“My eyes are full of tears, my heart of love,
My heart is breaking…”

These lines show her deep sorrow. Tennyson uses this myth to show how betrayal hurts people. He also shows how one selfish decision can bring great destruction. Paris’s choice does not only destroy love. It also leads to war and suffering. Through this legend, Tennyson teaches that wrong choices bring regret and pain.

The Lotos-Eaters—Desire to Escape from Life: In “The Lotos-Eaters” (1832), Tennyson retells a part of Homer’s Odyssey. Odysseus’s sailors reach an island where people eat lotus flowers. After eating them, the sailors forget their duty and want to stay there forever. They sing:

“Our island home
Is far beyond the wave; we will no longer roam.”

Tennyson changes this myth into a poem about tired people. The sailors are exhausted by storms, wars, and hard journeys. They want rest, sleep, and peace. Through this story, Tennyson asks an important question: Is it wrong to escape from pain and hard work?

This poem reflects Victorian life. During that time, people worked long hours in factories. Like the sailors, people wanted rest. Thus, Tennyson uses an old myth to show a modern problem.

Tithonus—The Sorrow of Immortality: “Tithonus” (1860) is based on another Greek myth. Tithonus falls in love with Aurora, the goddess of dawn. Tithonus asks for eternal life but forgets to ask for eternal youth. The gods grant his wish, so he grows older and older but never dies. He sadly says:

“I wither slowly in thine arms.”

Aurora stays young and beautiful, but Tithonus becomes helpless. Through this myth, Tennyson shows that eternal life is not a blessing. Old age and death are natural. Tennyson teaches that human desire should have limits.

Locksley Hall—A Modern Legend: “Locksley Hall” (1842) is not based on an ancient myth. But it feels like a legend. The speaker tells his sad love story. He loves his cousin Amy. But Amy marries a rich man because her father wants money and status. The speaker cries:

“O my Amy, mine no more!”

He feels angry and broken. Yet, he also dreams of a better future with science, peace, and progress. This poem becomes a modern legend because it talks about universal human feelings: love, jealousy, pain, and hope.

Purpose of Using Myths and Legends: Tennyson used myths to explain deep ideas in a simple way. These stories help readers understand emotions easily. Love, betrayal, tiredness, fear of old age, everything becomes clearer through stories.

In conclusion, Tennyson did not use myths only to repeat old stories. He gave them new life and meaning. Tennyson’s use of legends and myths makes his poetry emotional, meaningful, and unforgettable.