Why is Oenone in a Sad Mood?
Oenone is a notable literary work by Alfred Lord Tennyson. A complete discussion of this literary work is given, which will help you enhance your literary skills and prepare for the exam. Read the Main texts, Key info, Summary, Themes, Characters, Literary devices, Quotations, Notes, and various study materials of Oenone.
Answer
Why is Oenone in a sad mood?
Alfred, Lord Tennyson’s (1809-1892) “Oenone” is a sad poem, written in 1829. In this dramatic monologue, Oenone expresses her sadness for her lost love, Paris. Oenone is sad because Paris left her for Helen. She loved Paris deeply, but he betrayed her. Now she feels heartbroken, lonely, and tired of life.
Paris’s Betrayal: At the beginning, Oenone remembers the time when she and Paris were happy together in the valley of Mount Ida. They were lovers and spent many beautiful moments. But now, Paris has left her and gone to Troy with another woman, Helen. That is why Oenone says:
“Beautiful Paris, evil-hearted Paris.”
It shows her deep sadness. She calls him “evil-hearted” because he broke her heart.
Her Feelings of Loneliness: Now, Oenone feels completely alone. Nature around her is calm and silent, but she is crying and in pain. She says her eyes are full of tears and her heart is breaking. She is deeply sad, heartbroken, and lonely.
Her Jealousy and Confusion: Oenone feels jealous and confused. She asks why Paris wanted the “fairest wife” when she herself is already beautiful. She asks:
“Fairest—why fairest wife? am I not fair?”
She remembers Paris used to tell her she was beautiful. But now those happy memories only bring her more pain. She wishes she could hold Paris again and kiss him passionately. She feels that she has lost everything she cared for. She feels abandoned.
In short, Oenone is in a sad mood because she feels betrayed, forgotten, and unloved. She loves Paris truly, but he left her for another. Now she feels alone, hurt, and tired of living.