Fragmentation in The Love Song of J. Alfred Prufrock

             The poem 'The Love Song Of J. Alfred Prufrock' by T.S Elliot is a mixture of evocative but disjointed fragments. Elliot uses a 'central consciousness' rather than an individual voice or persona to address the themes and issues that were present in the minds of people who lived during the lifestyle change before World War One, where Religion, industrial movement, past moralistic values and attitudes differed from before. This fragmentation that occurs in the structure of the poem is again used in Elliot's portrayal of society, people and the city in which Prufrock lives. Often the poem 's fragmentation is attached to a specific and symbolic imagery that Elliot uses to aid his reader in following the chaotic and disorderly thought patterns of Prufrock. The accumulative thoughts, images and sounds that that is seen throughout 'The Love Song Of J. Alfred Prufrock' allows the reader to find truth and meaning, Prufrock is a middle-aged neurotic impotent man commenting on the world in its current state, pastimes, and presence. He does all this while trying to shape his many confused ideas into something someone heroic and, or romantic would be able to create, a love song.
             'The Love Song Of J Alfred Prufrock' is not confined to the normal structure of a poem but rather follows a representation of how the mind works. The monologue follows ideas, thoughts, and images but appears in chaotic and confused patterns like that of how the brain progresses from one consideration to another. Elliot reveals pieces of Prufrock's thoughts on certain issues and then brings through another idea so that the reader feels as though they are delving into the thought pattern of Prufrock rather than hearing him discuss himself out loud. Ideas are often revisited as shown in lines 33 'visions and revisions ' and then in line 48 'decisions and revisions', repeated, like that in lines 13-14 and 35-36, 'In the room the woman come and go Talking of Michelange...

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Fragmentation in The Love Song of J. Alfred Prufrock. (1969, December 31). In MegaEssays.com. Retrieved 00:50, May 22, 2025, from https://www.megaessays.com/viewpaper/28746.html