Eliot's Poetic Work, “The Love Song of J. Alfred Prufrock,” A Psychoanalytic Inquiry

Abstract

The Kleinian Psychoanalytic Theory Approach aims to uncover the hidden magical relationship in Eliot's "The Love Song of J. Alfred Prufrock." This approach focuses on the protagonist's identity inconsistency and the hidden talents in a background filled with pain. The methodology involves a hermeneutical approach, analyzing the theme of psychoanalytic with paranoid-schizoids positions from Melanie Klein's paper. The findings reveal a complex network of motifs, character interplay, and psychological elements beneath the surface in "The Love Song." The Kleinian psychoanalytical approach reveals the underlying messages for the conflicts, which are carried out by the protagonist, who transmutes in various forms due to his desire over what he wants. Further analysis of other works or a cross-field approach could provoke numerous points for consideration about the divine in Prufrock's character.