The Journey of the Magi TS Eliot Essays

The Journey of the Magi TS Eliot Essays The Journey of the Magi TS Eliot Paper The Journey of the Magi TS Eliot Paper Essay Topic: Poetry The poem The Journey of the Magi is T. S. Eliot recalling the journey of the three Wise Men to witness the birth of Jesus Christ in Bethlehem. Also it depicts Christs lifetime through signs the Magi see. As well as this, the poem covers Eliots journey from being an atheist to becoming a member of the Christian faith. In this Critical Evaluation, I am going to examine the poem, in depth, and show how the poet captures the emotion of the Magi. Thomas Stearns Eliot (1888-1965) was born in St. Louis, Missouri, U.S.A. to an old New England family. He was educated in three of the worlds best institutes for learning: Harvard University, The Sorbonne and Merton College, Oxford. He moved to England in the 1920s and became a British Citizen. At around the same time he joined the Anglican Church and became a devout Christian. His writing between 1917 and 1943 reflects his development as a Christian writer. In the first stanza, the first five lines are a quote from Lancelot Andrewes sermons of the Nativity. These lines are: A cold coming we had of it, Just the worst time of year, For a journey, and such a long journey, The ways deep and the weather sharp, The very dead of winter. Eliot sets the scene in his memory in both the above lines and in the next two lines: And the camels galled, sore-footed, refractory, Lying down in the melting snow. That scene describes a very cold winter and three important people are going on a long journey. The camels have sores where the baggage straps have rubbed against their skin. They are being stubborn and wont get up. At this point the magis attendants are becoming unruly and want to turn back. Also the Magus, who is telling the story, feels himself the temptation to go back but kept on going anyway as shown in this passage: Then the camel men cursing and grumbling And running away, and wanting their liquor and women, And the night fires going out, and the lack of shelters, And the cities hostile, and the towns unfriendly, And the villages dirty and charging high prices: A hard time we had of it. At this point we see some repetition of the words we had of it from the first line. Also, Eliot, at this point, starts off a list with a lot of ands meaning that the Magus did not want such inconveniences. More setbacks are seen at this point in the poem with the Magi resorting to sleeping very little and travelling dangerously at night, with all the people that they meet saying that it was the wrong thing to do: At the end we preferred to travel all night, Sleeping in snatches, With the voices singing in our ears, saying That this was all folly. Also, the voices could be seen as the people back in their home telling them that it was a stupid idea to go in the first place. The start of the second stanza sees the travellers coming down into a warmer environment: Then at dawn we came down to a temperate valley, Wet, below the snow line, smelling of vegetation, The line structure also reflects this happening because the lines are written in chronological order when the Magi came down the slope; the temperature rose, the snow turned more into slush the further down they got. Also, the lines got longer, to signify the hill. They got to the point where the snow ceased to exist and they could smell the plants in the valley. Now we see the signs of what will happen to this baby they are going to see. And three trees on the low sky. And an old white horse galloped away in the meadow. Then we came to a tavern with vine-leaves over the lintel, Six hands at an open door dicing for pieces of silver And feet kicking at empty wine-skins. All of the information above has something to do with the last days of Christ. The three trees represent the three crosses on Calvary, where Jesus and two thieves were crucified. The old white horse symbolizes Christ when he was resurrected. The Tavern represents the vinegar wine that was offered to Christ while on the cross by Roman guards. The vine leaves over the lintel represents the crown of thorns placed on Christs head by the Romans soldiers that mocked him. The six handsdicing represent the Romans gambling over Christs clothes, while he was still alive on the cross and the pieces of silver are the thirty silver coins Judas received for betraying Christ. Lastly, the empty wine skins represent the Last Supper of Christ and the Apostles. The arrival of the Magi at the stable seems to only be satisfactory experience for the poet, as it seems that he disapproves of the Messiah being born in a stable. In the third and final stanza, the Magus looks back at his journey and thinks about Births and Deaths. The Magus talks about the birth of a baby, Christ, and at His death, the birth of a religion, Christianity, and, at the same time, the death of the old ways and the old religion: This: were we led all this way for Birth or Death? There was a Birth, certainly, We had evidence and no doubt. I had seen birth and death, But thought they were different; this Birth was Hard and bitter agony for us, like Death, our death The Hard and bitter agony like Death is an example of a simile that means that the journey for the Magus was like dying to him, because he had gone from the comfort from his home, travelled a great distance and suffered hardships that he had probably never had to endure through before, all to see a baby being born in a stable whilst at the same time, sees the babys death on the journey. At the end of the stanza, and the end of the poem, the Magus finishes with thoughts of his own subjects still believing in an old religion and he looks forward to his own death With an alien people clutching their god. I should be glad of another death The poem The Journey of the Magi is T. S. Eliot recalling the journey of the three Wise Men to witness the birth of Jesus Christ in Bethlehem. In this Critical Evaluation, I examined the poem, in depth, and tried to show how the poet captured the emotion of the Magus.

Why Hercules Had to Perform the 12 Labors

Why Hercules Had to Perform the 12 Labors For most of his life, Hercules (Greek: Herakles/Heracles) was in thrall to his cousin-once-removed, Eurystheus, the King of Tiryns, but it was not until Hercules committed unspeakable acts that Eurystheus got to have some fun at his cousins expense- with the help of Hera. Hera, who had been angry with Hercules since even before he was born and had repeatedly tried to destroy him, now drove the hero mad and delusional. In this state, Hercules imagined he saw Lycus, the tyrant of Thebes who killed Creon and plans to kill Hercules family, accompanied by his family. Here is a section on the slaughter, from a 1917 English translation of Senecas tragedy (Translated by Miller, Frank Justus. Loeb Classical Library Volumes. Cambridge, MA, Harvard University Press; London, William Heinemann Ltd. 1917): [He catches sight of his children.][987] But look! here lurk the children of the king, my enemy, the abominable spawn of Lycus; to your detested father this hand forthwith shall send you. Let my bowstring discharge swift arrows- so it is meet that the shafts of Hercules should fly.... THE VOICE OF MEGARA[1014] Husband, spare me now, I beg. See, I am Megara. This is thy son, with thine own looks and bearing. See, how he stretches out his hands. THE VOICE OF HERCULES:[1017] I have caught my stepdame [Juno/Hera]. Come, pay me thy debt, and free o’ermastered Jove from a degrading yoke. But before the mother let this little monster perish.Seneca Hercules Furens In reality, the figures the Greek hero saw were his own children and his well-loved wife, Megara. Hercules slew them all (or most of them) and incinerated 2 of the children of his brother Iphicles, as well. In some accounts, Megara survived. In these, when he came to his senses, Hercules transferred his wife, Megara to Iolaus. [To learn more about Hercules murderous rage, you should read the Hercules Furens tragedies of Seneca and Euripides.] Here is an extended passage from the same translation of Hercules Furens, on the motivation of Juno: [19] But I lament ancient wrongs; one land, the baneful and savage land of Thebes, scattered thick with shameless mistresses, how oft has it made me stepdame! Yet, though Alcmena be exalted and in triumph hold my place; though her son, likewise, obtain his promised star (for whose begetting the world lost a day, and Phoebus with tardy light shone forth from the Eastern sea, bidden to keep his bright car sunk beneath Oceans waves), not in such fashion shall my hatred have its end; my angry soul shall keep up a long-living wrath, and my raging smart, banishing peace, shall wage unending wars.[30] What wars? Whatever fearsome creature the hostile earth produces, whatever the sea or the air has borne, terrific, dreadful, noxious, savage, wild, has been broken and subdued. He rises anew and has thrives on trouble; he enjoys my wrath; to his own credit he turns my hate; imposing too cruel tasks, I have but proved his sire, but give room for glory. Where the Sun, as he brings back, and whe re, as he dismisses day, colours both Ethiop races with neighbouring torch, his unconquered valour is adored, and in all the world he is storied as a god. Now I have no monsters left, and tis less labour for Hercules to fulfil my orders than for me to order; with joy he welcomes my commands. What cruel biddings of his tyrant could harm this impetuous youth? Why, he bears as weapons what he once fought and overcame; he goes armed by lion and by hydra.[46] Nor is earth vast enough for him; behold, he has broken down the doors of infernal Jove, and brings back to the upper world the spoils7 of a conquered king. I myself saw, yes, saw him, the shadows of nether night dispersed and Dis overthrown, proudly displaying to his father a brothers spoils. Why does he not drag forth, bound and loaded down with fetters, Pluto himself, who drew a lot equal to Joves? Why does he not lord it over conquered Erebus and lay bare the Styx? It is not enough merely to return; the law of the shades has bee n annulled, a way back has been opened from the lowest ghosts, and the mysteries of dread Death lie bared. But he, exultant at having burst the prison of the shades, triumphs over me, and with arrogant hand leads through the cities of Greece that dusky hound. I saw the daylight shrink at sight of Cerberus, and the sun pale with fear; upon me, too, terror came, and as I gazed upon the three necks of the conquered monster I trembled at my own command.[63] But I lament too much oer trivial wrongs. Tis for heaven we must fear, lest he seize the highest realms who has overcome the lowest- he will snatch the sceptre from his father. Nor will he come to the stars by a peaceful journey as Bacchus did; he will seek a path through ruin, and will desire to rule in an empty universe. He swells with pride of tested might, and has learned by bearing them that the heavens can be conquered by his strength; he set his head beneath the sky, nor did the burden of that immeasurable mass bend his should ers, and the firmament rested better on the neck of Hercules. Unshaken, his back upbore the stars and the sky and me down-pressing. He seeks a way to the gods above.[75] Then on, my wrath, on, and crush this plotter of big things; close with him, thyself rend him in pieces with thine own hands. Why to another entrust such hate? Let the wild beasts go their ways, let Eurystheus rest, himself weary with imposing tasks. Set free the Titans who dared to invade the majesty of Jove; unbar Sicilys mountain cave, and let the Dorian land, which trembles whenever the giant struggles, set free the buried frame of that dread monster; let Luna in the sky produce still other monstrous creatures. But he has conquered such as these. Dost then seek Alcides match? None is there save himself; now with himself let him war. Rouse the Eumenides from the lowest abyss of Tartarus; let them be here, let their flaming locks drop fire, and let their savage hands brandish snaky whips.[89] Go now, proud one, se ek the abodes of the immortals and despise mans estate. Dost think that now thou hast escaped the Styx and the cruel ghosts? Here will I show thee infernal shapes. One in deep darkness buried, far down below the place of banishment of guilty souls, will I call up- the goddess Discord, whom a huge cavern, barred by a mountain, guards; I will bring her forth, and drag out from the deepest realm of Dis whatever thou hast left; hateful Crime shall come and reckless Impiety, stained with kindred blood, Error, and Madness, armed ever against itself- this, this be the minister of my smarting wrath![100] Begin, handmaids of Dis, make haste to brandish the burning pine; let Megaera lead on her band bristling with serpents and with baleful hand snatch a huge faggot from the blazing pyre. To work! claim vengeance for outraged Styx. Shatter his heart; let a fiercer flame scorch his spirit than rages in Aetnas furnaces. That Alcides may be driven on, robbed of all sense, by mighty fury smitten, mine must be the frenzy first- Juno, why ravst thou not? Me, ye sisters, me first, bereft of reason, drive to madness, if I am to plan some deed worthy a stepdames doing. Let my request be changed; may he come back and find his sons unharmed, that is my prayer, and strong of hand may he return. I have found the day when Hercules hated valour is to be my joy. Me has he overcome; now may he overcome himself and long to die, though late returned from the world of death. Herein may it profit me that he is the son of Jove, I will stand by him and, that his shafts may fly from string unerring, Ill poise them with my hand, guide the madmans weapons, and so at last be on the side of Hercules in the fray. When he has done this crime, then let his father admit those hands to heaven![123] Now must my war be set in motion; the sky is brightening and the shining sun steals up in saffron dawn. Hercules Seeks Purification for His Crimes Madness was not an excuse for the carnage- not even madness sent by the gods- so Hercules had to make amends. First, he went to King Thespius on Mt. Helicon [see a map of northern Greece, Dd, in Boeotia] for purification, but that wasnt enough. Hercules' Expiation and Marching Orders To learn what further course he must take, Hercules consulted the oracle at Delphi where the Pythian priestess told him to expiate his crime by serving King Eurystheus for 12 years. During this 12-year period, Hercules had to perform the 10 labors the king would require of him. The Pythian also changed Hercules name from Alcides (after his grandfather Alcaeus) to what we normally call him, Heracles (in Greek) or Hercules (the Latin form and the one most commonly used today regardless of whether the reference is to a Greek or Roman myth). The Pythian also told Hercules to move to Tiryns. Willing to do anything to atone for his murderous rage, Hercules obliged. The Twelve Labors- Introduction Eurystheus set before Hercules a series of impossible tasks. If completed, some of them would have served a useful purpose because they removed the world of dangerous, predatory monsters- or excrement, but others were capricious whims of a king with an inferiority complex: Comparing himself with the hero was bound to make Eurystheus feel inadequate. Since Hercules was doing these tasks to atone for his crimes, Eurystheus insisted there be no ulterior motive. Because of this restriction, when King Augeas of Elis [see Peloponnese map Bb] promised Hercules a fee for cleaning his stables (Labor 5), Eurystheus denied the feat: Hercules had to do another to fill his quota. That King Augeas reneged and did not pay Hercules made no difference to Eurystheus. Other tasks the king of Tiryns set his nephew were make-work. For instance, once Hercules retrieved the apples of the Hesperides (Labor 11), but Eurystheus had no use for the apples, so he had Hercules send them back again. Eurystheus Hides From Hercules One more important point needs to be made in connection with these tasks. Eurystheus did not just feel inferior to Hercules; he was also afraid. Anyone who could survive the suicide missions on which King Eurystheus had sent the hero must be very powerful indeed. It is said Eurystheus hid in a jar and insisted- contrary to the instructions of the Pythian priestess- that Hercules stay outside the Tiryns city limits.