Final answer:
T. S. Eliot's "The Love Song of J. Alfred Prufrock" is a modernist poem that contrasts traditional love songs by focusing on the protagonist's internal struggles, reflecting on High Modernism's focus on a fragmented and changing society.
Step-by-step explanation:
The poem "The Love Song of J. Alfred Prufrock" by T. S. Eliot presents a modernist take on the traditional themes associated with love songs. Rather than depicting a romantic ideal or passionate affair, the poem delves into the psychological depth of the modern individual, epitomized by the character of Prufrock. Prufrock's internal monologue reveals his existential angst and social paralysis, which are reflective of the modern human condition. In this sense, the poem offers a stark contrast to typical love songs that focus on romantic love and external expressions of affection. Instead, it presents a fragmented inner world filled with doubts, insecurities, and a poignant sense of loss, a portrayal that is very much in line with High Modernism's response to a rapidly changing society.
Eliot's poem starts with an epigraph from Dante's Inferno, setting a tone of introspection and confession, and unlike a traditional love letter, it is formatted as a dramatic monologue without a clear audience. This structural innovation, along with Eliot's intricate use of allusions and complex imagery, exemplifies the High Modernist approach to poetry. Furthermore, the poem's reflective and fragmented style, its exploration of modernity, and the dissection of the psyche of a modern man fits neatly within the parameters of the modern era's artistic and literary experiments.