Discuss Tennyson’s use of legends and myths in his poems

Answer

Discuss Tennyson’s use of legends and myths in his poems.

Myths and legends are the traditional stories. Alfred Tennyson (1809-1892), one of the most famous Victorian poets, loved using old myths and legends in his poems. He took stories from ancient Greece and turned them into something new. These stories helped him discuss deep human emotions and ideas like love, loss, aging, and the struggle to find meaning in life. We will discuss Tennyson’s use of legends and myths below.

Oenone: A Story of Betrayal: In “Oenone,” written in 1829, Tennyson tells the Greek mythological story of a nymph named Oenone. Oenone is heartbroken when her lover, Paris, leaves her for Helen of Troy. She laments that Paris betrayed her as he chose beauty over love. This choice leads to the Trojan War. Tennyson uses Oenone’s pain to show how betrayal hurts. Oenone sits alone in a valley, crying, and even the trees and rivers seem sad with her. She says:

My eyes are full of tears,…

And I am all aweary of my life.

Tennyson suggests how one person’s selfish choice can cause big problems for everyone, like starting a war. Betrayal can ruin friendships and families. Through this myth, Tennyson explores the idea of lost love and how choices can lead to regret.

The Lotos-Eaters: Escaping Reality: In “The Lotos-Eaters” (1832), Tennyson retells a part of “The Odyssey.” In the original story, Odysseus’s sailors eat lotus flowers on an island and forget their duties. The sailors sing:

Our island home

Is far beyond the wave; we will no longer roam.

Tennyson turns this myth into a deep poem about people who want to escape hard work and pain. The poem questions whether is it wrong to want a life without struggles. The sailors are tired of fighting storms and just want to rest forever. This poem reflects how people in the Victorian era felt stressed by the fast-changing world. Machines, factories, and long work hours made life exhausting.

Tithonus: The Curse of Living Forever: “Tithonus” (1860) is about Tithonus, who fell in love with Aurora, the goddess of the dawn. Tithonus asks for eternal life but forgets to ask for eternal youth. The gods grant his wish, so he grows older and older but never dies. Tennyson contrasts Tithonus’ miserable condition to the ever-young goddess Aurora—who stays young and beautiful forever. Tithonus laments:

I wither slowly in thine arms.

This poem teaches that wanting more than what is natural—like eternal life—can lead to suffering. Tennyson uses this myth to show how aging and death are not punishments but natural parts of life.

Locksley Hall: A Modern Myth: “Locksley Hall” (1842) is not based on an ancient myth, but it still feels like a legend (a traditional story). The speaker is a young man who was left by his cousin, Amy. He calls Amy “false” and “shallow-hearted” for marrying a man with money because her father demanded it. The speaker says:

O my cousin, shallow-hearted! O my Amy, mine no more!

Though the speaker is angry, he imagines a future where technology and science make the world better. The speaker’s personal story feels like a myth because it is about universal feelings: heartbreak, jealousy, and hope for the future.

Tennyson’s Myth Making: Tennyson’s use of myths and legends makes big ideas simple. His myths and legends help us understand complicated feelings like love, loss, and betrayal through stories. He used old myths to focus on the problems of his own time, like loneliness or the fear of growing old.

In conclusion, we may say Tennyson did not just retell myths—he made them mean something new. In “Oenone,” he shows how betrayal hurts. In “The Lotos-Eaters,” he asks if we should work hard or give up. In “Tithonus,” he warns us to appreciate life’s limits. Even in “Locksley Hall,” he mixes personal pain with hopes for the future. His use of myths and legends makes these themes even more powerful and memorable.