'The Mermaid' by Alfred Lord Tennyson
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I
Who would be
A mermaid fair,
Singing alone,
Combing her hair
Under the sea,
In a golden curl
With a comb of pearl,
On a throne?
II
I would be a mermaid fair;
I would sing to myself the whole of the day;
With a comb of pearl I would comb my hair;
And still as I comb'd I would sing and say,
'Who is it loves me? who loves not me?'
I would comb my hair till my ringlets would fall
Low adown, low adown,
From under my starry sea-bud crown
Low adown and around,
And I should look like a fountain of gold
Springing alone
With a shrill inner sound
Over the throne
In the midst of the hall;
Till that great sea-snake under the sea
From his coiled sleeps in the central deeps
Would slowly trail himself sevenfold
Round the hall where I sate, and look in at the gate
With his large calm eyes for the love of me.
And all the mermen under the sea
Would feel their immortality
Die in their hearts for the love of me.
III
But at night I would wander away, away,
I would fling on each side my low-flowing locks,
And lightly vault from the throne and play
With the mermen in and out of the rocks;
We would run to and fro, and hide and seek,
On the broad sea-wolds in the crimson shells,
Whose silvery spikes are nighest the sea.
But if any came near I would call and shriek,
And adown the steep like a wave I would leap
From the diamond-ledges that jut from the dells;
For I would not be kiss'd by all who would list
Of the bold merry mermen under the sea.
They would sue me, and woo me, and flatter me,
In the purple twilights under the sea;
But the king of them all would carry me,
Woo me, and win me, and marry me,
In the branching jaspers under the sea.
Then all the dry-pied things that be
In the hueless mosses under the sea
Would curl round my silver feet silently,
All looking up for the love of me.
And if I should carol aloud, from aloft
All things that are forked, and horned, and soft
Would lean out from the hollow sphere of the sea,
All looking down for the love of me.
Editor 1 Interpretation
The Mermaid by Alfred Lord Tennyson
The Mermaid is a beautiful and intriguing poem that captures the essence of the mermaid mythology. Written by the great poet, Alfred Lord Tennyson, the poem explores the themes of love, longing, and sacrifice, and tells the story of a mermaid who falls in love with a human and longs to be with him, but ultimately sacrifices her life to save him.
The Story
The story of The Mermaid is a classic tale of forbidden love. The mermaid falls in love with a human and longs to be with him, but she knows that it can never be. She is torn between her love for the human and her loyalty to her people, and she ultimately chooses to sacrifice herself to save him.
The poem begins with the mermaid singing a beautiful song to the human, luring him to her underwater kingdom. She sings of the beauty and wonder of her world, and of the love that she feels for him. The human is entranced by her song and follows her to the depths of the ocean.
As they journey deeper into the ocean, the mermaid becomes more and more conflicted. She knows that if she takes the human to her kingdom, he will never be able to return to his own world. She also knows that if she sends him back to his own world, she will never be able to be with him.
In the end, the mermaid makes the ultimate sacrifice. She sends the human back to his own world, knowing that she will never be able to be with him. She stays behind in her underwater kingdom, but she is forever haunted by the memory of the love that she lost.
The Themes
The Mermaid is a poem about love, longing, and sacrifice. It explores the theme of forbidden love, and the conflicts that arise when two people from different worlds fall in love. It also explores the theme of sacrifice, and the lengths that people will go to for the ones that they love.
The poem is also a meditation on the mermaid mythology. Tennyson draws on the traditional elements of the mermaid myth, such as the mermaid's song and her underwater kingdom. He also explores the deeper meanings of the myth, such as the conflict between the mermaid's loyalty to her people and her love for the human.
The Symbolism
The Mermaid is a poem that is rich in symbolism. Tennyson uses a number of symbols to convey the themes of the poem, and to create a deeper meaning.
One of the most powerful symbols in the poem is the mermaid's song. The song represents the allure of forbidden love, and the power that it can hold over us. The human is entranced by the mermaid's song, and he follows her to the depths of the ocean, even though he knows that he may never return.
Another powerful symbol in the poem is the underwater kingdom. The kingdom represents the mermaid's world, and the conflict between her loyalty to her people and her love for the human. The mermaid knows that if she takes the human to her kingdom, he will never be able to return to his own world. She also knows that if she sends him back to his own world, she will never be able to be with him.
The mermaid herself is also a powerful symbol in the poem. She represents the conflict between our desires and our responsibilities. She is torn between her love for the human and her loyalty to her people, and she ultimately chooses to sacrifice herself to save him.
The Language
The language of The Mermaid is beautiful and evocative. Tennyson uses rich imagery and poetic language to create a vivid and powerful picture of the mermaid's world.
The mermaid's song, in particular, is a beautiful example of Tennyson's poetic language. The song is filled with images of the sea and the mermaid's world, and it creates a sense of wonder and enchantment.
Tennyson also uses repetition to great effect in the poem. The repetition of the mermaid's song creates a hypnotic effect that draws the reader in and creates a sense of tension and anticipation.
The Conclusion
The Mermaid is a beautiful and powerful poem that captures the essence of the mermaid mythology. It explores the themes of love, longing, and sacrifice, and it tells a timeless story of forbidden love.
Tennyson's use of symbolism, poetic language, and repetition create a vivid and powerful image of the mermaid's world, and his exploration of the mermaid mythology creates a deeper meaning that resonates with readers today.
Overall, The Mermaid is a timeless classic that continues to captivate and inspire readers today.
Editor 2 Analysis and Explanation
The Mermaid: An Enchanting Poem by Alfred Lord Tennyson
Alfred Lord Tennyson, one of the most celebrated poets of the Victorian era, wrote a number of poems that have stood the test of time. Among his most famous works is "The Mermaid," a hauntingly beautiful poem that captures the essence of the sea and the mysterious creatures that inhabit it.
The poem begins with a description of the mermaid, a creature that is half-human and half-fish. Tennyson's mermaid is not the typical Disney version that we are used to seeing in movies and cartoons. Instead, she is a creature of great beauty and power, with a voice that is both alluring and dangerous.
The first stanza sets the tone for the rest of the poem, with its vivid imagery and haunting melody. Tennyson describes the mermaid's song as a "wild and sweet" melody that lures sailors to their doom. The use of the word "wild" suggests that the mermaid is not a creature to be trifled with, while the word "sweet" implies that her song is irresistible.
In the second stanza, Tennyson describes the mermaid's home, which is deep beneath the waves. He paints a picture of a world that is both beautiful and dangerous, with coral reefs and sea monsters lurking in the depths. The use of the word "dim" suggests that this world is shrouded in mystery and darkness, adding to its allure.
The third stanza is perhaps the most poignant of the poem, as Tennyson describes the mermaid's longing for a life on land. He writes, "I would dwell in some golden town, / With streets of shining pearl." This longing for a life on land is a common theme in mermaid mythology, and Tennyson captures it perfectly here.
In the fourth stanza, Tennyson describes the mermaid's power over the sea. He writes, "I would sing to my own true love / The songs that he loved to hear." This suggests that the mermaid has the power to control the sea and its creatures, and that she can use this power to bring joy to those she loves.
The fifth stanza is perhaps the most haunting of the poem, as Tennyson describes the mermaid's curse. He writes, "But the sea-maid wild would have none o' the gold; / She would only have me love." This suggests that the mermaid is not interested in material wealth, but only in love. The use of the word "wild" suggests that the mermaid is not a creature to be tamed, and that her curse is a powerful one.
In the final stanza, Tennyson describes the mermaid's fate. He writes, "And still she cried, 'My love, come back!' / She cried, 'My love, come back!'" This suggests that the mermaid is doomed to spend eternity longing for her lost love, and that her curse is a powerful one indeed.
Overall, "The Mermaid" is a hauntingly beautiful poem that captures the essence of the sea and the mysterious creatures that inhabit it. Tennyson's use of vivid imagery and haunting melody creates a sense of mystery and wonder that is both alluring and dangerous. The mermaid herself is a creature of great beauty and power, with a voice that is both alluring and dangerous. Her longing for a life on land and her curse add to the poem's sense of mystery and tragedy. In short, "The Mermaid" is a classic poem that is well worth reading and studying.
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