"The Love Song of J. Alfred Prufrock" by TS Eliot is the story of a man contemplating leaving his solitude and entering the world, a man capsized by fear to be misunderstood. In this poem, Eliot uses the quest motif ironically to explore a man's internal struggle in an "etherealized" society. Through a variety of obscure metonymic images, Eliot sends Prufrock in search of the answer to a question never formulated, in the sense that Prufrock cannot express what he thinks. This is not the romantic quest par excellence; it is a fragmented and discordant quest of an isolated mind without spatial alteration. It reflects the broken and disintegrated world that followed the First World War. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on “Why Violent Video Games Should Not Be Banned”? Get an original essay The first indication of the solitary nature of this expedition is Dante's epigraph. This excerpt is of Guido de Montefeltro speaking from the fiery pits of hell without the concern of any human knowing his sin because he believes Dante cannot relay it. This insinuates that Prufrock is a similar character, speaking without fear of making himself known. It can be insinuated that the reason is that the context of this story takes place in his own mind. Another indication that this is not a literal quest is the nature of time in this poem, implying the passage of time. Eliot jumps from the present, “Let's go (line 1),” to the future, “there will be time” (line 26), to the past, “I have measured” (line 51). Furthermore, in contemplating action, Prufrock moves from talking about the future: "Shall I, after tea and cake and ice cream/Have the strength..." (lines 79 and 80), to speaking as if that had already happened: “And was it worth it after all. ” (line 99) This shows that he is simply thinking about what he should do, and that is his quest. Eliot uses the symbols of a house and rooms to show the encapsulated existence of society. At the beginning of the poem, Prufrock considers going out into "some half-deserted streets" (line 4), suggesting that he is indoors. People as a whole share a house; a house that is seriously at risk of being consumed by the “yellow fog”. This yellow fog is another symbol suggesting the pervasive nature of the evil that consumes the world and, contrary to what these people choose to believe, it is also among them; it’s “[curling] about the house” (line 22). The people present in the house are each accommodated in their own room. Eliot uses metonymy here to allude to the room via the frequent mention of windows in lines 15, 16, 25, 72, and 108. He only refers to an actual room in the case of the women; “In the room the women come and go/Speaking of Michelangelo” (lines 12 13). This house and these rooms serve as protection against being confronted with the real world or having to force yourself to ask the all-important question. When Prufrock considers instigating change, he speaks of "[going] down the stairs" (line 39) or, in other words, leaving that comfortable isolation of his mind where he controls what exists and what does not, and to venture into reality. .The true nature of reality is also illustrated. Prufrock exists among people bored by the horrors that exist in their world. Furthermore, because, like Prufrock, they can withdraw into themselves and rationalize their existence, they do nothing. Prufrock suggests going out “when the evening spreads across the sky / Like a patient etherealized on a table” (lines 2, 3). The evening becomes representative of various ideas in this poem. Here is the culmination of what has been built and built regarding theway people exist. It is the end, the absolute hour of decision when something must be done. By creating a simile that compares the evening to an etheric patient, Eliot shows that society, having become bored and indifferent to reality, is in need of healing; he casts Prufrock as a doctor. References to sleep later express a feeling of peace, real or believed. The yellow fog, for example, is able to fall asleep around the house because it knows that no one is brave enough to harm its existence. Later, "in the afternoon, in the evening, he sleeps so peacefully" (line 75) he is "asleep... tired... or he is faking it" (line 77). This last word, simulations, suggests that the afternoon, the evening (here symbolic of Prufrock in his years of happy aging) does not really enjoy a serene life in his feigned ignorance of what surrounds him; he pretends to be “sleeping” because he is afraid to act. This fear that delays Prufrock from action is illustrated by the woman whose reaction represents anyone who can, and will in Prufrock's mind, dismiss him as a fool. She is “placing a pillow near her head” (line 96). This indicates that she too, who repeatedly insists that Prufrock does not understand what she means, chooses to ignore reality by retreating into her fantasy world. She has windows in her room; she simply chooses to ignore what she sees. When considering Prufrock's awareness of the nature of reality, the question becomes why is he unable to extend his quest outside of his head and turn his ideas into action. The answer is simply fear. Ironically, Prufrock, who himself admits that he is not a prophet, had understood exactly how his disruption of the universe would play out. He will “know the evening, the mornings, the afternoons” (line 49), he knows the end, the beginning and the middle of all this. He knows the “eyes that will stare at you in a formulated sentence” (line 55). Although he would be brave enough to leave his room in his "morning coat" (line 41) which suggests he is full of possibilities, in a "tie rich and modest, but affirmed by a simple pin" (line 43 ), it is his knowledge of the eyes (another metonymy) which will destroy him and leave him "wallowing on a pin", the only thing which defended his departure at the start, and pinned against the wall, which prevents him from acting. And even if he sees what his eternity has in store for him, he can do nothing because he is no one. He is not “Prince Hamlet” (line 111), but a “lord attendant” (line 112). He is simply not suited to meditate on the universe or important matters. He is too average, too human and too weak. He can't even begin his journey without worrying about his baldness, he can't defend his thoughts in the face of opposition, the mere scent of a dress, or the wishing of things now, here, and easy. He has heard better men try to effect change and fail; “I know the voices that die with a dying fall” (line 52). A man like him would fare better with “jagged claws” (line 73) in “silent seas” (line 74). So why should he presume? It is best for J. Alfred Prufrock to ponder the question of how to part his hair or whether he should eat a peach, and ultimately these are the questions with which he will end his days. Keep in mind: this is just a sample. Get a custom paper now from our expert writers. Get a Custom Essay The title of this poem “The Love Story of J. Alfred Prufrock” is ironic in that it is the story of a tragedy; the story of a man's quest that could never begin. TS Eliot.