“The Love Song of J. Alfred Prufrock” by T.S. Eliot and “To His Coy Mistress” by Andrew Marvell

Brandon Cantrell

Essay 5

5 December 2007

6 :00 pm Class

Thesis : The Love Song of J . Alfred Prufrock ' by T .S . Eliot and To His Coy Mistress ' by Andrew Marvell are poems that both depict a need to express love within the limits of Father Time , although the respective manners in which the two poems ' protagonists face the idea of expressing love are complete opposites

Introduction to the Problem : Comparison of the poems The Love Song of J . Alfred Prufrock ' by T .S . Eliot , and To His Coy Mistress

' by Andrew Marvell

Introduction

Thesis Statement

Discussion of the Poem The Love Song of J . Alfred Prufrock ' by T .S Eliot

What the Poem is About

General Theme and Mood

Cited Illustration

Discussion of the Poem To His Coy Mistress ' by Andrew Marvell

What the Poem is About

General Theme and Mood

Cited Illustration

Similarities of the Two Poems

Similarity in Theme or Subject

Similarities in the Protagonist

Cited Examples

Differences between the Two Poems

Differences in Theme and Mood

Differences in Protagonist

Differences in Treatment of the

Quoted Examples from the Poems

Conclusion

Summary of Argument

Thesis Statement

Love Poems : A Comparative Study

Many styles of love poems have evolved in the long history of poetry making . There are sonnets and ballads there are love songs . There are poems that are teemed with youth and vigor , or with the promise of eternity . The Love Song of J . Alfred Prufrock ' by T .S . Eliot and To His Coy Mistress ' by Andrew Marvell are poems that both depict a need to express love within the limits of Father Time , although the respective manners in which the two poems ' protagonists face the idea of expressing love are complete opposites

The Love Song of J . Alfred Prufrock ' is about a middle-aged man who has difficulty expressing his love for any woman because of an inferior self- image . The poem is full of metaphors that visualize the downtrodden feeling that the poem 's protagonist possesses . Let us go through certain half-deserted streets , the muttering retreats , of restless nights in one-night cheap hotels , and sawdust restaurants with oyster-shells (Eliot ) The imagery in this first portion of the poem shows a man who believes that he belongs to the poor side of town , where the outcasts are usually found . His image of women projects a harsh contrast to his self-image . In the room the women come and go , talking of Michelangelo . This means that the type of women that he admires enjoy talking about lofty subjects , hence they will not likely talk about , or to him . This poem is written during a time that Eliot was undergoing religious crisis and a nervous breakdown ' Incidentally this was also during the early twentieth century when Modernism in poetry was new it was during this time that irony was usually found in poetry (Washington State University ) It is indeed ironic that the poem is dubbed as a love song but the general mood is pessimistic , instead of romantic...