Blog # 17 Extra Credit

Who or what is "The Eternal Footman"? Why is this footman or servant snickering at Prufrock?

Prufrock is a self aware individual always wondering what the right decision is or how to behave in certain situations. For example how to approach the ladies.

"In the room the women come and go
Talking of Michelangelo."
 
Another situation is when he mentions the bald spot in his head and what the ladies will think of this bald spot.  

"With a bald spot in the middle of my hair-
(They will say: "How his hair is growing so thin.")

Prufrock is so self conscious that he doesn't understand that when the Eternal Footman snickers at him, its because he is a lost cause. The Eternal Footman is like a servant opening the gates to the after life. Prufrock is close to death all this time he thinks he has, is not really true. He is no time left to really undue or reconsider certain situations. He can't rise from the dead like Lazarus, the Eternal Footman is there waiting for him like the Angel of Death.

"Time for you and time for me,
And time yet for a hundred in decisions,
And for a hundred visions and revisions,
Before the taking of toast and tea."

With the Eternal Footman following Prufrock around. With the references to the rising of Lazarus Prufrock knows his time is near.

"I have seen the moment of my greatness flicker"

"I grow old...I grow old..."

The greatness of his youth has flickered and gone away leaving the old age to set in. The Eternal Footman waits and snickers for the old man to finally die. The Footman snickers at Prufrock for his misguided thoughts of visions and redemption's. It's too late to fix things when he is on his death bed.