Something about "Ulysses"
       This poem was first declared in 1842, while actually it has already been written by the poet in 1833, and that was when his best friend Arthur Henry Hallam died.  In Tennyson*s words, he thinks that this poem is written under the great suffering, and he also considers that his life must be continued and he himself has to strive to the end.
     Owing to this, he expresses his own feeling which is based on the great suffering.  So far as he is concerned, everyone should not yield to his fate, but take struggling hard instead (to strive, to seek, so find, and not to yield.)
     From our understanding, the "Ulysses" in Roman Mythology equals to the hero "Odysseus" in Greek Mythology.  In other words, the two names mean the same person.  However, there is an important difference between Roman and Greek Mythology.  In Greek Mythology, after the ten-year adventure, Odysseus finally came back his own country-Ithaca.  Because of Athena*s help, he overcame all the difficulties he met, and ruled Ithaca again, living happily with his family.  While in Roman Mythology, the ending is miserable.  Though Ulysses came back home, he was then killed by his son (Telemachus.)  And that is the difference between "Odysseus" and "Ulysses."      In fact, the story in this poem is neither adapted from Greek Mythology nor from Roman Mythology, for Tennyson adapts this story from one of Dante*s works.  In Dante*s story, "Ulysses" is an ambitious king. Even when he got old, he remained longing to have another advantage rather than staying in the palace doing nothing interesting.  To him, he has a great mission on world*s culture.  He never wants to stop, to make an end of his adventures, and his mind is filled with the hunger of challenge
     Since this poem was written in dramatic monologue, we can find that the great ambition of Ulysses in this poem.  When reading the poem, we should pay more attention to both tone and sound effect.  In the first five lines, Ulysses shows his pride toward his wife, and he even looks down on his people (savage race.)  Here he starts to struggle in his heart.  Should I ends up my life with all these savage race? He asks himself, and the answer is NO, for how could a great hero live with these "ignorant people?" (That board, and sleep, and feed, and know not me.) All of a sudden, a strong feeling, a loud voice shouts in his mind (I cannot rest from travel!  I*ll drink life to the legs.)  Now he remembers all of the great adventures that has occurred in his past life.  And no matter how hard they were, his poers and he overcame them and survived.  As far as he is concerned, the world is an endless arch, always full of challenges, and you can never overcome them all. In spite of this, he never shows his weakness.  On the contrary, he wonders why our life is so beautiful and calm. To him, breathing is not the meaning of life.  Here Ulysses declares his energy and enthusiasm toward every moment while living.  He cherishes every hour, every minute.  Not only does he treasure, but also he put emphasis on the purpose of life.  He wants to beyond all human thoughts, just like a sinking star.
     After talking about himself, he made a comparison between Telemachus and himself.  Here Ulysses shows his pride, or you may say "arrogance."  Though Telemachus may become a good king (a kind person to his people,) he can never become a great king like Ulysses himself.  So Ulysses says, "He works his work, I mine!"  Then he prepares to start another adventure, with his poers again.  Nevertheless, this time the whole situation has changed a lot.  Since several years has passed, he knows that he is already old.  As a result, he knows that he might die in this adventure, while he does not want to be defeated by the fate. Although he is old and not as powerful as before, now he is strong in will.  So he just made up his mind to strive, to seek, to find, and not to yield.
 
Back to Homepage