An existentialist reading of T.S. Eliot's "The Love Song of J. Alfred Prufrock"
Subject Areas : journal of literary criticism and stylistics research
1 - B.A. in English language and literature, Arak University, Arak, Iran
Keywords: J. Alfred Prufrock, T. S. Eliot, Existentialism, Modernity, Dramatic monologue,
Abstract :
The present study examines T. S. Eliot's poem The Love Song of J. Alfred Prufrock through the lens of existentialist philosophy. Written in the form of a dramatic monologue and employing the technique of stream of consciousness, the poem depicts the internal dialogue of a middle-aged man grappling with various existential themes. Eliot's work, composed in the post-World War I era, possesses all the characteristics of a modernist piece and effectively reflects the conditions and inner states of the modern individual in the aftermath of war. Moreover, the modernist structure of the poem, which focuses on subjectivity and internal states, aligns significantly with existentialism’s emphasis on individual capacities and experiences. Thus, an existentialist reading of the poem allows the reader to view J. Alfred Prufrock with greater depth as a representation of the modern human condition
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