Thonus Poem by Alfred Lord Tennyson

Introduction

• Author: Alfred Lord Tennyson
• Theme: Greek mythology
• Story: Involves Tithonus, a prince of Troy who wishes for eternal life

Main Characters

• Tithonus: Prince of Troy who desires immortality
• Eos (Aurora): Goddess of the dawn in Greek (Roman) mythology; Tithonus' lover
• Immortality Grant: Eos grants Tithonus eternal life, but not eternal youth as requested

Poem Breakdown

Initial Story

• Tithonus desires never to die and prays to Eos for immortality
• Eos grants his wish, making him immortal
• Consequence: Tithonus never asked for eternal youth, and he ages eternally without dying

Natural Cycles

• Decay of Woods: Trees grow, flourish, decay, and fall
• Water Cycle: Vapor turns to rain and falls to the ground
• Human Life Cycle: Man works the field and eventually lies beneath it
• Swan’s Life: Even the beautiful swan dies after many summers
• Tithonus out of natural cycle: Consumed by immortality, wasting away in despair

Tithonus' Realization

• Isolation: Living forever while all companions die
• Contrast: Beautiful dawn vs. decaying Tithonus
• Regret: Realizes the curse of living eternally
• Nature’s Limits: Questions the desire to live beyond natural limits

Morning Imagery

• Venus: The morning star seen before dawn linked to Eos
• Beauty and Curse: Eos remains beautiful whereas Tithonus suffers eternal aging
• Tithonus’ Plea: Questions if love and beauty can make up for his cursed state

Conclusion

• Eternal Suffering: Tithonus trapped in an eternal, weakening old age
• Regret for Immortality: Wishes to die naturally like other beings
• Realization of Natural Order: Advocates for living within the natural lifespan limits

Next Steps

• The poem is long and continues in another part
• Refer to the subsequent part to understand the complete poem