Daring to disturb the universe : Heidegger's authenticity and The love song of J. Alfred Prufrock

Abstract

In Heidegger’s “Being and time” certain concepts are discussed which are central to the ontological constitution of “Dasein”. This article demonstrates the interesting way in which some of these concepts can be used in a reading of T.S. Eliot’s “The love song of J. Alfred Prufrock”. A comparative analysis is performed, explicating the relevant Heideggerian terms and then relating them to Eliot’s poem. In this way strong parallels are revealed between the two men’s respective thoughts and distinct modernist sensibilities. Prufrock, the protagonist of the poem, and the world he inhabits illustrate poetically concepts such as authenticity, inauthenticity, the “they”, idle talk and angst, which Heidegger develops in “Being and time”.

In “Being and time” bespreek Heidegger sekere konsepte wat sentraal staan tot die ontwikkeling van sy idees rondom “Da-sein”. Hierdie artikel ontleed die ontheemde manier waarop sommige van hierdie konsepte gebruik kan word in ’n inter-pretasie van T.S. Eliot se werk “The love song of J. Alfred Prufrock”. In ’n vergelykende studie word die betrokke Heideggeriaanse terme eers uiteengesit en daarna in verband gebring met Eliot se gedig. Op hierdie wyse word sterk parallelle getrek tussen Heidegger en Eliot se denke en bepaalde modernistiese kwessies. Prufrock, die protagonis van die gedig, en die wêreld wat hy bewoon, bied ’n illustrasie van konsepte soos outentisiteit, inoutentisiteit, die “hulle” (“they” of “das Man”), ydele geklets en angs, wat Heidegger in “Being and time” ontwikkel.