The Pitiful Prufrock Essay Research Paper The — страница 2

fear that he will be scoffed at for not acting his proper age. When he speaks of time it is in a contradictory fashion. On one hand, he feels a sense of urgency as he travels to the party, because must decide if he will ask his question. Yet, while he agonizes over whether to attempt a change in his life, he tells us time is plentiful, explaining “there will be time for you and time for me/ And time yet for a hundred indecisions / And for a hundred visions and revisions/ Before taking of the toast and tea” This seems to be Prufrock trying to escape his conviction of asking the question through rationalization. Prufrock?s growing indifference towards his sophisticated social circle, where time is suspended, reflect his aging weariness. Ironically, he has catered to the

proprieties of high society for years, and remains unaware of how time has ingrained the same emptiness into his own nature: “For I have known them all already, known them all/ I know the voices with a dying fall/ And I have known the eyes already, known them all/ And I have known the arms already, known them all” In this line, Prufrock shows that he is part of the societal circle, and has shared the shallowness of living he finds repulsive in his peers.. Prufrock understands the his inability to “disturb the universe” when he considers how he will approach his intended romantic interest, but realizes his leisurely way of life has left him ill-prepared to deal with the responsibilities that accompany change: “I should have been a pair of ragged claws/ Scuttling across

the floors of silent seas.” Not Surprisingly, after declining to “dare disturb the universe,” he becomes resigned to his unchanging fate in superficial, sophisticated style. He imagines himself walking along a perfect beach, wearing fine “white flannel trousers,” He has not lost or gained anything, the labor of his decision has added up to nothing of consequence. Prufrock talks compulsively of the party scene, but actually speaks to no one. Even as the scene unfolds in his mind, he is rendered practically speechless by the scrutiny of the cultured society matrons as they “fix” their gazes upon him: “The eyes that fix you in a formulated phrase,/ And when I am formulated, sprawling on a pin, When I am pinned and wriggling on the wall,/ Then how should I begin?”

From this line, we see that Prufrock is reduced to a bug under the scrutiny of his peers; there approval pins him down and renders him unable to ask his question. He is tense and excited at the prospect of his question changing his life , but knows he will feel horribly self-conscious , and it frightens him. He is certain if he asks his question and reveals his feelings, he will not be understood. Surely, he would be made the fool. He decides it is not worth the effort after all: “I am no prophet?and here?s no great matter;/ I have seen the moment of my greatness flicker,/ And I have seen the eternal footman hold my coat, and snicker,/ And in short I was afraid.” In this line, Prufrock?s fears betray his desires. He knows the approval he covets comes from a frivolous, futile,

class of people. He has heard them talk for years and knows only fashion, appearance, art, and style are deemed worthy of discussion. In fact, he listened so long he can?t hear there voices anymore. He can only hear “voices dying with a dying fall,” not unlike the indistinguishable hum of music playing in another room. But this is fine with him, because he and his world are once again at a comfortable place. Finally and permanently, Prufrock accepts that he will never be a prophet like Lazarus or a prince like Hamlet, and he slips into the safety of a fantasy world.