Describe the land of the Lotos Eaters.
In the poem “The Lotos-eaters”, Alfred Tennyson (1809-1892) gives a vivid description of an island called Lotos island, where Ulysses and his mariners arrive from the Trojan War. It is an enchanted land full of mist and lethargy.
On this island, the sad and mild-eyed lotos eaters live. The place always seems to be in the afternoon and all things always seem the same. The weather is very charming. A sleepy and dreamy air blows all around the coast or seashore. Tired moon, innumerable streams descended on the valley like the wrath of smoke. Far above, the rosy sunset has made the island very beautiful. The sun seems to be setting in the west very slowly. At the time of sunset, objects of nature like valleys and meadows peeped through the mountain clefts.
আরো পড়ুনঃ Sketch the character of Oroonoko.
The lotos eaters eat the lotos flower and fruits. They do nothing but eat and sleep. The natives offer the mariners some fruits and lotos. All the sailors who ate the lotos grew dreamy and lazy and seemed to have fallen asleep.
আরো পড়ুনঃ Discuss the theme of anti-colonialism of “Oroonoko”.
The land is a symbol of escapism. The sailors who eat lotos do not go back to their bitter life. They want to stay on this island. To them, life seems empty. If death is an inevitable end of life, it’s better to enjoy the zest of life.
Death is the end of life; ah, why
Should life all labour be?
They find life full of endless labor and vain struggle. So, they want to enjoy the freedom of life.
