Ulysses Analysis

It little profits that an idle king,

By this still hearth, among these barren crags,

Match'd with an aged wife, I mete and dole

Unequal laws unto a savage race,

That hoard, and sleep, and feed, and know not me.

I cannot rest from travel; I will drink

Life to the lees.All times I have enjoy'd

Greatly, have suffer'd greatly, both with those

That loved me, and alone; on shore, and when

Thro' scudding drifts the rainy Hyades

Vext the dim sea.I am become a name;

For always roaming with a hungry heart

Much have I seen and known,-- cities of men

And manners, climates, councils, governments,

Myself not least, but honor'd of them all,--

And drunk delight of battle with my peers,

Far on the ringing plains of windy Troy.

I am a part of all that I have met;

Yet all experience is an arch wherethro'

Gleams that untravell'd world whose margin fades

For ever and for ever when I move.

How dull it is to pause, to make an end,

To rust unburnish'd, not to shine in use!

As tho' to breathe were life!Life piled on life

Were all too little, and of one to me

Little remains; but every hour is saved

>From that eternal silence, something more,

A bringer of new things; and vile it were

For some three suns to store and hoard myself,

And this gray spirit yearning in desire

To follow knowledge like a sinking star,

Beyond the utmost bound of human thought.

This is my son, mine own Telemachus,

to whom I leave the sceptre and the isle,--

Well-loved of me, discerning to fulfill

This labor, by slow prudence to make mild

A rugged people, and thro' soft degrees

Subdue them to the useful and the good.

Most blameless is he, centred in the sphere

Of common duties, decent not to fail

In offices of tenderness, and pay

Meet adoration to my household gods,

When I am gone.He works his work, I mine.

There lies the port; the vessel puffs her sail;

There gloom the dark, broad seas.My mariners,

Souls that have toil'd, and wrought, and thought with me,--

That ever with a frolic welcome took

The thunder and the sunshine, and opposed

Free hearts, free foreheads,-- you and I are old;

Old age hath yet his honor and his toil.

Death closes all; but something ere the end,

Some work of noble note, may yet be done,

Not unbecoming men that strove with Gods.

The lights begin to twinkle from the rocks;

The long day wanes; the slow moon climbs; the deep

Moans round with many voices.Come, my friends.

'T is not too late to seek a newer world.

Push off, and sitting well in order smite

The sounding furrows; for my purpose holds

To sail beyond the sunset, and the baths

Of all the western stars, until I die.

It may be that the gulfs will wash us down;

It may be we shall touch the Happy Isles,

And see the great Achilles, whom we knew.

Tho' much is taken, much abides; and tho'

We are not now that strength which in old days

Moved earth and heaven, that which we are, we are,--

One equal temper of heroic hearts,

Made weak by time and fate, but strong in will

To strive, to seek, to find, and not to yield.

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People really need to not comment irrelevant shit about the poems. This site is here to help people get their opinions out on the ANALYSIS of the poems. NOT about stupid effing supermodels or people who are too stupid to understand poetry without being spoon fed by lecturers. Seriously people. Get a life.

| Posted on 2010-01-31 | by a guest

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this poem is about a man who rides his horse, and his horse is amazing. if you would give it a lick, it would taste just like raisin.

| Posted on 2010-01-22 | by a guest

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Okay, sorry, this isn't really an analysis. It's a thanks to (1) the people who cause this website to exist, and (2) the people who write seriously intended thoughts on what this poem is about, notably (but not only) the person with the sustained Tithonus comparison. People like this, all of the above, make the world a better place.
Love, Denis (dbeckett@global.co.za) -- reading Ulysses at a funeral tomorrow.

| Posted on 2009-12-07 | by a guest

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I think he is like drunk and goes out and beats his wife, i think that is what the poem is about

| Posted on 2009-09-29 | by a guest

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I LIKE THIS POEM BECAUSE OF THE TRAVELLING SPIRIT OF THE ULYSSES

| Posted on 2009-08-11 | by a guest

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I hate ulysses , i hate his son , i hate his wife ,, and i hate Salah Shrouf also
every thing is going misrabel in this university , and our teachers dont explain any thing in the class , just they talk about love and women
shit shit shit

| Posted on 2009-07-18 | by a guest

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Hello
I read thses comments . actually they are very useful
but please could anyone write the theme of this poem
thanks

| Posted on 2009-07-18 | by a guest

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Hello
I read thses comments . actually they are very useful
but please could anyone write the theme of this poem
thanks

| Posted on 2009-07-18 | by a guest

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This piece of writing is ridiculuos, not only because i'm too dumb to contemplate it, but because i gots no brains. I am 26 years of age,and make 10 million dollars a year. I work as a supermodel. i'm shameful

| Posted on 2009-07-15 | by a guest

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This poem was one of the worst I have ever read. I am 26, I have a loving family, earn 10 million dollars a year and currently work as a supermodel but this piece of extensive writing made me dpressed. For shame. (N)

| Posted on 2009-06-15 | by a guest

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hey this poem was good i love how odysseus loves his beautiful wife

| Posted on 2009-03-31 | by a guest

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Moreover, he describes himself as a ‘gray shadow’ (11) and a ‘white haired-shadow’ (8) and thus de-humanises himself in his descriptions. He also shows a separation between his past and present self such as when he says he was ‘once a man’ (11), implying he no longer human in any meaningful sense. He says his past self had ‘another heart’ (50) and that he had ‘other eyes’ (51). So, in both these poems, their self-pity is shown through the fact that they not only talk of their present woes but also because of the fact that they talk of how their previous life was so much better. Tennyson makes age the source of their self-pity.
Moreover, both the characters, Ulysses and Tithonus, try to go beyond the normal constraints of life. Ulysses wants to exert himself to such an extreme extent, as to immortalise himself in history, like a God. He shows great tenacity and says he is ‘strong in will / To strive, to seek, to find, and not to yield.’ (82-83) this and other references show us that he is almost compulsive in his desire to achieve paramount greatness; he says he ‘cannot rest from travel’ (6) and talks of how ‘dull it is to pause’ (24). He does not only want to stretch the boundaries of what is humanly possible, he also shows a compulsive need to achieve beyond the boundaries of age, which is expressed when he mentions his desire ‘to sail beyond the sunset’. In the same way, Tithonus wanted to be ‘none other than a God’ (14), by gaining immorality. He wanted to beat the constraints of life and become close to a deity. He showed reckless and impulsive audacity when using the rash imperative, ‘give me immortality’ (15), and this showed that he had a strong desire to break human constraints. However, he does show a change of heart after receiving the ‘gift’, as he asks, ‘why should a man desire in any way / to vary from the kindly race of men, / or pass beyond the goal of ordinance?’ (27-30). But Tennyson shows that ambition was the cause of Tithonus and Ulysses desiring to break the normal constraints of life, which in turn led to dire consequences.
In the two poems, Alfred Lord Tennyson explains the dangers of being overtly ambitious; Tithonus is used to describe the calamitous costs of what can happen when ambition rules judgment, and Ulysses is used to describe how a man can become restless and impulsive with over-ambition. Ulysses, however, describes, and to some extent celebrates the indomitable spirit of man. Although Ulysses is over-ambitious he has a strong spirit and desires to ‘drink / life to the lees’ (6-7). Tithonus, is also too ambitious, and is also irrational; however, he merely showed the perfectly natural desire to become like a God. Therefore, both the poems reflect the nature of perfectly normal humans who yearn to satiate their desire for more than what humans naturally have.

| Posted on 2009-02-09 | by a guest

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Moreover, he describes himself as a ‘gray shadow’ (11) and a ‘white haired-shadow’ (8) and thus de-humanises himself in his descriptions. He also shows a separation between his past and present self such as when he says he was ‘once a man’ (11), implying he no longer human in any meaningful sense. He says his past self had ‘another heart’ (50) and that he had ‘other eyes’ (51). So, in both these poems, their self-pity is shown through the fact that they not only talk of their present woes but also because of the fact that they talk of how their previous life was so much better. Tennyson makes age the source of their self-pity.
Moreover, both the characters, Ulysses and Tithonus, try to go beyond the normal constraints of life. Ulysses wants to exert himself to such an extreme extent, as to immortalise himself in history, like a God. He shows great tenacity and says he is ‘strong in will / To strive, to seek, to find, and not to yield.’ (82-83) this and other references show us that he is almost compulsive in his desire to achieve paramount greatness; he says he ‘cannot rest from travel’ (6) and talks of how ‘dull it is to pause’ (24). He does not only want to stretch the boundaries of what is humanly possible, he also shows a compulsive need to achieve beyond the boundaries of age, which is expressed when he mentions his desire ‘to sail beyond the sunset’. In the same way, Tithonus wanted to be ‘none other than a God’ (14), by gaining immorality. He wanted to beat the constraints of life and become close to a deity. He showed reckless and impulsive audacity when using the rash imperative, ‘give me immortality’ (15), and this showed that he had a strong desire to break human constraints. However, he does show a change of heart after receiving the ‘gift’, as he asks, ‘why should a man desire in any way / to vary from the kindly race of men, / or pass beyond the goal of ordinance?’ (27-30). But Tennyson shows that ambition was the cause of Tithonus and Ulysses desiring to break the normal constraints of life, which in turn led to dire consequences.
In the two poems, Alfred Lord Tennyson explains the dangers of being overtly ambitious; Tithonus is used to describe the calamitous costs of what can happen when ambition rules judgment, and Ulysses is used to describe how a man can become restless and impulsive with over-ambition. Ulysses, however, describes, and to some extent celebrates the indomitable spirit of man. Although Ulysses is over-ambitious he has a strong spirit and desires to ‘drink / life to the lees’ (6-7). Tithonus, is also too ambitious, and is also irrational; however, he merely showed the perfectly natural desire to become like a God. Therefore, both the poems reflect the nature of perfectly normal humans who yearn to satiate their desire for more than what humans naturally have.

| Posted on 2009-02-09 | by a guest

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Continued...
Moreover, he describes himself as a ‘gray shadow’ (11) and a ‘white haired-shadow’ (8) and thus de-humanises himself in his descriptions. He also shows a separation between his past and present self such as when he says he was ‘once a man’ (11), implying he no longer human in any meaningful sense. He says his past self had ‘another heart’ (50) and that he had ‘other eyes’ (51). So, in both these poems, their self-pity is shown through the fact that they not only talk of their present woes but also because of the fact that they talk of how their previous life was so much better. Tennyson makes age the source of their self-pity.
Moreover, both the characters, Ulysses and Tithonus, try to go beyond the normal constraints of life. Ulysses wants to exert himself to such an extreme extent, as to immortalise himself in history, like a God. He shows great tenacity and says he is ‘strong in will / To strive, to seek, to find, and not to yield.’ (82-83) this and other references show us that he is almost compulsive in his desire to achieve paramount greatness; he says he ‘cannot rest from travel’ (6) and talks of how ‘dull it is to pause’ (24). He does not only want to stretch the boundaries of what is humanly possible, he also shows a compulsive need to achieve beyond the boundaries of age, which is expressed when he mentions his desire ‘to sail beyond the sunset’. In the same way, Tithonus wanted to be ‘none other than a God’ (14), by gaining immorality. He wanted to beat the constraints of life and become close to a deity. He showed reckless and impulsive audacity when using the rash imperative, ‘give me immortality’ (15), and this showed that he had a strong desire to break human constraints. However, he does show a change of heart after receiving the ‘gift’, as he asks, ‘why should a man desire in any way / to vary from the kindly race of men, / or pass beyond the goal of ordinance?’ (27-30). But Tennyson shows that ambition was the cause of Tithonus and Ulysses desiring to break the normal constraints of life, which in turn led to dire consequences.
In the two poems, Alfred Lord Tennyson explains the dangers of being overtly ambitious; Tithonus is used to describe the calamitous costs of what can happen when ambition rules judgment, and Ulysses is used to describe how a man can become restless and impulsive with over-ambition. Ulysses, however, describes, and to some extent celebrates the indomitable spirit of man. Although Ulysses is over-ambitious he has a strong spirit and desires to ‘drink / life to the lees’ (6-7). Tithonus, is also too ambitious, and is also irrational; however, he merely showed the perfectly natural desire to become like a God. Therefore, both the poems reflect the nature of perfectly normal humans who yearn to satiate their desire for more than what humans naturally have.

| Posted on 2009-02-09 | by a guest

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Continued....
Moreover, he describes himself as a ‘gray shadow’ (11) and a ‘white haired-shadow’ (8) and thus de-humanises himself in his descriptions. He also shows a separation between his past and present self such as when he says he was ‘once a man’ (11), implying he no longer human in any meaningful sense. He says his past self had ‘another heart’ (50) and that he had ‘other eyes’ (51). So, in both these poems, their self-pity is shown through the fact that they not only talk of their present woes but also because of the fact that they talk of how their previous life was so much better. Tennyson makes age the source of their self-pity.
Moreover, both the characters, Ulysses and Tithonus, try to go beyond the normal constraints of life. Ulysses wants to exert himself to such an extreme extent, as to immortalise himself in history, like a God. He shows great tenacity and says he is ‘strong in will / To strive, to seek, to find, and not to yield.’ (82-83) this and other references show us that he is almost compulsive in his desire to achieve paramount greatness; he says he ‘cannot rest from travel’ (6) and talks of how ‘dull it is to pause’ (24). He does not only want to stretch the boundaries of what is humanly possible, he also shows a compulsive need to achieve beyond the boundaries of age, which is expressed when he mentions his desire ‘to sail beyond the sunset’. In the same way, Tithonus wanted to be ‘none other than a God’ (14), by gaining immorality. He wanted to beat the constraints of life and become close to a deity. He showed reckless and impulsive audacity when using the rash imperative, ‘give me immortality’ (15), and this showed that he had a strong desire to break human constraints. However, he does show a change of heart after receiving the ‘gift’, as he asks, ‘why should a man desire in any way / to vary from the kindly race of men, / or pass beyond the goal of ordinance?’ (27-30). But Tennyson shows that ambition was the cause of Tithonus and Ulysses desiring to break the normal constraints of life, which in turn led to dire consequences.
In the two poems, Alfred Lord Tennyson explains the dangers of being overtly ambitious; Tithonus is used to describe the calamitous costs of what can happen when ambition rules judgment, and Ulysses is used to describe how a man can become restless and impulsive with over-ambition. Ulysses, however, describes, and to some extent celebrates the indomitable spirit of man. Although Ulysses is over-ambitious he has a strong spirit and desires to ‘drink / life to the lees’ (6-7). Tithonus, is also too ambitious, and is also irrational; however, he merely showed the perfectly natural desire to become like a God. Therefore, both the poems reflect the nature of perfectly normal humans who yearn to satiate their desire for more than what humans naturally have.

| Posted on 2009-02-09 | by a guest

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Giving an informed explanation of the dramatic monologue, Compare and Contrast Alfred Lord Tennyson’s Ulysses With Tithonus
Alfred Lord Tennyson wrote Ulysses and Tithonus as dramatic monologues. A dramatic monologue involves a single character giving an extended speech at a critical moment to a silent listener, and is used to characterise the speaker. Indeed, this form of poetry was favoured by many of the poets in the Victorian period including Matthew Arnold (24 December 1822 – 15 April 1888) who wrote Dover Beach and Stanzas from the Grand Chartreuse. Robert Browning (7 May 1812 – 12 December 1889) also utilized the dramatic monologue form and wrote My last Duchess which is his most famous poem using the genre. He also wrote others such as Soliloquy of the Spanish Cloister and Porphyria’s lover. Porphyria’s lover was an attempt to examine abnormal psychology and characterizes a man murdering his lover, Porphyria, so as never to come to the day when she leaves him.
Arthur Hallam was a very close friend of Tennyson and they went to Cambridge together; they both joined the group called the Cambridge Apostles, which was an intellectual discussion group. Their close relationship meant that in 1833, when Hallam died an unfortunate death in Vienna from a brain haemorrhage, Tennyson was to be forever distraught. Nine years later (1842), Tennyson published a group of poems incuding Tithonus and Ulysses. Tennyson’s grief is reflected in Ulysses and Tithonus and they display his desire to recapture the past and to recapture the time when Hallam was alive. The characters in the play share all the same grievances that Tennyson did, including dissatisfaction, desire for change, nostalgia, and the effects of age. In this way, he uses the poems as a way of expressing his feelings and misfortunes, but also as a way of showing that he had a desire to die, like in Tithonus, where Tithonus says that he would be ‘happier dead’ (71). His great love for Hallam was expressed in the fact that ten years later (1852), he names his son after him.
The poem Tithonus is a speech made by Tithonus, showing how he intensely regrets giving the wish for eternal life whilst forgetting to ask for eternal youth. Time ‘marred’ (19) and ‘wasted’ (19) him, and he is trapped in an ever degrading body. The poem Ulysses shows many similar traits to Tithonus and is a speech given by Ulysses describing his past, exciting adventures. It also talks of how he is now trapped on an island being forced to run the country with his ‘aged wife’ (3).
Both characters shared beauty and success during their youth. This adds to their misery in their current life. Tithonus’ past beauty is expressed when he says that he was ‘glorious in his beauty’ (12). He also talks of his previous sexual life with Eos, the goddess of dawn. He talks of ‘kisses balmier than half-opening buds’ (59) and Tennyson constantly writes of Eos being warm and light, continually reminding of the fact that Tithonus had such a vibrant and youthful love affair. To increase the idea of the erotic intimacy, Tennyson carefully uses sibilance, with words such as ‘kisses’ (59), ‘sweet’ (61) and ‘whispering’ (61). It is this use of language that augments the fact that Tithonus had such a blissful past life. In the same way, Ulysses also had an extremely successful past life. He was a handsome man in his prime and endured many exciting adventures. Ulysses describes how he ‘drunk delight of battle’ (16) with his peers. He talks of ‘souls that have toiled, and wrought, and thought with me’ (59); and the use of rhyme suggests the harmony of his relationship with his peers. This explains that he had endured much suffering and the use of the word ‘thought’ introduces the point that he was also a great thinker; he was not only practical with his hands, but also good with his mind. In this way Tennyson, therefore, shows that Ulysses and Tithonus both had great past lives, and the fact their present life is a lot less exciting, adds to their frustration. Tennyson, in both poems, presents old age as the main source of their degradation.
Furthermore, both characters share a nostalgic longing to return to their glamorous lives in the past; indeed, nostalgia plays an important theme in the two poems. Tithonus’ desire to return to the past is augmented when he utters, ‘alas, for this gray shadow, once a man – / so glorious in his beauty.’ (11-12), these words express fully his desire to return to his past life. He then revolts to passionate imperatives when he exclaims, ‘let me go: take back thy gift’ (27) and others such as ‘release me’ (72) and ‘restore me’ (72), such language shows his fervent need to return to his former life. Similarly, Ulysses also shows an intense desire to return to his former self. His nostalgia and desire to return to his past life is expressed when he says, ‘’tis not too late to seek a newer world’ (70), this fully describes the mindset of Ulysses at that time. His strong desire to return to his active past is pronounced when he parallels himself to a sword and says, ‘how dull it is to pause, to make an end, to rust unburnished, not to shine in use!’ (24/25), by saying this, he equates himself to an item that is entirely designed for action. This again exaggerates his restless, obsessive, nostalgic longing to return to his former life.
Moreover, Tennyson makes clever use of caesuras in the first stanzas of Ulysses and Tithonus; he uses it to express weariness in Tithonus, and constriction in Ulysses. Similarly, enjambment plays an important part in expressing particular themes in the poems. For example, enjambment is used to suggest the endless ongoing of life in Tithonus, and the boredom and desire to push limitations in Ulysses. However, the only difference is due to the fact that Ulysses is able to dream of one last, glorious adventure, with the potential to go out and recapture what former self, whereas, Tithonus’ days of beauty and romance will never be recaptured. Nonetheless, Tennyson presents both characters as irretrievably removed from their youth and casts this as the source of their frustration.
Moreover, both the poems share the themes of egocentricity, arrogance and self-pity. There are many comments said by Ulysses that augment his solipsistic attitude. He claims that ‘I am part of all that I have met’ (19), saying that he influences all he meets. His wife, who had been loyal to him during the vast amount of time while he was away on adventure, is described by him as an ‘aged wife’. This is both extremely insulting, but, moreover, supports the idea of his arrogance. It is also how he ranks himself superior in comparison to others, which supplements the idea of his arrogant nature. For example, he states that the people of his island are a ‘savage race’ (4). Moreover, he makes them seem like animals, since he says that they ‘hoard, and sleep, and feed’ (5). He goes on to say that they ‘know not me’ (6), again drawing another barrier between them and him, as though he is superior. His shows clear self-pity as well, for example, when he says that ‘I am become but a name’ (11). The whole poem has him regretful of the great difference between his present and his past lives, and in this way, he displays self-pity. Like Ulysses, Tithonus shows traits of arrogance. He says that he was once ‘so glorious in his beauty’ (13), this is not only vain in itself, but also conceited in the fact that he refers to himself in the second person; although this also reveals how distant his present self is from his youth. His past arrogance and vanity is also expressed when he says that it seemed his ‘great heart’ (14) was ‘none other than a God’ (14), associating himself with a deity is the peak of arrogance. He, like Ulysses also displays clear signs of self-pity. He says that ‘me only cruel immortality / consumes’ (5-6), and the inversion of syntax gives more emphasis on himself and thus, exaggerates his self-pity. Mor

| Posted on 2009-02-09 | by a guest

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I think that Ulyssses is a symbol of Victorian England, Tennyson's home. England had by the end of the 1800's had achieved many remarkable things and during Tennyson's life they seemed to be relaxing and enjoying the fruits of their labor. Tennyson is trying to tell his fellow Englishmen that there is much yet to achieve.

| Posted on 2008-12-06 | by a guest

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this poem is hard to understand when i first read it..but its an interesting poem about Odysseus and his struggles in his life.

| Posted on 2008-11-16 | by a guest

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Alfred Lord tennyson is portraying a characters live of full intention and hope through dramatic monologue. he is conveyed as rather egocentric in the way in which he wants to travel, but in opposition to this charcteristic in which we can note we see the role reversal between himself and Telemachus (his son.) This shows us that he is not all ego centric and does not judge his son in the perspective of beig so ulike him.

| Posted on 2008-11-12 | by a guest

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The protagonist, odysseus (ulysses) speaks to an unspecified audience in this dramatic monolgoue.
Kingdom - Ithaca.
Wife - Penelope.
Son - Telemachus.

| Posted on 2008-09-12 | by a guest

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"I will drink life to the lees" has nothing to do with drinking, or seeing life through a skewed or drunken perspective. The phrase means that Ulysses is going to "drink" ie- live life to the fullest, to the very end - to the lees - lee is the sediment or dregs in the bottom of wine bottles. Many people will not drink that far down for fear of ingesting some of the lees/dregs. Wanting to live his life to the fullest, Ulysses says, "I will drink life to the lees" - He is not afraid of drinking some lees/sediment in order to "drink" as much life as possible.

| Posted on 2008-08-18 | by a guest

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The poem celebrates the indomitable spirit of man.Ulysses
is used to a life of adventure and change.The life of a family man with the responsibilities of a king is dull for him.He yearns to recover the glory of the past.He tries to persuade his earlier fellow mariners,those who took a part in his adventures,to join him in his voyages.He wants to break free of his monotonous life and return to a life of excitement.

| Posted on 2008-08-08 | by a guest

.: Ulysses Analysis :.

Ulysses is a poem which explores multiple interpretations in which the themes vary on mortality; he is at the stage of dying and might also reflect his fear of victory ending "How dull it is to pause, to make an end". The persona writes two sentences with the same meaning to reinforce his point of view. Motivation and age concern are part of the poem's themes as Tennyson explains in the quote: "but every hour is saved from that eternal silence" which portays the death in "eternal silence" and he is almost preventing it by making the most of his time "For always roaming with a hungry heart" shows his motivation and could also indicate his loss of love as he describes "matched with an aged wife" ironic image of describing his wife. However, it can also mean his love has started at an older stage which refers to the theme of age concern as he adds "aged" to describe her.

| Posted on 2008-05-15 | by a guest

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The message of the poem was to say that when He came home he didn't want to rest he just wanted to go out again and again he wouldnn't rest until he did

| Posted on 2008-05-09 | by a guest

.: ulysses :.

In 'Ulysses' Tennyson explains his philosophy of life through the words of the lone speaker, the greek hero, Ulysses. according to Tennyson life is there to remain active and not waste time in awaiting death which would make life dill. he explains the brevity of life and urges the readers to devote themselves to action and make their life worth it....

| Posted on 2008-05-03 | by a guest

.: "Ulysses" & Victorianism :.

I think this poem is about the early victorian attitude of advancement in society. we struggle so we can hand over society to succesors when we go so they can fulfil the needs easier. It is also an optimistic view on grwoth.

| Posted on 2008-04-23 | by a guest

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This poem must resonate with those who live for adventure and for new experiences. It's for those who can't sit still, for those who start things but find it boring to finish. To be a complete nerd, 'Ulysses' is the ultimate ENTP. Forget love, forget power, 'Ulysses' empathises with those who fight the stultifying boredom that comes with doing the same thing, day in and day out. It talks about the need to have constant new experiences, to never settle for the ordinary and to always seek something new - right down to your last breath. 'Living life to the fullest' doesn't quite do justice to a poem that illustrates an overwhelming need not to be bored. Yes it was great to get back to Ithaca, yes it was wonderful to be reunited with his wife, but Ulysses is now restless. Telemachus can do the job better as he is content to stay at home and patiently guide his people in the right direction. However, Ulysses can no longer stay still - he craves not just the adventures, but the fame that comes with what he's done and will do. For people of that personality, constant change, and recognition by others of their exploits are their driving force. Tennyson describes that personality type perfectly in his poem about Ulysses.

| Posted on 2008-02-08 | by a guest

.: love :.

In this poem, Tennyson explains Ulysses quench for love with idolizing that he has a hungry heart that always roams. It seems as though we're suppose to believe that the love for his wife Penelope has grown a substantial part in demand which his wife cannot give. That Ulysses has roamed the earth in search for a love, so rich in quantity, that can satisfy his needs.

| Posted on 2007-02-12 | by a guest

.: love :.

In this poem, Tennyson explains Ulysses quench for love with idolizing that he has a hungry heart that always roams. It seems as though we're suppose to believe that the love for his wife Penelope has grown a substantial part in demand which his wife cannot give. That Ulysses has roamed the earth in search for a love, so rich in quantity, that can satisfy his needs.

| Posted on 2007-02-12 | by a guest

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1. Even though Tennyson said "Ulysses" gave his feeling about Hallam's death and "the need for going forward, and braving the struggle of life," this account of the poem's meaning is inconsistent with the desolate melancholy music of the words themselves.

2. Tennyson is espousing a jovial agnosticism totally opposed to the faith endorsed in In Memoriam. Thus the poem is a dramatic representation of a man who has faith neither in the gods nor in the necessity of preserving order in his kingdom and his own life.

3. The whole thing is a monologue interieur, and there is no quest. It is merely the utterance of a super-annuated hero indulging himself in the fantasy that his beloved mariners are still alive. It is a kind of dream, a means of escape momentarily from the uncongenial environment of Ithaca.

4. The whole thing is a monologue interieur that takes place on Ulysses's death-bed. Thus he can greet his dead sailors, and thus he can look forward to exoloring the last great mysetry, death.

(These last three possibilities do not necessarily contradict the previous suggestions.)

5. The idea that here Tennyson unlocked his heart depends upon stock responses. If we simply read it as a dramatic poem, one comes to see its speaker as a highly complex individual.

6. Ulysses is heroic but bewildered, and the structural inconsistencies in the poem are evidence of the author's (or character's) muddled thinking.

(Andrew Leblanc)

| Posted on 2007-01-23 | by a guest

.: music n theme :.


A reading of this poem makes the want to get transported to the victorian times.In fact,
Tennyson transports us to the Victorian times through his poem.The theme is one of the media to transport us thither.
The music is complicated and yet wonderfully simple.It has a lilting flow and a soothing effect despite it's being in blank verse.He is truly worthy of the comment that he had a very fine for music.

| Posted on 2006-08-01 | by Approved Guest

.: ulysses :.

i think in the poem also talks about the idea of perfect reunucuation. This is exemplified in the act of handing over the sceptre to telemachus. Ulysses is now ready to take up a voyage beyond the fading horizons. his son is now all set to take over what ulysses did when he was of the same age as that of his son.

| Posted on 2006-07-18 | by Approved Guest

.: Major Theme :.

The poem speaks about living life to the fullest. Even though death is inevitable, we must make the mos of the time we have on earth. This is why Ulysses wishes to travel more: "...roaming with a hungry heart...". Tennyson also mentions that we should not give in to old age: "...and not to yield..." (Last line)


| Posted on 2006-06-12 | by Approved Guest

.: no :.

thats not what its about. its talking about his struggles in life, and how he only got through them by looking at whats to come, looking at the good side of things. he mentions that "met with an aged wife" because he took so long to get accustomed to his life, and his struggles in life, that he wasnt able to marry till a later age. he also talks about how he drinks and such sort because he couldnt stand up to his struggles head on, so instead, came into them with a skewwed, or drunk view.

| Posted on 2006-05-25 | by Approved Guest

.: no :.

thats not what its about. its talking about his struggles in life, and how he only got through them by looking at whats to come, looking at the good side of things. he mentions that "met with an aged wife" because he took so long to get accustomed to his life, and his struggles in life, that he wasnt able to marry till a later age. he also talks about how he drinks and such sort because he couldnt stand up to his struggles head on, so instead, came into them with a skewwed, or drunk view.

| Posted on 2006-05-25 | by Approved Guest

.: :.

Tennyson uses the classical figure of Ulysses (Odyseus) to represent a personal journey within his own life, a spiritual voyage. The poem structure is a dramatic monologue. Tennyson uses enjambement (a run on lines) to reflect the meaning and content of the poem which is that of sailing beyond death. The speaker provides an egocentric account of his desire to travel and experience adventure rather than remaining an 'idle king.' The reader is then introduced to his son, telemachus who will succeed Ulsses while he is travelling. We are given a half Ulysses abdication of responsibility and the role reversal between himself and his son. Ulysses goes on to accentuate the heroism of old age with his loving description of his mariners. To sum up, the poem is about defiance in the age of death, the knowledge that death is inevitable but its the moment one should live for. The poem is an alegory about mortality.

| Posted on 2006-01-04 | by Approved Guest