For I have known them all already, known them all | The Love Song of J. Alfred Prufrock

For I have known them all already, known them all | The Love Song of J. Alfred Prufrock

"For I have known them all already, known them all:

Have known the evenings, mornings, afternoons,

I have measured out my life with coffee spoons;

I know the voices dying with a dying fall

Beneath the music from a farther room."

- Explain with reference from "The Love Song of J. Alfred Prufrock" by T. S. Eliot

Answer: “The love song of J Alfred Prufrock” is an influential and iconic poem of the modern era. It was published in 1915 by T. S. Eliot. In this poem, the inner psyche and the title character of J Alfred Prufrock are skillfully portrayed. He is portrayed as a modern, urban and alienated individual.

The opening line “For I have known them all already, known them all” sets the tone of familiarity and repetition. It permeates the narrator’s perception. The use of the word ‘known’ suggests a deep intimate understanding. It also suggests a sense of boredom and weariness. The narrator feels he has already experienced and witnessed everything. Therefore, all of his experiences leave him with a sense of boredom and dissatisfaction.

The next line, “Have known the evenings, mornings, afternoons” further emphasizes these feelings of monotony in everyday life. The simple description of the day’s progression, - evenings, mornings, afternoons – conveys a sense of the narrator's life. His life is divided into predictable, unremarkable segments. There is a lack of any distinct or memorable events in his life.

The metaphor of “I have measured out my life with a coffee spoon” is very suggestive. The use of the humble ‘coffee spoon’ as a unit of measurement suggests the narrator’s life has been reduced to small. His life is starkly devoid of any grand scale or significance. The image of measuring one's life in this way implies its sense of control. Moreover, his life has a lack of spontaneity and vibrancy.

The final lines “I know the voice is dying with a dying fall / Beneath the music from a further room” suggests the narrator’s detachment and alienation. The ‘dying fall’ of the voices suggests a fading, diminishing sense of life and energy. On the other hand, the ‘music from a further room’ conveys a sense of distance and separation. The narrator is not fully engaged with the world around him. But he observes the world from a distant and disconnected world where the domains.

Thus, this passage highlights the narrator’s profound sense of boredom and existential depression. He feels trapped in the repetitive, mundane cycle of daily life. He is unable to find any true meaning or fulfillment. The language and imagery convey a deep-seated longing for something more. He has a desire to break free from the stifling routine that has come to define his existence.

Hence, this passage is a powerful exploration of the human condition. It reflects the universal struggle to find purpose and significance in the face of the endless monotony of everyday life.

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