Midlife Crisis In The Love Song Of J Alfred Prufrock

T.S. Eliot’s The Love Song of J. Alfred Prufrock, is a poem with no clear theme or intent. There are many ideas and problems presented making it difficult to speculation as to what exactly prompted the creation of such poetry. T.S. Eliot depicts the struggles of a middle-aged man by the name of J. Alfred Prufrock, as he reflects on his life thus far. A midlife crisis is often the term used when an individual has a transition in identity and becomes rebellious against the thought of growing old. In our modern age, individuals experiencing a midlife crisis are very noticeable because those individuals attempt to fit in with a younger generation. T.S. Eliot was able to capture this crisis of identity in his younger years, as he began to write …show more content…
Alfred Prufrock to resolve his midlife crisis would be to no longer care of the opinions of everyone but to only care of the opinions of a trusted few individuals. The Love Song of J. Alfred Prufrock highlights the interactions individuals may have with one another, in this case Prufrock’s interactions are few and filled with anxiety. Prufrock dreads social interactions because he has become insecure about his sexual appeal as age becomes to creep in. “They will say; “How his hair is growing thin!” ” (710, Ln 41) Hair as a sign of youth and fertility become marks of Prufrock's sexual appeal and identity. When a person allows others to validate him or her, those individuals become dependent on the feedback of everyone but themselves. By caring only of the opinions of a few individuals, a person can clear room for his or her own perspective on identity. Prufrock needs to value his opinion of himself above everyone else's, yet still consider the opinions of people that he respects and knows have the best …show more content…
Alfred Prufrock can take control of his life by choosing to give power to the fear that will bring him strength. Fear is a very primitive safety net that has kept humans, from the early caveman to the modern man, alive. In Prufrock's world, he is constantly overwhelmed with fear that slowly kills him and is robbing any enjoyment that life may carry. “Do I dare disturb the universe?”(710, Ln 45-46) Human nature is curiosity that sometimes leads to either pain or glory, but fear should never stand in the way of experiencing either of those sensations. The experience of feeling alive, as a result of a risk, brings individuals gratitude of every moment that life provides. Fear should never restrict but rather be used to strengthen an individual. Prufrock must find himself worthy enough to fear the things that are important, to fear with an intention to overcome, rather than be