The world has changed geographically, historically, and in scientific ways, but one thing that has remain constant throughout the ages of human existence is love and the struggles that come with it. Such struggles have caused men to do the impossible like cross oceans, travel the world, dance, sing, write, and, perhaps the most daring thing of them all, propose marriage. As seen in the poem by T.S Elliot, “The Love Song of J. Alfred Prufrock”, love and its complications have plagued humankind since centuries past. The poem describes Prufrock’s journey to an event in which he will ask someone an important question. Through his walk he is overcome by a multitude of scenarios that highlight his fears of love. Although the poem was published in
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During the twentieth century parental approval was needed to get married or even to attempt to propose. Society also played a major role in romantic relations because the societal class that both of the people belonged to had to agree with the marriage in order for the new couple to be treated fairly and respectfully. Usually bachelors had to prove their economical, social, and political, worth to both the father and mother of the maiden, and then had to wait for them to give the green light to the proposal. Which leads Prufrock to state that he is “pinned and wriggling on the wall” exposed for everyone to view and critique him (58). This expresses how he feels that he is being watched by everyone and that they are all trying to see if what he will do or say will be considered as the right thing. Which also causes him to wonder if the maiden’s family would allow and approve of him if he asked their daughter to marry him. The problem of parental and societal approval still exists today just on a much smaller scale. Parents do not possess the same authority over their daughters as they did back then, so there is more freedom in relationships now that open up room for parental disapproval without causing a major problem in the relationships. Of course, there is still a social stigma, much like there was in Prufrock’s time, for men when it comes to not being able to provide for their wives, and …show more content…
Towards the end of the poem Prufrock engulfs into a mermaid filled fantasy in which he states, “I do not think they will sing to me” in so referencing his fear of rejection (125). Mermaids are usually portrayed as beautiful creatures, that resemble sirens, who seduce men with their voice and lead them to their doom. The imagery along with Prufrock’s statement emphasizes his fear of getting rejected by the maiden, when he asks her to marry him, as well as showing how the rejection would feel like his doom due to the embarrassment that he would have to endure while getting refused. Even now people stop to question their actions in fear that they will get rejected. For example, if there was a young man, who overthinks things like Prufrock does, and he was almost certain that if he asked a specific girl out she would say yes, he would still hesitate in asking her out because there would be a very slim chance that he would get rejected. Due to the fact that there is less parental governing over girls than there was back then, fear of rejection does not only exist during this time period but has risen as a fear among
During the twentieth century parental approval was needed to get married or even to attempt to propose. Society also played a major role in romantic relations because the societal class that both of the people belonged to had to agree with the marriage in order for the new couple to be treated fairly and respectfully. Usually bachelors had to prove their economical, social, and political, worth to both the father and mother of the maiden, and then had to wait for them to give the green light to the proposal. Which leads Prufrock to state that he is “pinned and wriggling on the wall” exposed for everyone to view and critique him (58). This expresses how he feels that he is being watched by everyone and that they are all trying to see if what he will do or say will be considered as the right thing. Which also causes him to wonder if the maiden’s family would allow and approve of him if he asked their daughter to marry him. The problem of parental and societal approval still exists today just on a much smaller scale. Parents do not possess the same authority over their daughters as they did back then, so there is more freedom in relationships now that open up room for parental disapproval without causing a major problem in the relationships. Of course, there is still a social stigma, much like there was in Prufrock’s time, for men when it comes to not being able to provide for their wives, and …show more content…
Towards the end of the poem Prufrock engulfs into a mermaid filled fantasy in which he states, “I do not think they will sing to me” in so referencing his fear of rejection (125). Mermaids are usually portrayed as beautiful creatures, that resemble sirens, who seduce men with their voice and lead them to their doom. The imagery along with Prufrock’s statement emphasizes his fear of getting rejected by the maiden, when he asks her to marry him, as well as showing how the rejection would feel like his doom due to the embarrassment that he would have to endure while getting refused. Even now people stop to question their actions in fear that they will get rejected. For example, if there was a young man, who overthinks things like Prufrock does, and he was almost certain that if he asked a specific girl out she would say yes, he would still hesitate in asking her out because there would be a very slim chance that he would get rejected. Due to the fact that there is less parental governing over girls than there was back then, fear of rejection does not only exist during this time period but has risen as a fear among