The Lotus by Toru Dutt
Summary
The poem "The Lotus" is from Dutt's Ancient Ballads and Legends of
Hindustan (1882). The poem enacts a type of fable, in which the personified figure of
Love comes to Flora, the Roman goddess of flowering plants, asking her to create
the most beautiful flower in the world. After the longstanding feud between the lily
and the rose is described, Love expresses a desire to have a flower that carries
elements of both: "Give me a flower delicious as the rose / And stately as the lily in
her pride." When asked what color the flower should be, Love first says "Rose-red,"
then qualifies this by saying "No, lily-white,—or, both provide." The poem ends with
Flora gifting Love the lotus, a flower that has both elements of the lily's beauty and
the rose's beauty. The poem as such reflects one instance of Toru Dutt drawing a link
between European culture (and knowledge) and Indian/Asian culture.
Analysis
In terms of form, "The Lotus" is a Petrarchan sonnet, fourteen lines in length with
enclosed rhymes in the octave (the first eight lines of the poem) and the overall
rhyme scheme ABBAABBACDCDDC.
The octave develops the backstory of Love approaching Flora, and it also gives us
the backstory of the conflict between the rose and the lily. The rose—red in color and
actually native to Asia—is being used here as a symbol of the ideals of Asian beauty,
while the lily—white in color and present in much European imagery such as coats of
arms—is used as a symbol of Europe and the West in general. The poem is thus not
just a fantastical and whimsical dialogue between mythic figures, but also a serious
contest regarding the nature of beauty.
The poem has a turn (or volta) after the octave, and the interlocking rhyme schemes
of the sestet (the last six lines) mirror the conversation conducted between Flora and
Love. When the poem resolves itself, elements of both Western and Eastern beauty
are united in the transitional figure of the lotus, a classic Indian symbol of beauty,
youth, and divinity.
While superficially providing a pithy and entertaining explanation for the creation of
the lotus flower, "The Lotus" also provides deeper interpretive meaning insofar as it
discusses the ideals of beauty in different parts of the world. The creation of a liminal
or transitional beauty—one that sits in between the ideals of East and West in the
form of the lotus—evokes and suggests not only Dutt's home of India but also Dutt
herself, whose life experiences in Colonial India and all-around Europe
fundamentally make her a figure of transition, intermixing, and cultural exchange.
The poem also calls back to Dutt's larger body of work in its attention to and
fascination with both natural beauty and world religions, including the pagan religion
of ancient Rome.
Theme of the Poem
The central theme of “The Lotus” by Toru Dutt is the quest for perfection,
harmony, and unity in diversity. The poem explores the rivalry between the rose
and the lily, symbolizing competition and individual excellence, and presents the
lotus as an ideal blend of both flowers’ best qualities. The lotus represents the
resolution of conflict through compromise and creativity, showcasing how true beauty
lies in balance and harmony.
Other related themes include:
1. The Power of Nature – Nature’s ability to create something perfect and
harmonious.
2. Transcendence of Rivalry – The poem emphasizes overcoming competition
by uniting strengths.
3. Symbolism of the Lotus – The lotus symbolizes spiritual beauty, purity, and
the merging of diverse elements into one.
Key Points from the Poem “The Lotus”
1. The Quest for Perfection:
The poem highlights Love’s desire for a flower that embodies the best
qualities of the rose and the lily.
2. Symbolism of the Rose and Lily:
Rose: Represents passion, charm, and vibrancy.
Lily: Stands for dignity, purity, and stateliness.
3. Creation of the Lotus:
Flora resolves the rivalry by creating the lotus, a flower that combines the
beauty of the rose and the grace of the lily.
4. Unity in Diversity:
The lotus symbolizes harmony, showing that true beauty lies in blending
strengths and resolving conflicts.
5. Transcendence of Rivalry:
The poem teaches that competition can be overcome through compromise
and creativity.
6. Cultural Symbolism:
The lotus is a significant symbol in Indian culture, representing purity,
spirituality, and divine beauty.
Poetic Devices Used in the Poem “The Lotus”
1. Symbolism:
The rose symbolizes passion, charm, and warmth.
The lily represents purity, dignity, and majesty.
The lotus symbolizes unity, harmony, and transcendence of rivalry, as well as
symbolises balance, spiritual beauty, and perfection.
2. Personification:
“Love came to Flora asking for a flower” (Love is given human-like qualities,
as it asks for something like a person would.)
Flora, the goddess of flowers, is personified as a divine creator capable of
resolving conflicts.
3. Imagery: Vivid descriptions create mental pictures, such as:
“The rose can never tower / Like the pale lily with her Juno mien” (This
creates a visual image of the rose and lily, emphasizing their different
qualities.)
“Delicious as the rose” (This evokes the sensory experience of the rose’s
fragrance or beauty.)
4. Allusion:
References to classical mythology:
Flora: The Roman goddess of flowers.
Juno: The Roman queen of the gods, mentioned in “Juno mien” to
signify the lily’s regal beauty.
Psyche’s bower: Refers to Psyche, a figure from Greek mythology
symbolizing the soul, adding a mythical charm.
5. Rhyme Scheme: The poem follows the Petrarchan sonnet form, with an ABBA
ABBA CDE CDE rhyme scheme.
6. Contrast: The poem contrasts the rose and the lily to emphasize their differences
in beauty and qualities.
7. Metaphor:
The entire poem can be seen as a metaphor for the idea that true beauty or
perfection is a harmonious combination of different qualities.
“The queenliest flower that blows” (The lotus is metaphorically described as
the supreme or most perfect flower.)
8. Hyperbole: The exaggerated descriptions of the flowers’ beauty and their rivalry
elevate their significance, such as “The queenliest flower that blows.”
9. Tone: The tone is elevated and reflective, focusing on beauty, creativity, and
resolution of conflicts.
10. Alliteration: Repetition of consonant sounds for a lyrical effect, e.g.:
‘high honour’,
‘lily lovlier’;
‘flower factions’
11. Enjambment: The continuation of a sentence across lines creates a flowing
rhythm.
12. Irony: The irony lies in the fact that neither the rose nor the lily becomes the
queen of flowers. Instead, a new flower—the lotus—is created to resolve their rivalry.
