The first time I encountered Prufrock, it took my breath away, and I was inspired by its beauty. I honestly cannot imagine my mind, then an English major, and

The first time I encountered Prufrock, it took my breath away, and I was inspired by its beauty. I honestly cannot imagine my mind, then an English major, and now an aging fool, without Prufrock's influence giving me such a sense of deep pleasure at what a person, and by extension, all men, despite flaws, can create. It is foolish, I believe, to lay judgement on men of the past, without the context of the environment that shaped them. To deny ourselves the pleasure and inspiration of cultural works shaped by flawed men is to ignore our own imperfections and lessens the hope and confidence that we can do great things ourselves, despite our great personal failings.