Is it true that the ultimate aim of work is to attain leisure? Well, Maugham’s The Lotus Eater can answer this question perfectly.
Readers have already become acquainted with the famous remark, “……the only object of work is to obtain leisure.” This pioneering outlook is visible in Somerset Maugham’s famous short story The Lotus Eater. Thomas Wilson, the central character, utters these words while carrying on a frank conversation with the author.
The author or narrator of the entire storyline meets Thomas Wilson in the story, The Lotus Eater while visiting Anacapri, Naples, Italy. He discovers that the purpose of Wilson’s visiting the place is to idealize and cherish the life of leisure. The author tries to understand the inner realization of the hero in The Lotus Eater.
The author’s interaction with Wilson reveals his realization
His interaction with Thomas Wilson reveals that the central character is a different man with different thoughts. Yes, a man with an exceptional yet notable viewpoint about work and leisure. His sweeping comment indicates that he considers the value of relaxation as a prime source of delight in life.
The Lotus Eater depicts that Wilson always prefers leisure as the priceless thing an individual can have in life. However, most people don’t understand that, and they work hard without realizing that they should aim to work to achieve that relaxation. They only “work for work’s sake” and don’t have the realization that the object of toiling or doing a job is to attain leisure.
Maugham’s words proves that many individuals realize the importance of leisure
Maugham’s portrayal of a character like Thomas Wilson proves that many individuals realize and understand the importance of the leisurely hours in life. They bring the desired happiness. And, most importantly, the author narrates his thought of admiration for this viewpoint in the story.
According to him, spending relaxing hours is a precious and essential thing that ensures increased happiness in human life. There is no denying that life is not merely a means or a tool to earn money and to ensure the attainment of bread and butter. It doesn’t only signify living as the act of survival. Life means the need for work, and work means serving to attain leisure because it is one of the sweetest things on earth to obtain happiness.
The story reveals life toiling without relaxation has no purpose in life
The storyline in The Lotus Eater truly depicts the undeniable truth that toiling without aiming for any relaxation has no purpose in human life. Wilson’s words draw this view more acutely. Somerset Maugham shows how the hero of the short story feels the utmost pity for those individuals who always stand in a hurry and simultaneously search and run after work. They always feel the urge to remain engaged in work.
For them, getting engaged in doing something remains the sole moral of survival. Also, it often emerges as if this motivates them to sacrifice all other interests and requirements for this engagement. As a result, this all the time feeling hurried and uninterrupted journey diminishes the scope of relaxation. It even sometimes forces these people to forget the sweetness of leisure that ultimately emerges as a precious blessing.
As an author, Maugham beautifully portrays this outlook in The Lotus Eater by setting an example of Wilson’s life. One undeniable reality is that most individuals on earth don’t even have the idea that the prime purpose of spending effort in work is to win leisure for the sake of pleasure in life.
One bitter truth is that work-torn people don’t feel the enthusiasm to conceive any objective after working rigorously, both physically and mentally, all day. Being work-worn humans, they never become ready to think about breeding any aim other than work. The author’s hero, Thomas Wilson, highlighted them as wretched fools devoid of any zest in their lives.
Critics review the outlook as a meaningful way to criticize the work-minded world
Now, some critics review the expression, “the only object of work is to obtain leisure,” in the story as a genuine apology for relaxation or leisure. Undeniably, severe criticism regarding the blind, work-minded world is visible in this context.
Undoubtedly, every task, whether work or a job, remains vital in human lives. It has its glory and honor. But the final objective of every act is to accomplish a delightful, satisfying, happy survival. And, this achievement is possible only with the successful securing of free time. In other words, one can secure delight when he sets the aim of his work to attain leisure.
Maugham’s The Lotus Eater, in the true sense, asserts a valuable point about staying happy in life. It proves that in most cases, the significance of the free or relaxing time often gets lost in senseless, monotonous drudgery. It is a reality that human life becomes irritating and unbearable if it fails to balance leisure and work evenly.
From the poetic viewpoint, a reader can say that life can’t be the only definition of care. If life doesn’t have time to think, stand, and stare, it becomes dull and meaningless.
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The Lotus Eater’s Physical Appearance Manifests Maugham’s Unique Search for Odd Characters