Characteristic Downfall

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Term Paper Title	Characteristic Downfall
# of Words	1222
# of Pages (250 words per page double spaced)	4.89

Characteristic Downfall

     In T.S. Eliot's "The Love Song of J. Alfred Prufrock," the author is establishing
the trouble the narrator is having dealing with middle age.  Prufrock(the narrator) believes
that age is a burden and is deeply troubled by it..  His love of some women cannot be
because he feels the prime of his life is over. His preoccupation with the passing of time
characterizes the fear of aging he has.  The poemdeals with the aging and fears associated
with it of the narrator.     Prufrock is not confident with himself mentally or his appearance.
He is terrified of what will occur when people see his balding head or his slim and aging
body.  He believes everyone will think he is old and useless.  They will talk about him
behind his back.(They will say "How is hair is growing thin!") My morning coat, my collar
mounting firmly to the chin, My necktie rich and modest, but asserted by a simple pin--
[They will say: "But how his arms and legs are thin!"]This insecurity is definitely a
hindrance for him. It holds him back from doing the things he wishes to do.  This is the
sort of characteristic that makes Alfred into a tragic, doomed character.  He will not find
happiness until he finds self-assurance within himself.  The repetition of words like vision
and revision, show his feelings of inadequacy in communicating with the people around
him.     J. Alfred Prufrock's self esteem affects his love life greatly.  The woman he is in
love with is younger than he is and this distresses him.  He does not believe that some
younger women could possibly accept him or find him attractive. Expressing any kind of
affection to her is awkward and difficult.  Prufrock knows what he must say but cannot
bring himself to say it. "Should I, after tea and cakes and ices, Have the strength to force
the moment to it's crisis?"(79-80) His apprehensiveness in his love life, is very troublesome
for him indeed.  He wishes greatly to express his affection but it becomes suppressed
within him.   He compares himself to Lazarus who was an aged man restored to life by
Jesus.  He feels that it will take a miracle to make him feel young again.  Prufrock sees his
age as the end of his romantic zeal.  He assumes the response to his love will be snappy
and heartless.  Prufrock believes that women do not find older men  attractive or see a
possibility of romance in them.     The rhyme scheme Elliot uses in this poem depicts
the disenchanted and confused mind of the narrator.   The poem is written...

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