Question

no! i am not prince hamlet, nor was meant to be;
am an attendant lord, one that will do
to swell a progress, start a scene or two
-\the love song of j. alfred prufrock,\
t. s. eliot

what does this allusion reveal about prufrock?
he resents his lowly place in life.
he sees himself as a minor character.
he is an actor in his spare time.

Explanation:

Analyze the literary allusion

Using the Prufrock Analysis knowledge point, we examine the quote: "No! I am not Prince Hamlet, nor was meant to be; / Am an attendant lord...". This is a direct allusion to Shakespeare's Hamlet.

Interpret the speaker's self-image

Using the Textual Evidence knowledge point, Prufrock explicitly rejects the role of a tragic hero ("Prince Hamlet") and instead identifies as an "attendant lord" whose purpose is merely to "swell a progress, start a scene or two." This shows he views himself as an insignificant, minor character in the drama of his own life.

Evaluate the given options

• "He resents his lowly place in life": The text shows resignation and self-deprecation rather than active resentment.
• "He sees himself as a minor character": This directly matches his self-identification as an "attendant lord" who merely helps the main action.
• "He is an actor in his spare time": This is a literal misinterpretation of the theatrical metaphor.

Answer:

• He resents his lowly place in life.
• He sees himself as a minor character. (Correct answer)
• He is an actor in his spare time.