Tithonus:  His Attitude towards Immortality in his Youth and Old Age 

 Comparison of Tithonus’s Attitude towards Immortality in his Youth and Old Age 

Question : Compare Tithonus’ feelings and attitude towards immortality in his youth and in his old age.

  Answer:  The poem  “Tithonus” by Alfred Lord Tennyson highlights the stark contrast between the vigor and beauty of youth and feebleness and despair of old age.

    In this poem, Tithonus presents two entirely different views towards immortality in two different stages of his life. In his youth Tithonus regards immortality as a boon for himself and longs for it while in his old age Tithonus reveals that his immortality has become a curse for him.

    Tithonus recalls his youth and says –

   “……once a man, /

    So glorious in his beauty and thy choice”.

         He remembers himself as a handsome young and glorious man that he was chosen by the epitome of beauty – the goddess of dawn – Eos. This made him feel like he was a special person, singled out for greatness. He adds –

   “To his great heart none other than a God !”

       Inflated with the pleasure of being  “chosen” by a goddess, Tithonus saw himself as better and different from other mortal men. His hubris made him to long for immortality like a God. 

     Apart from his hubris, his desire for the Goddess also played a vital role for the gift of immortality bestowed on him. Tithonus was so passionately in love with Eos that he desire immortality like any other God, to be with her  forever. He considered the immortality a boon and blessing. So he asked the goddess Eos to  “give (him) immortality”.

         Their desire blinded them to reality and led Eos to make a critical mistake when she granted Tithonus immortality without perpetual youth to go along with it. She granted him an immortal life but forgot to grant him immortal youth and beauty.

     With the passage of time Tithonus realises the cruelty of  ” immortal age beside immortal youth”. He tried to go beyond the natural limits of human life and now he suffers its consequences as an endless old age. His hubris has ruined him.

      Tithonus grew more and more aged and decrepit. His life became insupportable. He lost the charm of life but Aurora’s beauty and youth remain undiminished. He regards himself as the only unfortunate creature who suffer acutely owing to the gift of immortality.

       He laments that everything is subject to the law of mortality but he remained immortal to be punished for this divine gift bestowed on him. He says – 

    “Me only cruel immortality /

    Consumes;  …..”

        His old age and decrepitude have exhausted him and crushed and destroyed his youth and beauty. Since he is immortal, nothing can put and end to his life, but left him to suffer eternally. He says – 

   “……thy strong Hours, indignant work’d their wills,/

     And beat me down and marr’d and wasted me”

          He describes his old age as – he is  “marr’d” (or disfigured) and  “wasted” by long merciless passage of time. The time worked against Tithonus as it could not end him but ruined him and left him  “maim’d” (or injured) forever to live with his eternally young and beautiful wife. 

   “To dwell in presence of immortal youth /

      Immortal age beside immortal youth”

       He cannot  continue to enjoy the companionship of Aurora anymore due to his extremely old and withered state. He has lost his zest for life. He is dead to the world of pleasure. He no longer feels the youthful sensation which Aurora’s youth and beauty inspired in him earlier, his blood does no longer glow with passion at the sight of her beautiful cheeks and shoulders. He no longer desires to live. He therefore, desires that Aurora should take away his gift so that he may die like other human beings.

      The older version of Tithonus now wonders why should man wants to escape from the natural cycle of life and death. Why should man try to trespass beyond the reasonable limit of life, where everybody should stop and do not try to cross the limit.

      Tithonus is so sad and dissatisfied with his present painful stage of life that he welcome death which will not come over to his life as he is blessed with immortality.

     He laments to realise that the gift of immortality which he has condemned to eternal punishment. He longs for death and sees the vapours floating upon the fields of mortal men, he feel jealous of  “Those happy men that have the power to die”. He feels even the dead, lying under the “grassy barrows” are happier than him. So he pleads with the goddess of dawn – Aurora, to  “release” him and “restore” into the  “ground”. 

    Now immortality, is no longer of his choice but he desires for death to be free from this painful life and eternal sufferings. 

   This way his attitude towards  immortality in youth and old age are completely opposite.