★★★Ulysses★★★
Lord Alfred Tennyson
★★Summary:
At first the poem starts with the description about an ideal King. He was sitting with his aged wife beside the firehouse. The poem is based on Greek mythology. Ulysses, who was knows as Odysseus in Greece.He was the king of Ithaca in Greece. He fought against the Trojans and defeated them. After the Trojan War, he returned home. His return journey took ten years. So, when he returned home he became old. His wife, Penelope became also old.His son, Telemachus grew to a young man who had been ruling the kingdom with great interest. But when Ulysses reached his kingdom,the crown couldn’t attract him. He decided to go for a new adventure. This poem records Ulysses's mental strength. However, Ulysses's mental strength has been used in this poem in the Victorian context. The poem deals with the thriving spirit that reflects the Victorian passion for knowledge, exploration, discovery and invention.
★★Rhyme Scheme:
Rhyme scheme is the ordered pattern of rhymes at the ends of the lines of a poem or verse
★There are no rhyme in the poem because it was written with blank verse. Blank verse was a traditional format into Victorian Age.Each of its lines is an iambic pentameter line.It means each line consists of ten syllables,which are alternatively stressed and these iambic lines do not rhyme at the end.
★★Tone and mood:
Tone is a musical or vocal sound with reference to its pitch, quality, and strength.
Alfred, Lord Tennyson's poem "Ulysses" is told about an aged hero, he was returning to Ithaca. The poem is composed of three stanzas, and the mood and tone change from one to the next.
In the first stanza, Ulysses reflects on his past adventures and compares them to his current quiet life. The mood is restless and dissatisfied.Considering his past glories cheers him, but comparing them to his present state pulls Ulysses's tone back into frustration, and even despair.
In the second stanza, the mood changes. The mood is assertive and the tone is brisk, as Ulysses lists Telemachus's credentials for ruling to justify his decision to leave Ithaca.
In the third stanza, having made his decision and the appropriate arrangements for leaving Ithaca, Ulysses's mood lifts. While he knows that he is old and his best days are perhaps behind him, Ulysses embraces the chance to adventure out once again and make the most of the time that he has left.
★★Structure:
Structurally the poem is composed in the form of a dramatic monologue.Here, a single speaker who is Ulysses, not the poet. Ulysses speaks throughout the poem. It is understood that there are some listeners who remain silent. The listeners are Ulysses' old comrades whom he addresses as "My mariners" and "my friends", and encourages them to start a new adventure. The speaker of the poem reveals his personality, his desires and his philosophy of life.However, the poem lacks the analysis of the psyche of the speaker,which is famous in dramatic monologue. So its an example of dramatic monologue.
★★Theme:
Theme is the central idea in a piece of writing. The whole body explains the theme.
The central theme of “Ulysses” is that there is a search for adventure, experience and meaning which makes life worth living. Tennyson used Ulysses as the old adventurer, unwilling to accept the settling of old age, longing for one more quest.A strong sense of urgency for a new journey pervades through " Ulysses". Whenever he talks about going back to sea he refers to death.So he does not want to waste his time by unusual things.The poet says through 'Ulysses'
"I want to drink life to the lees.He says that he will pursue great adventures " Untill I die".
★★Authors Position:
When an author writes to persuade,he/she will have his/her own position on the subject.The author's position is an author's opinion about the subject.It may be subjective or objective.
Subjective means where the writer can use his/her own feelings,emotion, and own choice.
Objective means where writer cann't use his/her own feelings,emotions and own choice.
The speaker doesn’t use his personal experience or personal thoughts so its an objective poem.
★★Figures of Speech:
Figures of Speech means use of ornamental elements into a piece of writing.
★★Assonance:-
Repetition of vowel sound.
★Example:--
*"It little profits that an idle king".
I has been repeated.
★★Alliteration:---
Repetition of consonant sound.
★Example:---
"Match'd with an ages wife,I mete and dole".
M has been repeated.
★★Allusion:---
A Reference that has been taken for Bible or any others mythological characters.
★Example:---
" Far on the ringing plains of windy troy".
★★Simile:--
Comparison between two far-faced things by the help of "as" or "like".
★Example:--
" To follow knowledge, like a sinking star".
★★Personification:---
Given an imaginary life to a lifeless thing.
★Example:---
"the vessel puffs her sail".
Here,vessel is treated as a living being.
***To err is human.
-----Written by Krishna Mandal