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Societies Effects "the Love Song of J. Alfred Prufrock"

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Society gives us a set of unspoken rules and regulations that must be abided by or else society becomes ones own worst enemy; thus is Eliot's' message in his poem, "The Love Song of J. Alfred Prufrock." This poem has been given a cynical voice in which Eliot tries to convey his message of modern society and its expectations. He is in a position in which he knows what the flaws in society are but does not have the courage or the ability to convey the message to the rest of the people. He fears what "they" might say and how "they" will treat him, will ruin him if he exploits society. Eliot gives evidence of the mockery society exhibits in line 41: "They will say: `How his hair is growing thin!'"(775) He knows that there are certain things …show more content…

This establishes the theme and thus the tone of the poem. Towards the end of the poem the reader gains a sense of irony and sarcasm that is expressed within the tone: "Till human voices wake us, and we drown" (778). "Human voices" is supposed to represent a helping hand in which any person in trouble can be helped by humanity. However, these human voices only cause the person in need to "drown" in their words. This is ironic because, as indicated above, humanity is the coexistence of a fellow human with the help (if necessary and available) of another fellow human when he/she is in need of it. However, metaphorically speaking, the person in need in the poem (Alfred) only receives negativity and hostility from society and his fellow men, thus causing him/her to drown in the words of the human voices. This is the most important set back of society conveyed by Eliot in his poem. It is the last line in the poem and is the key to the poem. Also, Eliot uses other text such as that, which is in the lines, "But though I have wept and fasted, wept and prayed, Though I have seen my head (grown slightly bald) brought in upon a platter, I am no prophet- and here's no great matter" (777); as an allusion to indicate his inability to convey his message. He explains that even though he has prayed (perhaps for society) and wept and fasted, he still can not send the true message that has encompassed himself and his soul.

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