Lines 129-131
OriginalWe have lingered in the chambers of the sea
By sea-girls wreathed with seaweed red and brown Till human voices wake us, and we drown. |
InterpretationThis stanza develops a very intricate ending to the poem. There are few conclusions that can be interpreted. Is it possible that Prufrock was just dreaming the whole time, under the hypnotic spell of a woman? A dream in which drowning is the only way out. Or perhaps it is the wishes of a dying old man. A man in shambles from his lost love that he was never quite able to capitalize upon. A man trying to bury his past with a superficial imaginations of elegant mermaids and sea-girls. Could they be his loves replacement? Or simply his faded memory of the love that formed his analytical persona. Either way, Prufrock's hope of holding true to his love and asking that "overwhelming question" are long gone. His love is gone, his potential departed, and his life over.
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