The Unifying Emblem in Toru Dutt’s “The Lotus”

Toru Dutt’s poem “The Lotus” is one of the best poems written symbolically in the initial phase of Indian English literature. Even though it is quite short in length, this poem possesses significant philosophy, culture and nationalism. This is because of the poetic competition amongst flowers, where the rose and the lily compete against each other by claiming superiority. Ultimately, the gods produce the lotus by combining together the qualities of both roses. Thus, Toru Dutt, through symbolic mannerism introduces the concept of the lotus as an embodiment of harmony, synthesis and perfection.There is a dispute about which flower is considered to be more beautiful in the poem— whether the rose representing western beauty or the lily, which is considered to have characteristics of gracefulness. In the end, the gods select the lotus since it encompasses the features of the two flowers. Thus, the lotus can be regarded as a representation of harmony, union, and synthesis. Toru Dutt’s poem “The Lotus” is an attempt to interpret the concepts of beauty, harmonious cultures, and nationality through symbolism. This poem was written during the colonial era and narrates the competition between flowers concerning superiority and beauty. The present paper attempts to discuss the symbolic importance of the lotus in connection with Indian spiritual values, Indian cultural values, Western values, East and West synthesis etc. Furthermore, the paper will analyze the poetic symbolism, personification and style of imagery used by Toru Dutt in her poem “The Lotus.” Therefore, the present paper will highlight how the poet converts this simple debate of flowers into a meaningful message of coexistence.