Welcome to the Twentieth Century! As we enter “the modern era,” please complete the following two tasks by Wednesday, April 22nd.
1. Read “Modernity and Modernism, 1900 -1945” in Volume F of your Norton Anthology (pp. 3 -13). This will give you important context for making sense of the first half of the century. Be sure you understand the difference between “modernity” (a time period) and “modernism” (an aesthetic movement)!
2. Choose a moment in T.S. Eliot’s poem “The Love Song of J. Alfred Prufrock” that seems to you to be crying out for explication and analysis. This could be a passage that you find really challenging, or it could be a passage that you feel you already have some insight into. I would recommend choosing a passage of 2-4 lines. Offer a detailed analysis of your passage, including the following:
-copy the lines you are analyzing, and be sure to identify their line numbers.
-explain the literal meaning of the passage.
-what made you choose this passage?
-what words, terms, or names did you need to look up? What do they mean?
-what symbolism, imagery, or other poetic devices is Eliot employing in these lines?
-how do these lines connect to the central concerns of the poem as a whole?
-what do you still not understand about your passage?
-what resources (if any) did you consult in order to complete this assignment? Remember that any time you offer an idea that you found in another source, whether you quote from that source or not, you must include a parenthetical citation identifying your source. Failure to do so is plagiarism, a serious academic offense. Consult me if you have questions about this!
Do I dare
Disturb the universe?
In a minute there is time
For decisions and revisions which a minute will reverse. (45-48)
“Do I dare?” is a question that Prufrock repeatedly asks himself throughout the poem. It is clear through the repetition of this question that Prufrock is highly insecure and unsure about his actions and whether or not he should go through with them. Prufrock seems to be fearful of the consequences of his actions. He is very conscious of what he does. Prufrock does not want to be a nuisance to those around him, which he expresses with his “Disturb the universe” line. Despite his worries, Prufrock seems to have a change of heart when he realizes that his decisions won’t matter after a minute’s time. Prufrock comes to the conclusion that he does not have much to lose since his decisions can be easily reversed, which gives him a sense of confidence. I chose this passage because the repetition of “Do I dare?” stood out to me and I wanted to examine the significance of it. I found his quick change of heart surprising, so I wanted to dive in and analyze these lines further.