Essay On Prufrock's Unattainable Desire

Prufrock’s Unattainable Desires T. S. Eliot’s poem “The Love Song of J. Alfred Prufrock” describes the inner feelings of an isolated man whose desire for a loving and communicative relationship with a female is unrelenting. Eliot presents J. Alfred Prufrock as an older man who struggles with knowing how to communicate his feelings toward females in fear of being judged. Prufrock’s fear of alienation and lack of self confidence contribute to his difficulty in fulfilling his need to be understood and loved. Prufrock’s prime desire is to be able to communicate with women. However, Prufrock finds that women are very fragmented; therefore, he feels a strong disconnect from them. Prufrock also feels alienated by women and feels as if their eyes” fix you in a formulated phrase” (l. 56). Therefore, he feels as if he is judged by these women from the beginning. Because he lacks self confidence he is unable to speak or address these women in an attempt to change their
However, the ellipses within the poem serve as a pathway for his return to the mindset he had in the beginning. Prufrock constantly questions his thoughts and decisions which makes it difficult for him to have a revelation that actually changes his mindset and future actions. Therefore, because Prufrock continues to dwindle through this never-ending cycle, he is unable to attain the many desires that he reflects upon. Prufrock attempts to transition into a mindset that would help him in accomplishing his desires when he asks, “Shall I say, I have gone at dusk through narrow streets/And watched the smoke that rises from the pipes/Of lonely men in shirt-sleeves, leaning out of windows?” ( l. 70-73). However, his frame of mind quickly returns to his previous and lonely state, and the possibility of attaining his desires seems even further