Epigraph

An epigraph from Dante Alighieri’s Inferno starts off the poem by T.S. Eliot known as “The Love Song of J. Alfred Prufrock.” In Italian the word inferno literally translates to hell. Thus, Inferno is an all too fitting title for the well known work of literature, especially when one takes into consideration that it occurs in the multi-layered and multi-faceted world of Hell. Eliot’s decision to use a section of Dante’s Inferno for his poem’s epigraph, not only leads the reader to believe that the speaker of the poem, J. Alfred Prufrock, cares just as much for his reputation as the speaker of the epigraph, Guido da Montefeltro, but it also suggests that time is much like it is in the depths of hell - everlasting and repetitive. The concept…

The piece “The Love Song of J. Alfred Prufrock” by T.S Elliot is introduced with an epigraph from Dante’s Inferno. Dante’s Inferno is an epic, which depicts the journey of a man named Dante who is guided through the nine levels of hell. The excerpt from the poem is of a scene in which the speaker states that he has no fear and will speak freely of his sins to Dante because nobody who has crossed this far into Hell has ever made it back to earth to spread his story. Elliot has been known to…

The poem opens with an epigraph from Dante’s Inferno, and in the excerpt Guido de Montefeltro confesses his shame because he knows that no one will return to earth with his confessions. This excerpt is essentially Prufrock’s assurance that he can entrust the reader with what he is about to disclose without feeling shameful, thus the actual poem opening with “Let go then, you and I.” The reader can then assume that there are two personas in the poem—the speaker (“I”) and a mysterious “you.” The…

“Icarus in Catechism Class,” a poem written by Dominador Ilio, revolves around the persona wanting to escape the catechism class that he is in. On the other hand, “Musée des Beaux Arts,” a poem written by WH Auden, shows how the “Old Masters” understand suffering as depicted in several artworks, especially Brueghel’s painting of the fall of Icarus, as seen by the persona in a mueseum. This close reading will focus on the importance of Icarus and how suffering is depicted in the poems. Making…

The mere mention of the word death evokes fear, anxiety and restlessness. It preys on the young and old alike, the poor and rich, the strong and weak, the brave and the cowards. Because of its nature that remains to be a mystery, men and women have turned to poetry to vividly describe it, seeking to shed a glimpse of light on this “might foe” Such thoughts are captured in the two poems by John Donne, “Death, Be Not proud” and “The Tyger” by William Blake. For sure death is just a temporal state.…

“The Love Song of J. Alfred Prufrock” is a narrative poem by T.S Elliot. It portrays the puzzling and obscure phrenic conceptions of the protagonist, Prufrock, as he guides the reader to what appears to be a peregrination. Throughout the poem’s irregular timeline, an alienated Prufrock repeatedly insists that there is something important he needs to tell the reader, but he continually states that he has time. The poem’s title insinuates that Prufrock is addressing someone he admires, or loves,…

The title and the epigraph show the role of an individual within a community and the value of human life, especially in a time of war. The funeral bell of the title and epigraph relay the idea of mortality, a reminder we are all destined to die. The loss of any one person affects everyone. The fear of death is significant as the characters are involved in an operation that is up against considerable odds. P ablo’s primary responsibility is to himself. He does not want to participate in…

Neil Gaiman opens The Ocean at the End of the Lane with the Maurice Sendak epigraph to foreshadow the idea that children are wiser than adults realize; both the epigraph and the novel suggest that children can appreciate some underlying truths about the world better than adults. The Maurice Sendak epigraph references this idea about children and their ability to comprehend road blocks in life better than adults can. The last two sentences say, “ But I mustn't let adults know I knew. It would…

The scene that surrounds this epigraph is the reflection of the year 2008 by Jesmyn Ward as she recounts others from her town who died young and in various ways. She paused here briefly to tell about four additional deaths before explaining how her brother’s passing away affected her. The language she uses to illustrate the theme of death is like that of a fungus, as it claims her family members and friends as its victims. In part, the definition is that fungi are spore-producing organisms that…

constant desire to be on the move, explore, and live off the land. It’s an exciting life, like Tolstoy writes about in “Family Happiness”. I feel that Krakauer used this epigraph to allow for the reader to understand Chris’s viewpoint for living a life bursting…