Paper Summary:

This paper analyzes T.S. Eliot's poem "The Love Song of J. Alfred Prufrock," and seeks meaning in the poem regarding Prufrock's character through analysis of its poetic devices such as fragmentation, imagery, rhyme, and allusion. The paper explains that fragmentation, a key term in Modernist literature, is evident throughout the poem, and seems to imply a disordered lack of meaning; however, meaning can be excavated from the ruins. In "The Love Song of J. Alfred Prufrock," the paper notes, readers are invited to follow Prufrock through a metropolitan montage of fragments in order to comprehend an analysis of Prufrock's character. The paper concludes that as the imagery, rhythm and rhyme scheme, and allusions have integrated through a poetic device known as fragmentation, Prufrock must deal with his worries alone, unless he can accept and embrace his aging self to have the confidence to be with a woman.

From the Paper:

"Besides imagery, Eliot fragments other aspects of the poem to reveal Prufrock's character. Much of the fragmentation is achieved through the irregular rhythm and rhyme scheme in the poem. There is a swinging rhythm to the poem and at times rhymed for long stretches, such as in lines four through twelve. However, the rhyme scheme is not in any form or pattern. This hints again, at a confusing and chaotic sense of time within Prufrock's head due to a warped cognition about his life. He perceives death drawing near, with the "eternal footman" and his boring life due to having done everything already, like the tea party, although he most likely has much of life to live. Another indicator of this is the numerous repetitions. For instance the phrase, "In the room the women come and go/ Talking of Michelangelo" (13-14, 35-36) is repeated twice, as is "would it have been worth it, after all" (88, 100). Hence, the rhythm and rhyme scheme in this poem is purposely varied, fragmented, and hectic, yet indicates Prufrock's confused notions of the time he has to live."

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