J Alfred Prufrock Allusions
In T.S. Eliot’s poem “The Love Song of J. Alfred Prufrock,” Eliot develops the character, J. Alfred Prufrock using allusions to other works of literature such as, Dante’s Inferno, Marvel’s “His Coy Mistress,”. In this way, Eliot sets forth a psychological comparison to assist the reader in understanding of Prufrock’s psyche and existentialist attitude toward life. Dante’s Inferno is his allegorical depiction of hell that depicts hell as a set of nine levels (or circles) closely aligned to the seven deadly sins and a that once we die, we descend into a level consistent with the type of sins committed and in which we stay for eternity. Dante wrote, “S'io credesse che mia risposta fosse, A persona che mai tornasse al mondo, Questa fiamma
…show more content…
In line 92, Prufrock says, “To have squeezed the universe into a ball. To roll it towards some overwhelming question,” (Eliot, 92). Prufrock references Marvel as a guide to what he should be doing with someone he is interested in. He questions whether he should do the same thing as the speaker in “His Coy Mistress” when Marvel says, “Let us roll all our strength and all. Our sweetness up into one ball…” (Marvel, 43-44). Because Prufrock is an older man he feels the burden of time on his shoulders, much like the speaker in “His Coy Mistress.” He thinks he must find a woman quickly which could slow time/universe for him, and seize the day with her. Prufrock has too good of a concept of mortality, which inhibits him from being happy, he wants to stop the universe and freeze time so that he can feel something, but he struggles in his mind because he doesn’t see the point of it all if the end is still the …show more content…
Eliot uses “His Coy Mistress” as a way to show the reader that Prufrock wants to feel love and needs time to stop, like the speaker in “His Coy Mistress” but unlike “His Coy Mistress,” he rejects the idea of carpe diem which reinforces the central existential idea. Eliot shows with each allusion, the comparison between the main character of that allusion with Prufrock. Prufrock embodies each character and gives the reader, an idea of how he connects to himself and how his existentialist philosophy is responsible for his own
In line 92, Prufrock says, “To have squeezed the universe into a ball. To roll it towards some overwhelming question,” (Eliot, 92). Prufrock references Marvel as a guide to what he should be doing with someone he is interested in. He questions whether he should do the same thing as the speaker in “His Coy Mistress” when Marvel says, “Let us roll all our strength and all. Our sweetness up into one ball…” (Marvel, 43-44). Because Prufrock is an older man he feels the burden of time on his shoulders, much like the speaker in “His Coy Mistress.” He thinks he must find a woman quickly which could slow time/universe for him, and seize the day with her. Prufrock has too good of a concept of mortality, which inhibits him from being happy, he wants to stop the universe and freeze time so that he can feel something, but he struggles in his mind because he doesn’t see the point of it all if the end is still the …show more content…
Eliot uses “His Coy Mistress” as a way to show the reader that Prufrock wants to feel love and needs time to stop, like the speaker in “His Coy Mistress” but unlike “His Coy Mistress,” he rejects the idea of carpe diem which reinforces the central existential idea. Eliot shows with each allusion, the comparison between the main character of that allusion with Prufrock. Prufrock embodies each character and gives the reader, an idea of how he connects to himself and how his existentialist philosophy is responsible for his own