Explanation:
Why wilt thou ever scare me with thy tearsAnd make me tremble lest a saying learntIn days far-off, on that dark earth, be true?“The Gods themselves cannot recall their gifts.”
Answer: These important and significant lines have been taken from the famous dramatic monologue, “Tithonus” written by Alfred Lord Tennyson (1809-1892) who is considered to be the dazzling star in the Victorian Period. Here Tennyson reveals the helplessness of both Tithonus and Aurora in respect of their present fate.
Tithonus was once a young man. He was handsome and full of youthful passion. Aurora is the goddess of dawn. She is charmed very much by his heroic feature. Consequently, she falls in love with him. Being chosen by Aurora, Tithonus becomes proud and wanted immortality from her. He wants only immortality but forgets to ask for immortal youth. Aurora grants his immortal life but not immortal youth. So with the passage of time, Tithonus grows old physically and mentally. This is very painful to him. Now he wants to die but fails to die. He finds that everything in nature is dying naturally. Woods, vapors, men, swans, etc. die and get rid of their old age. Tithonus wants to die like them. He no more desires immortality. So he requests Aurora to take back her gift of immortality and release him from the cruelty of his immortal age. But she cannot take this gift back from him. Although she is a goddess, she herself is fated. So tears come down her cheek. Seeing this, Tithonus remembers an old saying, “The Gods themselves cannot recall their gifts.” In other words, even the Gods are unable to withdraw the gift they confer on others.
However, we find here utter hopelessness and frustration of Tithonus. The melancholic mood of the poem is highlighted through these lines.
0 মন্তব্যসমূহ