"The Love Song of J. Alfred Prufrock" and its "Overwhelming Question"

It appears that the third time really is the charm. After my third reading of this poem by T.S. Eliot, I have arrived at a position regarding the overall meaning of this poem that differs greatly from my original impression. At first, it seemed to me that the long-winded, stream of consciousness style of this poem created a thick layer of complex-sounding thoughts that covered one exceedingly simple idea: a man is attracted to a woman. Poor Prufrock is clearly a thinker, not a doer, as indicated by his frequent questions like “Do I dare/Disturb the universe?” and “So how should I presume?” (45-46, 54). He perpetually overanalyzes his life, beating himself up for his own age (“I grow old…I grow old…”), his clothing (“My necktie rich and modest, but asserted by a simple pin”), and his physical build (“They will say: ‘But how his arms and legs are thin!’”) and he freely admits his self-consciousness around the women, stating quite simply, “in short, I was afraid” (120, 43, 44, 86). Therefore, my original theory dealt mainly with the idea that men of the early 20th were intimidated by women who were beginning to fight for their right to vote and, in the process of that fight, breaking away from their traditional societal roles as wives and mothers. With this new and sudden change, the men of the era were left wondering if they should change their position in society as well—there was much confusion surrounding these gender roles and, as it turned out, men like Prufrock seemed, for a time, less manly than they might have hoped.

After my most recent reading, however, I think that Eliot’s meaning goes deeper than the femininity that industrialism and modern society forces upon men. Instead, I think the key to the total meaning of this poem revolves around Prufrock’s “overwhelming question” which, though mentioned twice (lines 10 and 93), goes undefined and unanswered. One commentary on the poem suggests that the overwhelming question relates to Prufrock’s desire to understand the women’s purpose in life, while another perspective was convinced that the question had to do with the suppressed sexual drive of all of the poem’s characters. I disagree.

I think Prufrock’s “overwhelming question” is more along the lines of “What happened to passion?” To be clear, I do not limit the definition of passion to affectionate relationships; though they may certainly be included, passion also extends to any strength of conviction, any rush of vivid creativity, and, essentially, any strong emotion felt by humans. It is this kind of powerful, life-giving emotion which is so desperately lacking in Prufrock’s world. From the very beginning, dull anticlimaxes abound: the evening sky is not beautiful, it is “like a patient etherized upon a table” (3).  “A hundred visions and revisions” end only in indecisive questions of “Do I dare?” (33, 38). His time spent weeping and fasting, in agony over the desire to act on his desires ends only in his disappointing statement of “I was afraid” (86). Prufrock’s life is completely devoid of real passion that exists outside of his own mind and, as a result, he lives a lonely life surrounded by the interminable chit-chat of emotionally detached acquaintances. The only semblance of imaginative life in Prufrock appears at the end of the poem when he dreams about “mermaids singing… [and] riding seaward on the waves” (124,126). Yet even this promising flash of vivid imagery and beauty is quashed by “human voices,” and, with the demolition of Prufrock’s final ounce of passion, he “drown[s]” (132).

So what is the point of Prufrock’s sad, dismal life? It is an illustration of society’s power to kill creative thought and human emotion. The need to fit in to established rules and etiquette that Prufrock feels while at sophisticated tea parties so overwhelms his mind that his creativity and emotions are smothered by self-consciousness and timidity. At the root of this problem is insecurity and fear of man—the innate human desire to be accepted combined with a developed willingness to do whatever it takes to avoid being an outcast. This is a problem I encounter every day, as I observe my own actions. Like everyone else, I desire approval. I cringe inwardly at embarrassing moments, though I may laugh on the outside. I feel antsy at times when I am by myself at school and feel much better with other people around. Thankfully though, I have not reached the point that Prufrock does. Unlike him, I am unwilling to sacrifice my passions (for reading, writing, performing, studying, travelling, etc.) even if my friends do not share them. I do not desire to fit into my society so much that I will forsake my own set of unique and powerful interests to do so. Prufrock’s empty, hopeless, and meaningless life is warning enough that such conformity systematically chips away at a person’s energy, character, desires, and identity and is ultimately not “worth while” (90).

The main idea?

A life without passion is no life at all.

Tone Analysis

I Wandered Lonely as a Cloud
by William Wordsworth

I wandered lonely as a cloud
That floats on high o'er vales and hills,
When all at once I saw a crowd,
A host, of golden daffodils;
Beside the lake, beneath the trees,
Fluttering and dancing in the breeze.

Continuous as the stars that shine
And twinkle on the milky way,
They stretched in never-ending line
Along the margin of a bay:
Ten thousand saw I at a glance,
Tossing their heads in sprightly dance.

The waves beside them danced, but they
Out-did the sparkling leaves in glee;
A poet could not be but gay,
In such a jocund company!
I gazed—and gazed—but little thought
What wealth the show to me had brought:

For oft, when on my couch I lie
In vacant or in pensive mood,
They flash upon that inward eye
Which is the bliss of solitude;
And then my heart with pleasure fills,
And dances with the daffodils.


After reading this poem, it is impossible to nail down one specific tone that describes the work in its entirety. Instead there are several clear tone shifts that eventually come full circle. For example, in the first two lines, when the speaker describes himself as "lonely," lacking direction ("wandering") and separated from the rest of nature (floating "high o'er vales and hills"), the tone is melancholy and very dispassionate. The scene is very pale and cold and so is the presence of the speaker. The moment that the daffodils come into view, however, the tone abruptly shifts to one of warm admiration. There is an abundance of visual imagery- "golden daffodils" that are "fluttering" and "tossing their heads in sprightly dance"- and all of the descriptions are very specific (the daffodils are "beside the lake, beneath the trees"). It suddenly seems like the speaker is captivated by the scene before him, which is a drastic shift from his disinterested tone in the first few lines.

By the second stanza, the tone has increased from admiring to completely awed, as the speaker compares the daffodils with other-earthly things such as "the stars" of "the Milky Way" and describes them as "continuous" and "never-ending." In the third stanza, the dominant tone is one of joy. The speaker is enraptured as he describes the flowers as "sparkling" and "jocund company." As he "gaze[s]" at them, he feels "gay" and sees the daffodils as "wealth." This joyful tone also carries over somewhat to the final stanza, where it is mixed with a tone of nostalgia. The speaker still describes the memory of the field of flowers as "bliss" and it still gives him great "pleasure" to think of it, but the imagery and diction are not nearly as powerful as before. His tone almost reverts back to its original distant quality, as is evidenced by the fact that these happy memories crop up only when he is "vacant" or "pensive." However much he may have enjoyed the daffodils, the memory and his happiness are, in the present, only shadows.

Meyers-Briggs Personality Test

My personality type is:

INFJ

Percentages:

I- 22%

N- 25%

F- 25%

J- 67%

       Having read the various descriptions of my personality type, I can safely say that this assessment, in my case, is spot-on. Those with an INFJ personality type typically work well by themselves, frequently gravitating towards detail-oriented jobs, like writing. They can also work well in groups, however, as they can easily sense and empathize with the emotions of others and have a deep desire to improve the lives and feelings of those around them. Among the other qualities with which I can relate are a tendency to be rather private, or to live inside my head, the desire for solitude after spending extended periods of time with large groups of people, and an overactive imagination. Overall then, I would say that this test is a surprisingly accurate summary of my personality!

Crime and Punishment: Thought Piece #1

In Crime and Punishment, Dostoevsky explores the idea of isolation through his main character, Raskolnikov, who distances himself from both society and his peers from the very beginning of the story. Dostoevsky discusses the idea that for human beings, isolation is the petri dish in which radical ideas and even insanity may grow unchecked.

After leaving the university, Raskolnikov lives alone in a small apartment, quickly loses his job, and soon his days are filled with nothing but his own thoughts. He avoids almost all contact with people, acquaintances and strangers alike, and makes no effort at all to connect with his society. This behavior soon becomes a lifestyle for Raskolnikov--a lifestyle that brings dire consequences. As a result of his separation from society, he loses many of his social skills, becoming moody and introverted to an unhealthy degree. Additionally, because he spends so much time in thought, things that are concrete in reality become more like abstract concepts to him. For instance, he ceases to think of human beings as intelligent, emotional creatures and instead sees a person as a set of qualities or characteristics; this allows him to neatly divide humanity into "ordinary" people and "extraordinary" people. The law is another concrete thing that he eventually treats like a mere idea or a vague concept. The combination of all of these consequences is what ultimately leads Raskolnikov to commit the murder; his isolation from society distorts his perception of reality so much that, in his mind, the murder is justified. Dostoevsky demonstrates, through the errors of Raskolnikov, that a connection to society is a vital part of life, as it keeps people grounded in what is real. People left only to their own thoughts can come up with some dangerous ideas that, when left unchecked, may result in dangerous actions.

In addition to isolating himself from society, Raskolnikov also alienates himself from his fellow students and friends. Raskolnikov's departure from the university is one of the leading contributors to his downfall. First of all, leaving school means leaving a place where he is exposed to a wide variety of ideas. Instead, he is left to draw only from his own mind, which is not necessarily a reliable source of information. Also, in an academic setting, there is a certain level of ideological accountability: an illogical or dangerous idea is much less likely to be accepted as fact in a large group of people as it might in a solitary person's mind. Had Raskolnikov presented his idea that some men are above the law in a classroom setting or debate, I believe that his peers would have seen the flaws in his theory or at least pointed out the consequences that it would bring, and Raskolnikov would never have followed through with the murder. To lose peers, however, is to lose some degree of objectivity. Additionally, his departure causes him to lose the company of his closest friends. This is a critical loss. Human beings crave company and relationships. No matter how introverted or shy a person is, he or she still needs a friend. When Raskolnikov leaves his friends, his isolation, even though it is self-inflicted, feeds his insanity and brings him nothing but misery.

Dostoevsky's ideas, though they were written well over a century ago, also have relevance in the world today. His story of Raskolnikov's total isolation and followed by despair and insanity demonstrate the absolute necessity of healthy relationships. Everyone needs someone to talk to, someone who can sympathize with their confusion or problems. What does this mean practically?  It means approaching that loner kid who always sits by himself. It means having real conversations with people about their interests, frustrations, likes, and dislikes. It means showing people that you care, even if they seem fine on their own. This is not to say that every quiet or standoffish person you meet will follow Raskolnikov's example and murder someone, but the reality is that a person who is constantly by themselves will eventually develop emotional and social problems. In this way, Crime and Punishment is both a warning and an encouragement to be more aware of the people around you.

Don't panic. This is only a test.