How is the Epigraph in ‘The Love
Song of J. Alfred Prufrock’ related to the thematic content of the poem ?
Eliot often uses allusions
and intertextuality of this kind in his poetry and, indeed, often uses text in
foreign languages without translating it. In this way, he rewards the more
diligent reader: anyone who is actually familiar with Dante's Inferno will
immediately have a better understanding of this poem's context than someone who
does it.
The epigraph's lines from
Dante can be translated as follows:
If I but
thought that my response were made
to one perhaps returning to the world,
this tongue of flame would cease to flicker.
But since, up from these depths, no one has yet
returned alive, if what I hear is true,
I answer without fear of being shamed.
to one perhaps returning to the world,
this tongue of flame would cease to flicker.
But since, up from these depths, no one has yet
returned alive, if what I hear is true,
I answer without fear of being shamed.
If we assume
that the epigraph is by Prufrock himself (the speaker of the poem), then the
epigraph implies Prufrock’s learning, his depressed state of mind, and his
tendency to describe his own situation in somewhat hyperbolic terms.
If we assume that the epigraph is not by Prufrock but
is Eliot’s comment on Prufrock, then the epigraph, if nothing else, adds to the
dark tone of the poem and suggests that the poem has some relevance beyond
Prufrock’s own limited situation. In any case, the epigraph is typical of
Eliot’s tendency to examine modern experiences by comparing and contrasting
them to experiences of the past................Hi. I’m Designer of Blog Magic. I’m CEO/Founder of ThemeXpose. I’m Creative Art Director, Web Designer, UI/UX Designer, Interaction Designer, Industrial Designer, Web Developer, Business Enthusiast, StartUp Enthusiast, Speaker, Writer and Photographer. Inspired to make things looks better.
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