"The
Lotus" by Toru Dutt is a beautiful example of a Petrarchan sonnet. In the opening lines, we
see a conflict between the rose and the lily flower. The mythological goddess of Love,
Aphrodite, has come to Flora, asking for a creation that would be seen as the new
"undisputed queen" of all flowers:
Love came to
Flora asking for a flower
That would of flowers be undisputed queen . . .
Both the rose and the lily use their "bards of power" to
attempt to win this title. The rose will "never tower like the pale lily," but in the
next line the author wonders if this truly makes the lily a lovelier flower.
In the final six lines of the poem, we find a solution to crowning an undisputed queen.
The Goddess Flora creates a brand new flower, the lotus, which is both "rose red" and
"lily white" and has characteristics of both flowers.
Interestingly, while the title of the poem is "The Lotus," the flower itself
is not mentioned until the final lines of the poem. The lotus flower is a well known symbol of
India as well as of the Hindu faith. We can see the author showcasing her pride in her own
religion and culture as she presents the idea that the lotus is the most beautiful of all
flowers.
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