Poetry
Ulysses by the Merlion
Edwin Thumboo · 1979
Synopsis
A collection of poems that question the young Singaporean nation: its colonial past, the coexistence of its peoples, power and language. In the poem that gives it its title, Ulysses, after travelling and suffering, meeting strange peoples and forging his own myths, arrives on a brief promontory where the Merlion stands, a sea-lion with a salty mane and a scaly tail, which leaves him perplexed.
Context
The collection was published in 1979 by Heinemann Educational Books, two years after a book that already marked the author's shift from an intimate voice to public subjects. It takes further the questions of postcolonialism, cultural diversity, power and language, and affirms the conviction that writers must help to express their country's identity. The National Library of Singapore has exhibited manuscripts from it, including that of the poem that gives the book its title.
Who it is for
Poems in English, often serious and learned, rich in mythological allusions; they do not exist in French.
Prizes and reception
Poetry prize of Singapore's National Book Development Council in 1980; its title poem is regarded as a major work of the country's literature.