The readings for this week drew my attention to the poem, ‘The Love Song of J. Alfred Prufrock,’ by T.S. Eliot. The piece serves as an example of how the ‘self’ as a sign can be deconstructed into both fictitious and realistic elements. In order for the fictitious elements to be truly impactful, it helps for the artist to detach himself from the conventions of reality a bit. As the reading indicates, signs often have more than one meaning and they overlap with other signs. There is no set rule or set of restrictions that narrow a sign’s “messages” to one notion. The poet must detach himself from reality in order to be exposed to the other “messages” that may culminate into his fictitious self. Then, he can rely on the fact and truth imbedded within to construct the true self. The additional messages may also adhere to other disciplines that can help enhance the meaning of the poem.
In analyzing this piece, the reader can correlate several meanings to the signs presented. In this case, the sub-meanings of 'self' correlate to the discipline of drama or the theatre. I was able to connect the ‘self’ sign to meanings represented reflected in both Greek and Shakespearean theatre. The element of Greek theatre that stood out to me was the role of the ‘prophet.’
In this piece, the speaker mentions that he is not a prophet or a prince. To justify this, he must know the responsibilities of these two roles because the responsibilities serve as sub-meanings for what is not his true self. Prophets are often revered for what they can see, and for having knowledge that has that escapes others. A prophet’s sight is strong, but in the poem, the speaker’s sight is merely that of a mortal and so is not as stable: I have seen the moment of my greatness flicker/ And I have seen the eternal Footman hold my coat, and snicker/ And in short, I was afraid (lines 4-6). Because he is not “greatness,” he has seen the eternal Footman mock him. The aspect of the word ‘eternal’ indicates a higher power of destiny, as it is not the speaker’s destiny to have great sight.
He is also not Prince Hamlet. In Shakespeare, the character of Hamlet seeks truth in order to make sure he is justified in obtaining revenge for his father’s death. Coincidentally, T.S. Elliot also wrote a critical essay of Hamlet in which he stated, “We find Shakespeare's 'Hamlet' not in the action, not in any quotations that we might select, so much as in an unmistakable tone..." (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Prince_Hamlet). The ‘tone’ of Hamlet is the factor that is resonant in the poem when the speaker mentions him in the Prufrock piece.
Instead of being a royal man who is confused to carry out his mission (e.g. Hamlet), the speaker is an attendant to that of a higher authority. He serves to advise and support the lord, and is a being that embodies the: Politic, cautious, and meticulous. (line 12).
The entire work appears to echo both Greek and Shakespearean plays. In Greek productions, prophecies were held in high standard and were not meant to be mocked as the speaker is in the poem. In terms of Shakespearean plays, the character of ‘the Fool’ could often get away with advising the lord through riddles and jokes in a way that would spell doom for the other characters. Because he was ‘the Fool’ who was meant to entertain the lord, his words did not have to be taken seriously. If other characters spoke the same language, they risked being banished or being put the death. But to the audience, the Fool could speak an element of wisdom that embodied the play (even if the lord did not pick up on this).
The speaker in the Prufrock poem realizes that while he may not be enamored or revered by others, his role is still important: Full of high sentence, but a bit obtuse/ At times, indeed, almost ridiculous/ Almost, at times, the Fool (lines 13-15)
Detachment, deconstructing the sign of ‘self,’ and referencing the discipline of the ‘theatre’ are all strategies that help to make up the foundation of this piece. By using these strategies, the speaker is able to discover what he is 'not,' and then able to reveal the 'true self' that lies within. Using the tool of semiotics helps him to reveal his poetic self.
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