Prufrock and Other Observations

Prufrock and Other Observations was published in 1917 in a print run of only 500 copies by Egoist Press in London. It features The Love Song of J. Alfred Prufrock, possibly Eliot’s most famous work, a stream-of-consciousness monologue of a man facing insecurity, uncertainty, and his own inertia. Originally written in 1911 and published in 1915 at the encouragement of Ezra Pound, Prufrock is commonly cited as a work marking the start of the modern poetry era. The collection also includes poems like Portrait of a Lady and Rhapsody on a Windy Night -- featuring detailed character studies, observations on the isolation of present-day society, and grappling with post-war disillusionment. - Summary by Elise Dee