The Purpose of this Blog

Your task on this blog is to write a brief summary of what we learned in class today. Include enough detail so that someone who was ill or missed the lesson can catch up with what they missed. Over the course of the term, these 'class scribe' posts will grow to be a guide book for the course, written by students for students.

With each post ask yourself the following questions:
1) Is this good enough for our guide book?
2) Will your post enable someone who wasn't here to catch up?
3) Would a graphic/video/link help to illustrate what we have learned?


Wednesday, 2 February 2011

Tithonus

Hello people and welcome to yet another of my blogs :)

This Tuesday morning we were asked to either accept or decline an offer made by Mr Sadgrove, he wanted to know whether we wanted the 'gift' of immortality or not. No one accepted his proposition with the explanation that there would be nothing to look forward to in life, as risks are what make life exciting, its shortness and the fact that we are always experiencing new things.

Then we were introduced to the character Tithonus. Tithonus is the brother of King Priam and was inlove with the goddess of the dawn Eos, she wanted to live with him forever, so asked Zeus to grant him immortality, which he did. Howeve she forgot to ask for eternal youth, so Tithonus aged, but did not die, becoming a frail shadow of his former self.

We looked at the poem and analysed its language, structure and form. The poem is a dramatic monologue, which involves the speaker (Tithonus) talking to the audience about a particular topic (his aging and frustration towards life). The language that Tennyson uses in this poem is mainly dark, when describing Tithonus and what his life has become to reflect the character's feeling of depression and isolation from the rest of the world. Alot of antithesis is used through out in relation to Eos and Tithonus, as when she is spoken about only bright, beautiful, vital vocabulary is used to show the contrast between the two and how full of life she is. This poem relates alot to another text - "Ulysses" as it was written after the death of Tennyson's best friend and portrays similar emotions like regret, loss and nostalgia for the past.

HOMEWORK TIME
Write a 20 minute essay of "How does Tennyson tell the story in Tithonus?"

LASTLY
Can I just suggest that Saways is next to do the blog, as his posts are always so informative.

Much love y'all
Aleksandra.
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4 comments:

  1. Chris. 张2 February 2011 at 22:37

    Tithonus (Myth)

    Eos (titan of dawn)kidnapped two people including Tithonus to be her lovers,

    (immortality was given)

    Tithonus eventually became eternally living but begging for death. however Eos does not have power for his immortality and must ask directly from Zeus

    Eos had two sons (Memnon and Emathion) Tithonus was bribed to send Memnon (title: King of the east) to fight at troy with a "golden grapevine"

    Memnom was killed by Achilles.

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  2. Rosie3 February 2011 at 01:40

    This a really good blog Alex i do agree that Ulysses and Tithonus do have similar worries about old age and death. The only difference i believe is Ulysses is more adventurous and looking forward to the future but Tithonus complains more about how miserbal is lifeis.
    Rosie

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  3. Anonymous3 February 2011 at 02:05

    Another excellent blog aleks :)

    Tithonus is tennysons own reflection on death and the passing of his friend. Throughout the poem he finds solace in dying. Compared to ulysesses, it incorparates the same themes as you've said, giving a real depth to the poem.

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  4. Aisha Moallim3 February 2011 at 02:16

    another great blog aleks, well done. Chris your comment was helpful, lastly i think this is the only character Tennyson presents positive.

    Aisha

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