The Works of T.S. Eliot 05: The Love Song of J. Alfred Prufrock

A discussion of T.S. Eliot's "The Love Song of J. Alfred Prufrock" from the online course Classics of American Literature: T.S. Eliot, taught by Duke University English Professor Victor Strandberg.

[@BleakStarshine]

I just wanted to say that these videos saved my HSC, discussing the spiritual importance of T.S Eliot was coincidentally exactly what the final exam was about and I would like to thank Professor Victor Strandburg for this awesome series of videos. Couldn't have done it without you!!!

[@tryptamigo]

i'm 32 diving into things like poetry and philosophy finally in my life. wish i had more of an interest in uni and school, but i was distracted by other things when i was younger like games. it's hard to really appreciate having access to courses like this with such trivial ease, but i'm glad i finally came around.

[@higherfrequencies6395]

this was fantastic. Job well done. You brought that poem to life. Thank you.

[@johnoleary9837]

A very convincing reading - the realist and romantic voices pitted against one another

[@bebeaggad3302]

It’s fascinating to see the interpretation of a Christian man; to see this poem sexualized , I’ve been studying the poem for some time now , and have never made the connection . Thank you for the video I look forward to more .

[@Lof_Lof-]

Thank you for your videos! I've enjoyed all the information greatly.

[@veelvetta]

thank you so much Professor Strandberg, I studied Eliot from your lessons for my English literature exam, and I passed it with a very good grade!

[@sugar_plum_street]

Great lecture, and the whole course is probably the most well-done piece on Eliot there is to find. Thanks so much for your work.

[@AVirk]

Without doubt, this gentleman is so immensely eloquent! Thankyou so much sir ! I wish you do Yeats as well!

[@infinitafenix3153]

Your contribution is really valuable and unusual. Thank you very much!

[@alexandrefreitas9558]

Thank you very much for this lectures. I congratulate you from Brazil.

[@seymourtompkins]

this is brilliant. i have lived with this poem for the past 35 years most uncomfortably because it seemed so impenetrable. you have helped to cut through the fog, the smoke that curled around me brain every time I sat down to re-read the poem

[@geertwissink]

Thanks - diving deep into one of my favorite poems never gets old!

[@Wordpirate]

What a lovely love song! #SAVEMASJIDILAQSANOW #SAVEMASJIDILAQSANOW #SAVEMASJIDILAQSANOW NoThirdTempleOnMountMoriah Je ne rêve plus Je ne fume plus Je n'ai même plus d'histoire Je suis sale sans toi Je suis laide sans toi Comme une orpheline dans un dortoir Je n'ai plus envie De vivre ma vie Ma vie cesse quand tu pars Je n'ai plus de vie Et même mon lit Se transforme en quai de gare Quand tu t'en vas Je suis malade Complètement malade Comme quand ma mère sortait le soir Et qu'elle me laissait seule avec mon désespoir Je suis malade Parfaitement malade T'arrives on ne sait jamais quand Tu pars on ne sait jamais où Et ça va faire bientôt deux ans Que tu t'en fous Comme à un rocher Comme à un péché Je suis accroché à toi Je suis fatiguée, je suis épuisée De faire semblant d'être heureuse Quand ils sont là Je bois toutes les nuits Et tous les whiskys Pour moi ont le même goût Et tous les bateaux Portent ton drapeau Je ne sais plus où aller tu es partout Je suis malade Complètement malade Je verse mon sang dans ton corps Et je suis comme un oiseau mort Quand toi tu dors Je suis malade Parfaitement malade Tu m'as privée de tous mes chants Tu m'as vidée de tous mes mots Pourtant moi j'avais du talent Avant ta peau Cet amour me tue Si ça continue Je crèverai seule avec moi Près de ma radio Comme un gosse idiot En écoutant ma propre voix qui chantera Je suis malade Complètement malade Comme quand ma mère sortait le soir Et qu'elle me laissait seule avec mon désespoir Je suis malade C'est ça Je suis malade Tu m'as privée de tous mes chants Tu m'as vidée de tous mes mots Et j'ai le cœur complètement malade Cerné de barricades T'entends Je suis malade Translate to English Source: LyricFind Songwriters: Alice Dona / Serge Lama Je Suis Malade lyrics © P.E.S.L (Productions et Editions Serge Lama) kzbin.info/www/bejne/oXrCnn-Fa5qcqtE

[@sowhat5399]

That was an amazing lecture now I can enjoy the poem even more

[@user-jt7og3yj5l]

Congratulations sir Victor Strandberg..My respect tou you from Greece.Fantastic lecture.

[@spellboundtarot1264]

My favorite poem out there. Eliot was a true genius. 🖤 thank you sir. 🖤

[@mhenwood541]

Thank you for this Prof. Strandberg. This helped me immensely in my studies!

[@fantasyray5606]

Love this old professor. Intoxicating voice!

[@winniewang3846]

Wonderful wonderful wonderful! I couldn't thank you more!!!

[@shaistakanwal7750]

Well done uncle very nice explanation From Pakistan

[@zaynablayth2612]

Thank you very much. Your lectur is perfect. Enjoyed each and every second. ⚘

[@monika_sulaniya]

Thanku so much Professor for this wonderful explanation... you literally renounced the professional jargon... hope you are healthy and happy.... lots of respect all the way from India 🙏🏻

[@danielavecchia14]

Thank you professor. Best lectures ever.

[@dweepie73]

Thank you for your splendid explanation of this great poem

[@tatheerfatima3723]

Beautifully explained! Always wanted to understand T.S. Eliot.

[@Wordpirate]

What a lovely love song! #SAVEMASJIDILAQSANOW #SAVEMASJIDILAQSANOW #SAVEMASJIDILAQSANOW NoThirdTempleOnMountMoriah Je ne rêve plus Je ne fume plus Je n'ai même plus d'histoire Je suis sale sans toi Je suis laide sans toi Comme une orpheline dans un dortoir Je n'ai plus envie De vivre ma vie Ma vie cesse quand tu pars Je n'ai plus de vie Et même mon lit Se transforme en quai de gare Quand tu t'en vas Je suis malade Complètement malade Comme quand ma mère sortait le soir Et qu'elle me laissait seule avec mon désespoir Je suis malade Parfaitement malade T'arrives on ne sait jamais quand Tu pars on ne sait jamais où Et ça va faire bientôt deux ans Que tu t'en fous Comme à un rocher Comme à un péché Je suis accroché à toi Je suis fatiguée, je suis épuisée De faire semblant d'être heureuse Quand ils sont là Je bois toutes les nuits Et tous les whiskys Pour moi ont le même goût Et tous les bateaux Portent ton drapeau Je ne sais plus où aller tu es partout Je suis malade Complètement malade Je verse mon sang dans ton corps Et je suis comme un oiseau mort Quand toi tu dors Je suis malade Parfaitement malade Tu m'as privée de tous mes chants Tu m'as vidée de tous mes mots Pourtant moi j'avais du talent Avant ta peau Cet amour me tue Si ça continue Je crèverai seule avec moi Près de ma radio Comme un gosse idiot En écoutant ma propre voix qui chantera Je suis malade Complètement malade Comme quand ma mère sortait le soir Et qu'elle me laissait seule avec mon désespoir Je suis malade C'est ça Je suis malade Tu m'as privée de tous mes chants Tu m'as vidée de tous mes mots Et j'ai le cœur complètement malade Cerné de barricades T'entends Je suis malade Translate to English Source: LyricFind Songwriters: Alice Dona / Serge Lama Je Suis Malade lyrics © P.E.S.L (Productions et Editions Serge Lama) kzbin.info/www/bejne/oXrCnn-Fa5qcqtE

[@parvintelli5178]

It was fantastic... I loved it. Thank you so much for the excellent lecture ❤️❤️❤️

[@nameisrango]

Lovely poem and wonderful explanation. Thank you sir.

[@harshitsharma8645]

Thank you sir for your valuable insights. Great video

[@AdnanAdilJournalist]

Thank you so much for this wonderful lecture. Adnan Adil, Pakistan

[@biswajitroy2731]

Your explanation helps me a lot to understand this great poetry. Thanks a lot SIR. From India.

[@smarajitganguly1087]

Excellent video. Thank you.

[@hejla4524]

This is so well explained and devoid of all the usual waffle associated with literary criticism.

[@liz8129]

This is just a wonderful explanation. Really helpful. Thankyou.

[@AbdullahKhan-cy8cc]

thanks big man lad man boss man

[@kamandshepherd1336]

This was amazing! Thank you!

[@pratzy14]

Thank you for the succinct analysis

[@tazkiaamara8043]

Amazing!! Thank you, sir!

[@SouvikBiswas420]

U have a great voice.

[@Gustolfo]

Fantastic lecture.

[@dirgantarapraditya2428]

Love it's. Thank you

[@KarensYoutubeChannel]

Following on your earlier lecture about the influence of naturalism, I believe this poem is best interpreted as an exlempar of Darwinian cultural evolution. I accept your point about Eliot being a Classissist but I feel that explaining the poem as an argument between realism and romanticism just touches the surface. You were right to say that Eliot was burdened by naturalism and in his first published work he truly shows us how. He chooses a Classical form ...a love song. There is no reason to attribute the lovesong to J. Alfred Prufrock, but natural science would name his being (so it is named) however Prufrock ironically asks in two ways if his classification (ie his name) is correct: 1) am I a pair of claws ...2) am I a man (you explained that question). Also the portarayal of body parts in the poem is not gruesome at all, in fact it is like a love song of natural scientists studying these parts. They are beautiful in the poem, even the severed head is beautiful because it is not just the poet's nod to religion, it's a broad metaphor. There is nothing distasteful when Prufrock notices downy hair on arms ...he also notices his thinning hair in the same way ...it's very human. Also you made not mention of Time in this, but it's VERY IMPORTANT. Beginning with the line ... The evening is spread out against the sky like a patient etherized upon a table...this describes the MOMENT. Time is measured by our internal clock by the changes in space, however Prufrock cannot move in this space and neither can the space! The sky must stay still for this moment...because there will be time, there will be time (meaning new definitions of time and how we percieve it according to Darwin). He **does not travel the streets**, he even asks if he should begin (ie start time ) by saying that he did, and should he tread the streets that follow (after the Roman Roads et. al). Oh the smoke...the yellow smoke. Why is it yellow? Why does Prufrock even notice it? Because it has light in it and light shows movement through time. So he stills the observation. He even cloaks the women in this stillness once constructed. The women who come and go, through rooms (like streets) talking of Michelango..who move through natural history. What that's about? Basically it highlights the 40K years of archeological and anthropological history that must be explained through a Darwinian framework of cultural evolution. Even the Epigraph is chosen for it's reference to naturalism. That is, if the story makes it out of hell it is **selected to do so**, and will therefore make its contribution to cultural evolution. The "sawdust" and "oyster shells" are about natural history. See the Pinnacles in Australia ...limestone that grew from trees and shells, and Gobecki Tepi that recreates them, and obviously the forest habitat of hunter gatherers is also a "sawdust restaurant". "That would be, Isuppose, the footmen being Time" you said... Time is everything in this. If he locks gazes with one of the women time will REALLY stop. But since he doesn't, and will not ask the question (modernism you said) (which is ... does Natural science explain everything ...and will my art evolve culture...). The black and white imagery for the ocean (like pages, like his poem), the drowning in the ocean: a pugilistic play on the Inferno. Settling a pillow ...that shows civilization. That situation is one where Prufrock decides that life itself, the contiuation of human life and culture, does not observe the rules of science, so the argument is not worthwhile. Natural science wins.

[@17writing]

Very very helpful, thank you!

[@PoojaKumari-tf8io]

Thank you for the great lecture sir! Sometimes in between things were a little bit unclear...but those were negligible... Overall great job sir!😄

[@zoobloo]

You sound so intellectual and eloquent yet I can understand exactly what you mean which makes me feel smart when I'm really not Haha, thank you!

[@nur-e-nusratzereen5385]

amazing voice & great help it was. hope I'll also get a discussion on 'Ash Wednesday' by you.

[@irenel.3913]

kzbin.info/www/bejne/fZbNlIlmab5qjrs :)

[@MahmoudIsmail1988.]

Beautiful analysis

[@mrigakshidas7346]

thank you sir.....it was very helpful...

[@collin6238]

I think it a very existential poem

[@K_F_fox]

I used to think that the Inferno quote was saying "Prufrock didn't expect you to read this." But, as of today, I think it's saying "yeah, you're in Hell, too, so I may as well tell you."

[@SingleMalt77005]

It seems there is a consensus that the poem has a lot to do with Prufrock wanting to make a proposal to a woman, but I keep asking myself how can we be sure of that? Is it the only logical inference from the little info we are given? Is it necessarily the case?

[@EnglishwithRituRai]

Extremely helpful

[@lauratubayan6937]

Thank you!!

[@Wordpirate]

What a lovely love song! #SAVEMASJIDILAQSANOW #SAVEMASJIDILAQSANOW #SAVEMASJIDILAQSANOW NoThirdTempleOnMountMoriah Je ne rêve plus Je ne fume plus Je n'ai même plus d'histoire Je suis sale sans toi Je suis laide sans toi Comme une orpheline dans un dortoir Je n'ai plus envie De vivre ma vie Ma vie cesse quand tu pars Je n'ai plus de vie Et même mon lit Se transforme en quai de gare Quand tu t'en vas Je suis malade Complètement malade Comme quand ma mère sortait le soir Et qu'elle me laissait seule avec mon désespoir Je suis malade Parfaitement malade T'arrives on ne sait jamais quand Tu pars on ne sait jamais où Et ça va faire bientôt deux ans Que tu t'en fous Comme à un rocher Comme à un péché Je suis accroché à toi Je suis fatiguée, je suis épuisée De faire semblant d'être heureuse Quand ils sont là Je bois toutes les nuits Et tous les whiskys Pour moi ont le même goût Et tous les bateaux Portent ton drapeau Je ne sais plus où aller tu es partout Je suis malade Complètement malade Je verse mon sang dans ton corps Et je suis comme un oiseau mort Quand toi tu dors Je suis malade Parfaitement malade Tu m'as privée de tous mes chants Tu m'as vidée de tous mes mots Pourtant moi j'avais du talent Avant ta peau Cet amour me tue Si ça continue Je crèverai seule avec moi Près de ma radio Comme un gosse idiot En écoutant ma propre voix qui chantera Je suis malade Complètement malade Comme quand ma mère sortait le soir Et qu'elle me laissait seule avec mon désespoir Je suis malade C'est ça Je suis malade Tu m'as privée de tous mes chants Tu m'as vidée de tous mes mots Et j'ai le cœur complètement malade Cerné de barricades T'entends Je suis malade Translate to English Source: LyricFind Songwriters: Alice Dona / Serge Lama Je Suis Malade lyrics © P.E.S.L (Productions et Editions Serge Lama) kzbin.info/www/bejne/oXrCnn-Fa5qcqtE

[@mohmmadtarawneh2667]

thank you sir

[@nadiahossain6827]

Great video

[@jahirasif]

nicely explained ...

[@RajibBalaSonu]

Can you please suggest a few books for further reading Sir ? I really need some. I am searching for your books on Eliot or especially on Prufrock. I'll be thankful if you just guide me.

[@justanotherpoet2542]

The peach is not a reference to potential digestive issues, but more realistically a pine for peachy cheeks.

[@tatheerfatima3723]

"the awful human burden of too much self knowledge." 👏

[@evelynl.4885]

How to cite this video?

[@daytuh7602]

11:33 that scared me so much

[@angkuojha2143]

Hello sir

[@naushadkhan597]

Fragmentation. Not a thorough analysis of poem needs more deep penetration into the split personality of Mr. Prufrock.

[@collin6238]

But I think you got the bit about the peach wrong

[@mybabenuts]

Zarnticolz Rum I agree

[@bredamaune2028]

A wonderful educational video with brilliant clarity. Thank you

[@seymourtompkins]

how ? do you think the point was that a peach is messy, too messy for Prufrock ? or was it sexual innuendo ?

[@ronaldchevalier9458]

@@seymourtompkins I understood it to be that Prufrock has false teeth. When T.S. Eliot was writing, the fitting of false teeth were probably not so good, and eating a peach in public might be embarrassing if his teeth slip out.

[@seymourtompkins]

@@ronaldchevalier9458 Nice. That hadn't occurred to me. I assumed it was because peaches, especially in older folks, can lead to (shall we say) an abrupt need to use the restroom

[@ivy9413]

wys about hairy arms

[@YamCherie]

Is it me, or is this professor scrumtious?

[@foley325405]

What a crashing, bombastic bore and he doesn't even touch on the true meaning of Prufrock, the quesion of life and death...to be or not to be....a one-dimensional, incomplete and eventually unsatisfying analysis. Can't imagine sitting in this man's class. .