ELA: Analysis of "The Love Song of J. Alfred Prufrock"
What does the simile in line 3 indicate?: "Like a patient etherized upon a table"
A sense of helplessness
What does line 46 mean?: "Do I dare disturb the universe?"
Do I step out of my comfort zone?
Prufrock's dare to ask a woman to marry her has reduced to ____________________
Eating a peach
Instead of living a life of adventure, Prufrock _______________________________
Has played it safe, passing his days sipping coffee
What is Prufrock?
He is an anxiety-filled, insecure, middle-aged bachelor who fears his expressions of love will be rebuffed
What does the line "I have measured out my life with coffee spoons" mean?
He never takes chances
Instead of being courageous, what does Prufrock do?
He retreats into solitary, dignified old age; empty existence of a passionless old man
What does the repetition of the phrase "there will be time" represent?
His hesitation and delay; he is putting off rejection
What does line 111 mean?: No! I am not Prince Hamlet, nor was meant to be;
Prufrock contrasts himself with Hamlet; he questions whether his efforts would have been worthwhile (to be or not to be)
What does the line "do I dare eat a peach" mean?
Prufrock is creating himself as the image of eating a peach and wearing white slacks
What does the line "with a bald spot in the middle of my hair" mean?
Prufrock is very sensitive about his appearance and worries that others judge him negatively
What does lines 1-5 mean?: Let us go then, you and I, When the evening is spread out against the sky Like a patient etherized upon a table; Let us go, through certain half-deserted streets,
Prufrock issues his invitation to an unspecified "you" to go with him to a specific place
What does lines 6-14 mean?: Of restless nights in one-night cheap hotels And sawdust restaurants with oyster-shells: Streets that follow like a tedious argument Of insidious intent To lead you to an overwhelming question ... Oh, do not ask, "What is it?" Let us go and make our visit. In the room the women come and go Talking of Michelangelo.
The images of a drab neighborhood of cheap hotels and restaurants, where Prufrock lives in solitary gloom
What does "one-night cheap hotels" mean?
Where lovers meet in secret
