Ts Eliot journal
pdf
keyboard_arrow_up
School
Nassau Community College *
*We aren’t endorsed by this school
Course
204
Subject
English
Date
Dec 6, 2023
Type
Pages
2
Uploaded by GeneralElectronStork
Discussion Questions for T.S. Eliot’s “The Love Song of J Alfred Prufrock”
1. Why is the poem given such a title? Is it really a love song?
-
The title suggests that the poem is a love song, but it is actually ironic as it portrays the
speaker's inability to express his love.
2. Who is the speaker of the poem?
-
The speaker is J. Alfred Prufrock.
3. How is the evening sky described in the first stanza of the poem?
-
The evening sky is described as "like a patient etherized upon a table."
4. How is the yellow fog described in the second stanza of the poem?
-
The yellow fog is described as "rubbing its back upon the window-panes."
5. Why does the speaker repeatedly ask the questions, "Do I dare?"
-
The speaker repeatedly asks the questions, "Do I dare?" to express his anxiety and lack of
confidence.
6. Where in the poem does the speaker refer to Hamlet? Does the speaker have anything in
common with Hamlet?
-
The speaker refers to Hamlet in the fourth stanza, and he shares Hamlet's sense of
indecisiveness and inability to act.
7. Allusion is the reference to other sources or texts, often biblical or classical. Do you find any
allusions in Eliot's poem?
-
There are several allusions in the poem, including references to Michelangelo, Lazarus,
John the Baptist, and Dante.
8. An Eliot scholar concludes that the poem is about desire and failure.
Where in the poem do
you find the theme of desire and failure most directly addressed?
-
The theme of desire and failure is most directly addressed in the final stanza, where the
speaker laments his inability to express his love and feels that he has failed in his
attempts.
9. The voice in the poem switches from "I" and "we." What could be the intention?
-
The intention behind the switching of voice from "I" to "we" could be to create a sense of
universality and to suggest that the speaker's struggles are shared by others.
10. Poetic language is often figurative and vivid. What are some of the best examples you find
in Eliot's poem?
-
Some examples of figurative and vivid language in the poem include "the yellow smoke
that rubs its muzzle on the window-panes," "the evening is spread out against the sky /
Like a patient etherized upon a table," and "I have measured out my life with coffee
spoons."
Your preview ends here
Eager to read complete document? Join bartleby learn and gain access to the full version
- Access to all documents
- Unlimited textbook solutions
- 24/7 expert homework help