An Analysis of The Love Song of J. Alfred Prufrock Essay

The editors of anthologies containing T. S. Eliots The Love Song of J. Alfred Prufrock invariably footnote the reference to Lazarus as John 11:1-44; rarely is the reference footnoted as Luke 16:19-31. Also, the reference to John the Baptist is invariably footnoted as Matthew 14:3-11; never have I seen the reference footnoted as an allusion to Oscar Wildes Salome. The sources that one cites can profoundly affect interpretations of the poem. I believe that a correct reading of Eliots Prufrock requires that one cite Wilde, in addition to Matthew, and Luke, in addition to John, as the sources for the John the Baptist and Lazarus being referenced. Furthermore, the citation of these sources can help explain Eliots allusion to†¦show more content†¦But though I have wept and fasted, wept and prayed, Though I have seen my head (grown slightly bald) brought in upon a platter, I am no prophet--and heres no great matter... (81-83) The reference is not only to Matthew 14:3-11, but also to Oscar Wildes Salome, the play upon which Richard Strauss based his opera Salome. In the biblical account, no motivation is ascribed to Salome for wanting John the Baptist killed. In the versions by Wilde and Strauss, however, Salome is passionately in love with the imprisoned John the Baptist, who, because he will not let the temptations of the flesh corrupt his pure love of God, rejects her advances. Wildes Salome, determined that if she cannot have John no one will have John, asks Herod for the Baptists head on a platter. John the Baptist spurned Salomes affections while he lived; now that he is dead, Salome lavishes her kisses upon the cold lips of the bloody corpse-head. Prufrock, too, has had his moments of temptation: he has known the arms already, known them all-- / Arms that are braceleted and white and bare / (But in the lamplight, downed with light brown hair!) (62-64). And these very sources of temptation, these arms that lie along a table, or wrap about a shawl (67), eventually emasculate Prufrock by rejection:Show MoreRelatedAnalysis Of The Love Song Of J. Alfred Prufrock1386 Words   |  6 Pagesâ€Å"The Love Song of T.S Eliot† In â€Å"The Love Song of J. Alfred Prufrock† the reader can clearly understand that T.S Eliot is straightforward as one can get within a poem. In the beginning of the poem, one can infer that Prufrock is being used as a facade to convey Eliot’s inner self who is an introvert that doesn’t quite fit in with the modern day society. â€Å"Prufrock† sees his personal life as a burden that he cannot mend while he tries to conform into the middle class society that everyone views asRead MoreLiterary Analysis Of The Love Song Of J. Alfred Prufrock Essay1336 Words   |  6 PagesA Literary Analysis of T.S. Eliot’s â€Å"The Love Song of J. Alfred Prufrock† T.S. 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