”Ulysses” and ”The Lotos-Eaters” by Tennyson are twin poems, and as a characteristic of Victorian poetry, one can see doubleness regarded as longing for nostalgia and progressiveness. Both the twin poems and their individual parts exhibit this doubleness and division.

Twin Poems

”Ulysses” and ”The Lotos-Eaters” are inspired by Homer’s epic poem, The Odyssey as a representative of nostalgia, and one can see the characters’ progress in each poem. On the other hand, both poems can be interpreted differently. The first way is to read poems straightforwardly and understand them as it seems. The other way is to read sceptically and ironically to get the hidden meanings. Both approaches contribute to the doubleness of these poems. This essay will discuss how doubleness is employed and state differences and similarities between the two poems with profound examples.

Odysseia Effect

There are several similarities between ”The Lotos-Eaters” and ”Ulysses” Both stories are influenced by Homer’s epic tale, The Odyssey, and are about Odyssey’s life. Thus, both poems reflect the Victorian Era, characterised by reminiscing past events called nostalgia and looking beyond its boundaries, the progressiveness. This doubleness and dividedness are seen between these two twin poems and within the poems. Thus, It is possible to evaluate both poems from two different perspectives. If one reads ”Ulysses” straightforwardly, one sees a heroic character who wants to roam the world. However, if the same person reads the poem ironically and skeptically, he sees a tragic character who is old and about to die; he is no longer a hero. In the same way, straightforwardly reading Lotos-Eaters, one sees people celebrating life without toiling.

However, The undercurrent in this poem, like ”Ulysses’’ ,is the fear of death again. ”The Lotos-Eaters” describe Ulysses’ voice as thin as it is coming from the grave, which is the first implication of death. The poem also describes everything as something grows, then withers and dies, an excellent reference to death. Similarly, Ulysses in ”Ulysses” is aware of death and wants a final voyage before dying. Ulysses’ behaviour against death is inevitable; he wants to do whatever he can to reclaim his glory and live a gracious life.

”Ulysses” and ”The Lotos-Eaters”

There are also several differences between ”Ulysses” and ”The Lotos-Eaters”. Ulysses expresses that he can not rest from travel and wants to roam the world. Ulysses’ desire to roam the world overrides all his emotions, and he wants to spend his life as efficiently as possible before dying. Unlike ”Ulysses”, ”The Lotus-Eaters” describes the people yearning to settle in a life of peacefulness. Thus, the people in ”The Lotos-Eaters” live on an enchanted island, and they want to maintain their life on an island without toiling. The lotus flower releases them from the life of toil and care, and the ”mounting wave” symbolises the toil outside of this island; their island is free from toil. They are in such a passive mood that the wave pushes them to the shore. Even the air is languid, and the island has no energy. Their lassitude overrides all of their emotions, and there is a downward movement in their life that even the rivers and smoke are going down.

A Comparison of Worlds

However, in ”Ulysses”, Tennyson draws a world with toil, and people can not feel free as it is in ”The Lotos Eaters” Ulysses’ audience knows that he has to work hard to reclaim his past glory, regard, and achievements. Ulysses emphasises that old age removes his honour and life, and he endeavours to keep his status before dying. Another difference is that ”The Lotos-Eaters” describe the island like the Garden of Eden.

Its ”blissful skies” imply it is a paradise-like island, and they are joyful by resting without toil. However, in ”Ulysses”, the setting is cruel, and Ulysses tries to avoid damage from this setting before dying. His world is a world of toil, and he has to work hard to regain his former status and glory. Ulysses’ desire to roam the world proves that if he waits like the people in ”The Lotos-Eaters”, he will be destroyed and lose all his identity.

Result

To conclude, both’ ‘The Lotos-Eaters” and ”Ulysses” by Tennyson reflect Victorian Era characteristics, including the longing for nostalgia and progressiveness. Both stories regard Homer’s epic tale, Odyssey, they are similar in describing the fear of death and open to different interpretations. However, ”The Lotos-Eaters” describes an enchanted island and the people living there, who yearn to settle in peace. However, the world ”Ulysses” creates is a harsh environment, and people have to suffer to survive. In ”The Lotos-Eaters” the world is without toil, unlike ”Ulysses.” ”The Lotos-Eaters” creates a paradise-like world; however, ”Ulysses” creates a world with suffering, and Ulysses wants to roam the world.