The Love Song Of J Alfred Prufrock

The epigraph at the beginning of "The Love Song of J Alfred Prufrock" refers to lines taken from Dante's "Inferno". The words are spoken by the character of Count Guido da Montefellro, a soul being punished in the Eighth chasm of Hell for the attempt to buy absolution in advance of committing a crime. Guido explains that he is speaking freely to Dante only because he believes Dante to be one of the dead who …

…his powerlessness to act can be empathized with. Prufrock understands his helplessness and dissatisfaction with his life but does not seem to be able to deal with it. His examination of his own self-image causes his distortion of reality, making him afraid of confrontation as he retreats into unsatisfying, but dependable daydreams. Like Dante's character, Prufrock can not seem to escape his "Hell", and feels confident in telling his story to a likewise trapped prisoner.