"The Love Song of J Alfred Prufrock" by T.S Eliot.

Prufrock is portrayed as a shy and timid character whose thoughts and attitudes are severely degraded by failure and low self esteem. He is self-conscious and indecisive, unwilling to take any risks, out of the fear of rejection. The poem contemplates his unsuccessful attempts to win over women and fit in with society. This is largely due to his pessimistic and self-critical nature, melancholy attitude and suppression. As a consequence of his self-doubting temperament, he …

…one always mocked and laughed at, someone who is good entertainment value but nothing more. Yet underneath he has wisdom and insight even though no one else sees these attributes. In this sense, Prufrock is alienated from society. T.S. Eliott shapes Prufrock's identity through the use of language and stylistic techniques. By using the features of an epigraph, juxtaposition, recurring images, and repetition, Prufrock's identity has been shown to be shy, self-conscious and self-critical.