3. Introduction
• Published in 1832 in the collection poem Chiefly Lyrical.
• Based on Greek poet Homer Famous epic odyssey book XI.
• Odysseus ( Ulysses in Roman myths ) the famous Greek hero in trojan
war, king of Ethaca.
4. • Key Episode : After the siege of Troy, Odysseus and his companion land in Africa on the
land of lotos eaters.
• Setting of poem: An unidentified land with dream like atomosphere, the land of lotos
eaters.
• Theme: Time, version of reality, conflict between the sense of responsibility and desire to
take pleasure, dissatisfaction the Victorian passion for progress.
• Structure of the poem: This poem is divided into two parts.
1:Description of land of Lotos Eaters
2:Choric song: Changing mood of Ulysses and his fellow sailors.
5. Background:
• The poem begin with Odysseus of Ithaca driving his men onward through “mounting
waves.”. They are in the midst of their ten-year journey home from the battle of troy.
Tennyson poem begins after zeus has swept odysseus’s boat along to the land of the
“Lotos Eaters” ( as can be read in Homer Odyssey )
• Zeus is the god of the sky in ancient Greek Mythology. As the chief Greek deity, zeus is
considered the ruler, protector, and the father of all gods and humans
6. "Courage!" he said, and pointed toward the land,
"This mounting wave will roll us shoreward soon."
In the afternoon they came unto a land
In which it seemed always afternoon.
All round the coast the languid air did swoon,
Breathing like one that hath a weary dream.
Full-faced above the valley stood the moon;
And like a downward smoke, the slender stream
Along the cliff to fall and pause and fall did seem.
Stanza 1
Made by Aditya
7. Odysseus is encouraging his men, telling them to have “courage” in the face of these
mighty waves that Zeus has sent them. This next one, he tells them, will surely “roll us shoreward
Soon.”
Explanation
His words end up being true and the men are brought to land by that “afternoon”. The speaker of the poem then
gives the reader a number of details regarding the land to which they have come. It is a place that, no matter the
time of the day, seems to perpetually exist in the afternoon . This could be due to the heat or the activities of
those that reside on the island. The air seems to move very slowly around the island, it is “languid” and
“swooning”. These words foreshadowing the change that will soon come over the men as they taste the lotos
fruit.
The air of the land is further compared to “Breathing” as if one is in a dream. Each breath is long and require
effort. The moon is standing “Full Faced above the valley “ and from there, a stream waeaves its way “ along the
cliff” pausing and failing.
8. Personification (“languid air, full faced moon )
Simile ( Breathing like on that hath a wear dream )
Foreshadow ( languid &Swoon )
Literary Devices:
9. A land of streams! some, like a downward smoke,
Slow-dropping veils of thinnest lawn, did go;
And some thro' wavering lights and shadows broke,
Rolling a slumbrous sheet of foam below.
They saw the gleaming river seaward flow
From the inner land: far off, three mountain-tops,
Three silent pinnacles of aged snow,
Stood sunset-flush'd: and, dew'd with showery drops,
Up-clomb the shadowy pine above the woven copse.
10. • Stream look like thin smoke floating downwards
• Other flow through changing lights and shadows, making a soft foam.
• A river is seen flowing from inland towards the sea.
• In distance, there ( Three) snowy mountains peak catch the sunset colours.
• A pine tree grows above dense group of trees
• Rains showers leaves droplets on pine tress
Explanation:
11. Literary devices:-
A land of streams! some, like a downward smoke,
Slow-dropping veils of thinnest lawn, did go;
And some thro' wavering lights and shadows broke,
Rolling a slumbrous sheet of foam below.
They saw the gleaming river seaward flow
From the inner land: far off, three mountain-tops,
Three silent pinnacles of aged snow,
Stood sunset-flush'd: and, dew'd with showery drops,
Up-clomb the shadowy pine above the woven copse.
Alliteration: The
repetition of
consonant sounds
at the beginning
of words, such as
“some, like a
downward
smoke, Slow-
dropping veils of
thinnest lawn”
and “Rolling a
slumbrous sheet
of foam”.
Imagery: The use of
descriptive language to
create vivid pictures in
the reader’s mind, such
as “three mountain-tops,
Three silent pinnacles of
aged snow” and “the
shadowy pine above the
woven copse”.
• Meter: The rhythmic pattern of
stressed and unstressed syllables
in a line of poetry, such as the
iambic pentameter (five iambs,
or pairs of unstressed and
stressed syllables) used in this
stanza.
12. Themes use in this stanza:
Nature's Fluidity and Movement: The stanza depicts a landscape vividly, with descriptions of streams, veils of
lawn-like mist, and the movement of water (streams breaking through lights and shadows, rolling foam). This
imagery highlights the constant flow and movement in nature.
Beauty in Nature: The stanza paints a picturesque scene with the description of the gleaming river, sunset-flushed
mountain-tops, and dew-dropped pine trees. It emphasizes the aesthetic beauty found in natural landscapes.
Transcendence and Sublimity: The mention of "three silent pinnacles of aged snow" and the shadowy pine rising
above the copse hints at the sublime—elements that evoke a sense of awe, vastness, and grandeur, suggesting
something beyond the ordinary human experience.
Contrast of Light and Shadow: The interplay of light and shadow is described as streams break through wavering
lights and shadows. This contrast adds depth to the imagery and highlights the play of natural elements in the
landscape.
Connection to the Sublime: The stanza captures the transcendental aspect of nature, as seen in the majestic sight
of mountain peaks and the flowing river. It hints at the sense of something greater than human existence, inviting
contemplation and a sense of wonder.
13. The charmed sunset linger'd low adown
In the red West: thro' mountain clefts the dale
Was seen far inland, and the yellow down
Border'd with palm, and many a winding vale
And meadow, set with slender galingale;
A land where all things always seem'd the same!
And round about the keel with faces pale,
Dark faces pale against that rosy flame,
The mild-eyed melancholy Lotos-eaters came.
14. The stanza describes the beautiful and tranquil scenery of the land of the Lotos-eaters,
where the sun sets slowly in the red west and the valley is visible through the mountain gaps.
The land is covered with yellow grass, palm trees, and many winding valleys and meadows with fragrant
flowers.
The land seems to be unchanging and timeless, as if it were always afternoon.
The Lotos-eaters approach the mariners with pale and dark faces that contrast with the rosy glow of the
sunset. They have mild and sad eyes, as if they were under the influence of the lotos. The stanza creates
a sense of dreamy and languid atmosphere, as well as a contrast between the exotic and peaceful land
and the weary and restless mariners.
Explanation:-
15. The charmed sunset linger'd low adown
In the red West: thro' mountain clefts the dale
Was seen far inland, and the yellow down
Border'd with palm, and many a winding vale
And meadow, set with slender galingale;
A land where all things always seem'd the same!
And round about the keel with faces pale,
Dark faces pale against that rosy flame,
The mild-eyed melancholy Lotos-eaters came.
Literary Devices:-
•Alliteration: This is
the repetition of
consonant sounds
at the beginning of
words. For example,
“charmed sunset
linger’d low” and
“dark faces pale”.
Enjambment: This is
the continuation of a
sentence or phrase
across a line break
without a pause or
punctuation. For
example, “thro’
mountain clefts the
dale / Was seen far
inland” and “And
round about the keel
with faces pale, / Dark
faces pale against that
rosy flame”.
Made by Aditya
16. Themes use in this Stanza
Beauty and tranquility of nature: The poet describes the land of the Lotos-eaters as a place of serene
beauty, where the sunset lingers low in the red west, the river gleams seaward, and the meadow is set with
slender galingale. The imagery of the land suggests a peaceful and harmonious relationship between nature
and the Lotos-eaters, who live in a state of perpetual afternoon.
Melancholy and nostalgia: The poet portrays the Lotos-eaters as mild-eyed and melancholy, suggesting that
they have a sense of sadness and longing for something they have lost or forgotten. They also seem to be
detached from the reality of their surroundings, as they appear pale against the rosy flame and their voices
are thin as from the grave. The Lotos-eaters represent the temptation to escape from the troubles and
hardships of life by indulging in a fantasy of eternal rest and bliss.
17. Branches they bore of that enchanted stem,
Laden with flower and fruit, whereof they gave
To each, but whoso did receive of them,
And taste, to him the gushing of the wave
Far far away did seem to mourn and rave
On alien shores; and if his fellow spake,
His voice was thin, as voices from the grave;
And deep-asleep he seem'd, yet all awake,
And music in his ears his beating heart did make
18. SUMMARY OF THE STANZA:
This stanza , in the very starting, is employing the role of the natives of the island, as they come, face to face , to
the sailors and offer them lotos, their favorite fruit. some of the sailors accept the offer and some refuse, and
those who eat the lotos fall in the magic of the fruit; they feel ,on the island, that the waves in the sea are going
to be mad, and when the fellows talk to those who ate lotos , they found their voice: a dead man voice. even
though they all were woken up but then again they looked in sleeping, and whatever was coming towards their
ear was only the voice of their heart.
Themes:
Heart over Mind:In the stanza , the authority of heart was shown greater than the authority of heart, as when
the lotos was eaten by the sailors they forgot to take assistance by thier mind thatswhy thaey became able to
know , see , and hear what other could not.
19. Branches they bore of that enchanted stem,
Laden with flower and fruit, whereof they gave
To each, but whoso did receive of them,
And taste, to him the gushing of the wave
Far far away did seem to mourn and rave
On alien shores; and if his fellow spake,
His voice was thin, as voices from the grave;
And deep-asleep he seem'd, yet all awake,
And music in his ears his beating heart did make
Change in the Meter:
the rhythm of the poem
is iambic (that means
that the syllables come
in pairs, with the
emphasis on the second
syllable—daDUM,
daDUM, daDUM).
Tennyson switches it up
and does the opposite,
opening a line with a
trochee (a stressed
syllable followed by an
unstressed syllable—
DUMda). In line 28, the
word "branches" is
trochaic, but the rest of
the line is in iambic
meter.
Climax Stanza and Magical
Fruit:
The stanza is a climax stanza of
the poem as it is the most
intense point in the
development of the poem- the
sailors have eaten the lotos
and they are taking its side
effects, besides ,in the stanza
the magical power of the lotos
was observed that their all
cognitive abilities were gone .
they acted like a drunk man, in
short they preferred there
heart rather than their mind as
it is shown by the last line:
And music in his ears his
beating heart did make.
means their ear were deaf for
every sound but the voice of
their heart.
Literary Devices
20. They sat them down upon the yellow sand,
Between the sun and moon upon the shore;
And sweet it was to dream of Fatherland,
Of child, and wife, and slave; but evermore
Most weary seem'd the sea, weary the oar,
Weary the wandering fields of barren foam.
Then some one said, "We will return no more";
And all at once they sang, "Our island home
Is far beyond the wave; we will no longer roam.
21. SUMMARY OF THE STANZA:
The sane sailors made all the insane sailors on the safe land; it was a time when on the island there was node
and no night- it was a time to think about their country and their family, but it went against to the expectation as
they felt wearer and lovelier their surroundings at the same time. thus , one of them said that they are not going
to their home and their is no journey again: the island is their home.
literary Analysis: what every human , most of the time , feels at the time when the sun is setting down and moon
is striving to come us?. It thinks about the most important things which relating to the poem , can say are the
fatherland and the family ,but that happened differently on the island as when they looked to the never ending
sea and their ship , they felt those all tiring. Imagine you are coming from a never ending ocean and reach on an
island , will you go again to the infinite sea? never !!! the same was with the sailors.
Themes :
work and rest: the unstoppable voyages were the action force in the heads of the sailors which resisted the
sailors to go back from the island; they wanted to take a long rest on the island.
22. They sat them down upon the yellow sand,
Between the sun and moon upon the shore;
And sweet it was to dream of Fatherland,
Of child, and wife, and slave; but evermore
Most weary seem'd the sea, weary the oar,
Weary the wandering fields of barren foam.
Then some one said, "We will return no more";
And all at once they sang, "Our island home
Is far beyond the wave; we will no longer roam.
ANNAPHORA:
See the last and the
beginingn phrase of
line 5 and 6, the
word weary is
working as an
anaphora.
Most weary
seemed the sea,
weary the oar( the
ship),
Weary the
wandering fields of
barren foam(open
ocean)
Literary Devices
Made by Aditya
