Question

Examine the following excerpt from the poem "The Love Song of J. Alfred Prufrock," by T. S. Eliot and analyze it closely to determine its tone. How do the word choices, form, and poetic devices contribute to the tone? What effect do the lines create?

The yellow fog that rubs its back upon the window-panes,
The yellow smoke that rubs its muzzle on the window-panes
Licked its tongue into the corners of the evening,
Lingered upon the pools that stand in drains,
Let fall upon its back the soot that falls from chimneys,
Slipped by the terrace, made a sudden leap,
And seeing that it was a soft October night,
Curled once about the house, and fell asleep.

Answer 1

the word choices, like yellow fog and yellow smoke, contribute to the tone of a sad environment. lines like the ones below:

The yellow fog that rubs its back upon the window-panes,

The yellow smoke that rubs its muzzle on the window-panes

are repeating and emphasizing the sad state of living.

Answer 2

T.S.Eliot wrote the love song in 1910. It is a story of someone living in a smoky city hell who is insecure and lonely.

The yellow fog that rubs its back upon the window-panes,

The yellow smoke that rubs its muzzle on the window-panes

Those describes images of a gloomy cityscape where Prufrock lives.