Contrast between the utopia and the real world as reflected in “The Lotos-eaters.”

Answer

Comment on the contrast between the utopia and the real world as reflected in “The Lotos-eaters.”

In “The Lotos-eaters” (1832), Alfred, Lord Tennyson (1809-1892) shows a strong contrast between two different worlds: the utopia of the Lotos land and the real world of the sailors’ journey. The Lotos land is a magical, peaceful, and dreamy place. The real world is full of hard work and pain. This difference shows the conflict between rest and duty, dream and reality, and escape and responsibility.

The Utopian Lotos Land: At the beginning, Tennyson describes a land where Odysseus and his sailors arrive after their long journey. The sailors reach the land in the afternoon. Everything feels sleepy there. The island feels like it is always afternoon there. The poet writes:

“In which it seemed always afternoon.” 

It means the island is sleepy, dreamy, and very quiet. The air is very slow and heavy, like someone breathing in a dream. Even the sunset stays longer than usual. It feels like time has stopped. It is a place where nothing changes. There is no pain, no noise, no worry. The people who live there, the Lotos-eaters, have pale, gentle faces. They offer the sailors the magical Lotos fruit.

Effects of the Lotos: Forgetting the Real World: Whoever eats the lotos starts to feel sleepy and dreamy. The sound of the sea seems far away and sad to them. Even the voices of their fellow sailors sound thin and ghostly to them. Although they are awake, they feel as if they are in a deep dream. The sailors sit on the sand and think about their homes and families. But they do not want to return to their fatherland. Because they feel very tired of the sea. Suddenly, one of the sailors says:

“We will return no more.”

Then all of them sing together:

“Our island home is far beyond the wave; we will no longer roam.”

The Real World: Full of Suffering: