“The Love Song of J. Alfred Prufrock”, written by T.S Eliot at the beginning of the twentieth century is perhaps one of the most ambiguous pieces of poetry ever written. It is a multilayered epic poem that can be analyzed from any and every angle. Due to the poems flexibility I have decided to analyze the connection between T.S Eliot’s masterpiece and Homer’s epic, The Odyssey; specifically focusing on the relationship between the narrator of the poem, J. Alfred Prufrock, and Ulysses. The primary association that is shared by the characters is the presence of death. There are three instances of death in T.S Eliot’s poem that I intent to use in my analysis in order to draw a parallel between the two texts: the epigraph, religious references to death, and the sirens. These instances I believe will give insight into the comparison between texts and characters.
The epigraph, which is pulled from Dante’s Inferno, is the first instance of similarity between Prufrock and The Odyssey. But before analyzing the relationship of the texts through the epigraph there needs to be an explanation of the epigraph itself. The quote is pulled from a later section of the Inferno, describing an interaction between Dante and Guido da Montefeltro. Guido da Montefeltro (1223-1298) was an Italian military strategist and the Lord of Urbino (he was alive during Dante’s lifetime). Dante questions him, asking what actions landed Montefeltro in hell. The answer is not half as important as Dante’s reason of asking the question. The purpose of Dante’s journey into hell is so he may understand his doubts and find his way to heaven. This objective is paralleled in Homer’s epic, when Ulysses descends into the underworld to seek the help of the Prophet Tiresias, “You must travel down to the House of Death and…there to consult the ghost of Tiresias” (The Odyssey, Homer). Tiresias is supposed to prophesies Ulysses destiny and direct Ulysses towards home. In this sense both Dante and Ulysses descend into the underworld (or hell) in order to find answers as well as guidance onto the right path, be it physical or metaphorical. This notion of guidance and answers is also evident in Eliot’s poem, throughout which Prufrock questions and tries to find answers to his at times ridiculous and irrelevant questions.
The second instance of comparison and analysis is as follows, “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”. The quote speaks about death and the fact that Prufrock is coming close to or has come close to death before. But the fear of death seems far removed from Ulysses, who is often depicted as almost god-like. Despite the image that is presented he is human and faces an impending death. The reason Ulysses is able to face epic perils is because he is privy the circumstances of his death, which were prophesied by Tiresias, “And at last your own death will steal upon you ...a gentle, painless death, far from the sea it comes, to take you down, borne down with the years in ripe old age with all your people there in blessed peace around you” (The Odyssey, Homer). The quote also speaks to the fear of death and fear of not leaving behind a legacy, which is a fear inherently present in all of humanity. This could be seen as a point of contrast between the two characters due to the extravagance and glory of Ulysses’ life and the confused and indecisiveness of Prufrock’s but I believe it can also be a parallel. Prufrock is perceived as indecisive, “And time yet for a hundred indecisions, And for a hundred visions and revisions”, but it can also be seen as a byproduct of old age, for the telling of the narrative is done from the perspective of an old man. The evidence of age is scattered throughout the poem in descriptions of the physical, “With a bald spot in the middle of my hair”, and descriptions of past romantic encounters (akin to the countless encounters of Ulysses), “And I have known them all already, known them all”. The element of old age and looking back on a full life actually brings the two characters closer in proximity, that they both had instances of glory and instances of fearing death and that which follows.
The third instance I wish to analyze is the description of the sirens and the sea and how these imply and create parallels between the two texts and characters. The final lines of T.S Eliot’s poem are focused primarily on images of sirens and the sea, “I have heard the mermaids singing, each to each…Combing the white hair of the waves blown back”. The imagery that is invoked in Eliot’s poem is similar to the descriptions provided by Homer. The parallel extends further than the shared images of the sea and sirens. Sirens, half women half fish who lure sailors to their death, are encountered by the Ulysses and his men. The sirens are said to sing to every man who passes, “Never has any sailor passed our shores in his black craft, until he has heard the honeyed voices pouring from our lips” (The Odyssey, Homer). This is a stark contrasts the sirens which are described by Prufrock, “I do not think that they will sing to me”. Again I think this deals with old age and how there was a time for adventure, for glory, for hearing the sirens. Ulysses too at an old age will not be able to hear the sirens due to the prophecy that he will die far from the sea. Death, and impending death, removes both from the epics of youth and allows both to ponder their lives (the deeds and acts).
The parallels that I have found lead to the conclusion that the two characters are very similar in terms of their feats in life; but the characters are separated by their age. Ulysses experiences youth and glory while Prufrock looks back on youth and glory. The parallels of sea imagery, grand affairs, of questions, and finally death create a relateability between the two. Specifically in the sense that death is a unifying factor for everyone.
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