Living a Life without Risk

From

The Love Song of J. Alfred Prufrock

Living a Life without Risk

From

The Love Song of J. Alfred Prufrock

Introduction

The Love Song of J. Alfred Prufrock, commonly known as Prufrock, is a poem by T. S. Eliot. Prufrock is one of the most recognized and famous voices in the literature, particularly the modern literature. As one of T. S. Eliot's earliest and most famous poem, “The Love Song of J. Alfred Prufrock” is characterized by typical modernism. This poem was written in 1910 and was published in poetry magazine. This poem is in Dramatic Monologue form, in which the narrator reveals his own personal feelings while discussing a topic. It reveals the psyche of the “modern man” in predicament represented by Prufrock who is trapped in a dilemma about whether to make a change of his life or not. Making use of various artistic techniques, the poet successfully explores the theme of the spiritual emptiness and frustration of people in modern western society via the protagonist's melancholy debate with himself

The Love Song of J. Alfred Prufrock describes the moods of a man in his forties, lonely and without love, aware that his aspirations and desires are much deeper than the rest of the world. He knows that women do not look it does not attract their attention by some violent acts; he feels the need to attract attention but is afraid of being rejected and mocked. One of the main thematic elements of the poem is also aging: The speaker contemplates the details of his physical deterioration, and ponders the idea of imminent death.  This paper will address the theme of living a life without taking risk from The Love Song of J. Alfred Prufrock.

Discussion

Opportunities always come with risks. To get the fruit, one must first climb the tree. People who are daring and willing to take risks are the ones who will succeed in life. Those who are cowardly and ignoble will ultimately live life in regret and misery. T.S. Eliot once said that “only those who risk going too far can possibly find out how far they can go” (Eliot, 1993). Eliot deeply believes that risk taking is the key to success and fulfillment. In his poem, “The Love Song of J. Alfred Prufrock”, Eliot underscores the importance of risk taking through Prufrock's pathetic life and character. While Prufrock avoids taking risks, Eliot encourages readers to be bold and daring towards life.

In “The Love Song of J. Alfred Prufrock”, Prufrock does not dare to take risks. First of all, he lacks the courage to make a bold decision. Prufrock himself admits that he is cowardly. In the Bible, John the Baptist is executed because he denounces Herod Antipas, a Roman ruler during the first century, for marrying his brother's divorced wife. While John the Baptist bravely confronts the king about his sinful acts, Prufrock lacks the courage to even speak truthfully about his feelings and confess to his love interest. By saying that he is not a “prophet”, Prufrock ...