Myth and Philosophy in Tennyson’s Poetry

Introduction:

            Being the representative poet of the Victorian Period, Tennyson is very much successful to draw the spirits of the Victorian people. Though he has taken the Greek and Roman mythology as the ground of his poetry, his purpose is to give some universal philosophies through the speeches of his characters. Hence we find both mythology and philosophy in his poetry simultaneously.

Mythology in Oenone:

            In the poem Oenone, we find Oenone who is the daughter of a river-god, Kebren, and Paris who is the son of Priam, King of Troy. Because his mother had dreamt that Paris would be the cause of ruin of Troy, he was exposed at birth on the slopes of Mount Ida to perish, but some shepherds found him and brought him up as one of them. Here later, as a shepherd, he met and fell in love with Oenone. The poem gives the story of the famous judgment and of the subsequent desertion of Oenone. Tennyson makes of the story an allegory of the choice of ideals in life which every man, at some time, has to make.

            Oenone comes to the lovely valley of Ida. She is deserted by Paris, who was once her companion on the hills. Now she is pale and miserable. Her eyes are full of tears, her heart full of love and her heart is breaking. She is weary of her life.

            Once evil-hearted handsome Paris came leading a black goat where Oenone was sitting alone with down-dropped eyes. He had put on a leopard skin on his shoulder and his bright hair fell over his neck. She fell in love with him at once and her heart went forth to embrace him. Paris smiled at her and showed her in his palm a golden fruit, on which it was engraved “For the most fair”.

            Eris, the goddess of discord, had thrown down this golden apple and now brought it to Paris, who was selected as the judge or the umpire. The three goddesses – Hera, Athene and Aphrodite came to him. Hera, the Queen of Heaven, offered him power and dominion, Pallas the wisdom that comes from ‘self-reverence, self-knowledge, self-control’ and Aphrodite the fairest and most loving wife in Greece, if he gave verdict in her favour. Paris accepts this offer which brings disaster to him, to Oenone and to Troy.

Philosophy in Oenone:

            The poet is not satisfied with a simple idea of human sorrow. He must make an allegory of the wooing of man’s spirit by Power, Knowledge and Love, and the overwhelming temptation that lurks in the last. Paris stands for a man wavering between the various values of life or ideals which he is going to follow.

            Hera stands for Power, Athene stands for Wisdom and Aphrodite stands for sensuous pleasure and physical beauty. There are three types of men – those who run after Power; those who seek Knowledge and Wisdom in life; and those who indulge in pleasures of the physical senses.

            Tennyson leaves us in no doubt as to what he thinks to be the highest ideal or value of life. He is in favour of Moral Law. Through the mouth of Pallas Athene Tennyson observes that the highest form of power comes from wisdom. And wisdom means the capacity to know what is right. Right is something which is morally right. Once we know what is right, we should have the courage of conviction to put it into action without fear of consequences. To follow what is morally right is the highest wisdom. In the poem we find –

‘Self-reverence, self-knowledge, self control,

These three alone lead life to sovereign power.’

Mythology in Tithonus:

            Tithonus, son of a Trojan King – Laomedon, is a very handsome young man who fell in love with Aurora, the goddess of dawn. After falling in love with an immortal goddess, he wanted to be immortal like his beloved. So Aurora urged to Zeus, the king God, and Zeus granted her appeal and gave Tithonus immortality. Unfortunately Aurora forgot to want the immortal youth along with the immortal life. As a result, this gift became a curse to Tithonus because he is growing older day by day without death. Ultimately he realized his fault and repented and urged to Aurora to take back her gift. But the gifts of gods can never be recalled. Finally Tithonus was in mercy transformed into a grasshopper.

Philosophy in Tithonus:

            Tennyson gives some moral teachings before the Victorians through the bitter experience of Tithonus. At the very beginning of this poem, Tennyson gives the philosophy – ‘death is the law of nature’. Whoever born once must die. It is a common law of this universe. Nobody can deny this. If somebody tries, he must suffer.

            Then Tennyson says us ‘the violation of natural law brings unbearable sufferings’ in life. As a mortal man, Tithonus wants to be immortal. After getting this, he is withering slowly day by day and now becomes a white-haired shadow of man instead of remaining a handsome youth – who cannot enjoy the pleasure of life. Thus, his over-ambition becomes the cause of his unbearable sufferings.

            Again, we find that ‘the unequal relationship leads us to unhappiness’. The union of a mortal man (Tithonus) with an immortal goddess (Aurora) doesn’t ensure their happy conjugal life. Tennyson also depicted here ‘eternal conflict between the old age and the youth’ in this poem. A match between the old and young causes severe agonies both in minds and bodies of the couple.

            ‘Nobody can escape from the time’ is another philosophy of Tennyson. Being an immortal, Tithonus has become the victim of cruel time. The powerful and all conquering hours had their own way make Tithonus old, deprive him from vigour and vitality and spoil his beauty.

            The most important philosophy Tennyson has given here is ‘no one should cross the limit of nature.’ We notice this in the following lines –

                                                                        “Let me go: take thy gift:

                                                            Why should a man desire in any way

                                                            To vary from the kindly race of men,

                                                            Or pass beyond the goal of ordinance.”

            The keynote of this poem lies here. Death is the ordained goal for all human beings as well as for other animated objects. So, why has Tithonus defied this order? At last, he understands that human should obey the common rules of nature. So he urges to Aurora to take back her gift. But ‘the Gods themselves cannot recall their gifts’. Therefore, immortality becomes a curse instead of a blessing in one’s life.

            ‘Taking an important decision if a man mistakes, he will have to pay a lot as its compensation’ is another philosophy of Tennyson. It is applicable in both of the poems. In Tithonus, he does the wrong by falling in love with a goddess and also he does it by desiring the immortality. In Oenone, she falls in love with Paris from his first appearance which leads her destruction. So if anyone mistakes once, it can never be rectified. Doing wrong once, one must suffer in future.