Blog # 17
“The Love Song of J. Alfred Prufrock”
5) Who or what is the “Eternal Footman”? Why is this footman snickering at Prufrock?
Before the 20th century footmen were the caretakers of the aristocratic. They got the name from the servants who ran beside or behind the carriages and were chosen for their athletic ability. They had jobs both in and out side the homes. The footman was always there when needed. The footmen in Prufrocks time were usually at special events to take and return the coats to guests. So the Eternal Footman is the death waiting for Prufrock. Eternal meaning forever and this is his last footman. So in the line “And I have seen the eternal Footman Hold my coat,” Prufrock is concerned about his own mortality and fears he it at deaths door, with the grim reaper (footman) waiting holding his coat. Prufrock states that the footman is holding his coat, not anyone else’s so he knows that death is there for him. In this poem Prufrock is reflecting back on his life and doesn’t feel that he has accomplished much and the things that he did accomplish weren’t too note worthy. He also talks of his aging and how he is loosing his hair and may be shrinking in size, with having to role his pants up. So when the Eternal footman is snickering at him I believe Prufrock feels that he is because of his unimportant life. That the Eternal footman is making fun of Prufrock for not accomplishing anything to significant and on top of that he is growing old.
+5 Exactly. And the mention of a coat and a door also gives a sense of making an exit, which emphasizes that death is waiting for him.
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