T.S. Elliot's "The Love Song of J. Alfred Prufrock,""

             Alfred Prufrock,"" is about one mans frustration and misery on his quest to find some type of meaning of his existence. It begins with an invitation from Prufrock to follow him through his examination of himself. His imagery of his invitation begins with, "Let us go then you and I/When the evening is spread out against the sky/Like a patient etherised upon a table (1-3)."" This not only describes the evening sky, but the "etherised- evening which creates a dreamlike quality throughout the poem (3). This dreamlike quality is supported in the poem with the "yellow fog- contributing to the slowed-down-etherised feeling of the poem (15). It is like the poem is suspended from one mans life, "spread out against the sky (2)."" The imagery of the patient represents Prufrock's self-examination. The imagery of the "etherised patient- expresses a person waiting to be treated (3). This treatment will be Prufrock's examination of his life. .
             Prufrock then repeats his invitation and asks the reader to follow him along his cold and lonely domain. Prufrock's description of the urban city is quite dull: "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;/Streets that follow like a tedious argument/Of insidious intent (4-9)."" This is a lonely setting that Prufrock lives out his meaningless existence. The city is under the same feeling that spreads the evening like an "etherised patient (3)."".
             Prufrock goes on from the city onto his final destination; "the room women come and go/Speaking of Michelangelo (13-14)."" These lines add anticipation to the tension surrounding the poem and are about time. These lines suggest that Prufrock has seen these women "come and go,"" suggesting that Prufrock has been around for some time (13). The line also implies that while others have come and gone from the social circles that Prufrock is apart of, Prufrock has stayed clear.