Tiresias

Alfred Lord Tennyson is the Victorian poet who is the author of “Tiresias.” This is a poem centered on the mythological character of Tiresias. Tennyson speaks through this character using a technique called prosopopoeia. In this poem Tennyson explores the ideas that are present in much of his poetry such as: justification of death, purpose for life, and his person struggle with his close friend Arthur Henry Hallam’s death.

In this poem, Tiresias is trying to persuade Menoeceus to commit suicide in order to save Thebes. No one can kill Menoecus under order of Creon.

Tennyson portrays Tiresias longing for the past. Tennyson begins this poem by preparing the reader for a long journey of retrospection into Tiresias’ past. He makes this apparent to the reader in line one:

I wish I were as in the years of old,

While yet the blessed daylight made itself

Ruddy through both the roofs of sight, and woke

These eyes, now dull, but then so keen to seek

The meanings ambushed under all they saw (1-5)

Tennyson begins this poem with the blatant statement that he yearns for the ‘years of old.’ The third line could quite possibly be talking about the myth that Hera punished Tiresias for disturbing the life cycle between two snakes.

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In “Tiresias” the speaker does not contradict himself, Tiresias has a goal in his suffering. The inspiration and hopefulness lie not only within the literal idea of the poem (the saving of Thebes), but the personal hopefulness of Tennyson that there is a point to death and a meaning in life. This may also be taken less literally, as a political statement on behalf of Tennyson, showing how powerless the people actually were. In lines four and five Tiresias is describing how in his younger days his gift allowed him to understand the world around him better. ” (LXXXI, 1-8)

The speaker in this poem is longing for the past because he feels regret. The past is a safe place for his characters:

I wish I were in years of old,

While yet the blessed daylight made itself

Ruddy through both the roofs of sight, and woke

These eyes, now dull, but then so keen to seek (1-5)

Here, Tiresias wishes to travel back in time to the beginning of his tale. The speaker is angry also because his death was abrupt. Tiresias feels that he is cursed with a power that haunts him. He said virtue comes from within, and for it to be recognized one must not let weakness or fear stop them. He yearns for his past because with age and wisdom he has experienced things that have stripped him of his sense of hope and purpose. In “Tiresias” there is a point to death. Here, in lines 105 through 126 he tells Menoeceus that Thebes has given birth to him and now in return he should give birth to Thebes, and in doing that, his memory will never die. Menoeceus’ death will save the city of Thebes. He feels that he should have told Arthur how he felt while he was alive.

The language in these chosen lines convey a feeling of defeat.

Approximate Word count = 1590
Approximate Pages = 6 (250 words per page double spaced)

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