a variety of examples supporting that his main character, a man living during the Victorian Age, is having and dealing with the social conflict that surrounds him. It is addressed directly right in the beginning with the first six lines of the poem coming from Dante’s “Inferno” which is based on the aspect of living in Hell. This depicts that the main character is dealing with their own internal conflict and feel as if there is no hope left in their life.
The speaker also portrays a sense of loneliness and a longing for some kind of connection or relationship when he states “You and I” as if he is calling out to someone to come and grasp him from the grips of this dismal place he resides in (Eliot, 1915). It also seems as if he is having trouble dealing with sex, long-term relationships, and social interaction which could be hindering his goals of finding a companion or someone to make him happy again. The poem also portrays Prufrock’s lack of faith in society in the poem when he states, “have deserted, muttering, and one-night cheap hotels” (Eliot, 1915). This leads the reader to think he has given up on his life and society itself.
There are a myriad of diverse views on the subject matter in this poem but most readers seem to agree that Prufrock’s character is depicting a sense of being confined in his own imaginary environment. For example, one reader, J.H. Miller (1965) states “Prufrock would be unable to go anywhere, however hard he tried. If all space has been assimilated into his mind, then it would be like a man running in a dream.” This supports the theory that many readers, including myself, agree about which is that he seems to be living within his own special place in his mind and he could not leave if he wanted to because everything that happens is imaginary.
References
Eliot, T. (1915, June). J Alfred Prufrock - Research Papers - 1468 Words. Retrieved August 03,
2016, from http://www.studymode.com/essays/j-Alfred-Prufrock-6806.html
Miller, J. H. (1965). On "The Love Song of J. Alfred Prufrock" Retrieved August 03, 2016, from
http://www.english.illinois.edu/maps/poets/a_f/eliot/prufrock.htm
