Tithonus and the Eternal Consequences of Decisions :: Tithonus

Tithonus and the Eternal Consequences of Decisions Tithonus was written by Alfred, Lord Tennyson. The poems setting is the ancient story of Tithonus. Tithonus ferine in love with Eos, goddess of the dawn, and asked her for immortality. Unfortunately for Tithonus he did not ask for eternal youth, unaccompanied eternal life. He, therefore, grows old but never dies while Eos not only never dies but also never grows old. What makes Tithonuss situation worse is that the gods themselves cannot recall their gifts (49). This dramatic monologue is characteristic of Tennyson. Tithonus is an excellent example of a dramatic monologue. at that place is a speaker unit, Tithonus, who is not the poet. There is an audience-the gods. Another characteristic of a dramatic monologue found in Tithonus is an exchange between the speaker and the audience I asked thee, Give me immortality? (15). A character study is when the speaker speaks from an extraordinary perspective Tithonus is looking back on h is decision, a decision which the reader will never be able to make but can only dream of making. His portrayal of his decision causes the common response to be rejected most people would requisite eternal life, but Tithonus proves this short-sighted. Tithonus proves the wish for immortality vain by stating that Why should a man desire in any way To vary from the kindly charge of men, Or pass beyond the goal of ordinance Where all should pause, as is most meet for all? (29-31). Another trait of the dramatic monologue is the dramatic, or critical, moment. In Tithonus this moment is when Tithonus decides that he does not want immortality take back thy gift (27). Tithonus has all of the basic traits of a dramatic monologue a speaker who is not the poet, an identifiable audience, an exchange between the two, a critical moment, and a character study of the speaker. One other trait of a dramatic monologue is a dramatic tension. This tension is between harsh judgment and sympathy. Th is tension makes the audience see objectively rather than subjectively. The audience has sympathy for Tithonus, because he suffers wholesome hours indignant worked their wills, and beat me down and marred and wasted me (50) His telling the story also bring sympathy from the audience. The audience must judge Tithonus negatively, because he has make an error. His error was his will to vary from the kindly race of men (29).