November 19, 2020

Ulysses
By: Alfred, Lord Tennyson (1833)

It little profits that an idle king, By this still hearth, among these barren crags, Match’d with an agèd wife, I mete and dole Unequal laws unto a savage race, That hoard, and sleep, and feed, and know not me. 5 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 10 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 honour’d of them all; 15 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 20 For ever and forever 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 25 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 30 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 fulfil 35 This labour, 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 40 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, 45 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 honour and his toil; 50 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 55 Moans round with many voices. Come, my friends, ’Tis 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 60 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’ 65 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. 70

Introduction

Alfred, Lord Tennyson’s poem “Ulysses,” composed in 1833 and published in 1842, reflects the Victorian era’s preoccupation with the complexities of aging, duty, and the pursuit of knowledge. Written shortly after the death of Tennyson’s close friend Arthur Hallam, the poem is often seen as an expression of Tennyson’s own grief and search for meaning in the face of loss. The character of Ulysses, drawn from Homer’s Odyssey and Dante’s Inferno, serves as a vehicle for exploring these themes.

The poem is influenced by classical literature, particularly Homer’s portrayal of Ulysses (Odysseus) as a hero who longs to return home after his many adventures. However, Tennyson’s Ulysses is not content with the domestic life he finds upon his return to Ithaca. This discontent is echoed in the opening lines, where Ulysses declares, “It little profits that an idle king, / By this still hearth, among these barren crags.” The character also alludes to Dante’s Inferno, where Ulysses is portrayed as driven by a restless desire for exploration, ultimately leading to his doom. Tennyson’s Ulysses, however, seeks a different kind of journey—one that transcends mere physical exploration and delves into the quest for knowledge and self-discovery.

The poem is written in blank verse, unrhymed iambic pentameter, a form that allows for a natural, speech-like rhythm while maintaining the dignity of the epic tradition. This form suits the dramatic monologue, a Victorian poetic form that Tennyson helped popularize, where the speaker reveals his thoughts and character through a one-sided conversation. Ulysses’ voice dominates the poem, expressing a restless dissatisfaction with the “unequal laws” that govern his kingdom and a yearning to “follow knowledge like a sinking star.”

Major themes in the poem include the tension between duty and personal ambition, the inevitability of aging, and the pursuit of knowledge. Ulysses struggles with the responsibilities of kingship, which he finds stifling, and contrasts them with his longing for adventure and intellectual growth. This tension is encapsulated in the line, “I am become a name; / For always roaming with a hungry heart.” The theme of aging is also central, as Ulysses confronts the reality of growing older but refuses to let it diminish his spirit, declaring, “Old age hath yet his honor and his toil.”

The poem reflects the Victorian era’s emphasis on progress, individualism, and the conflict between tradition and change. Ulysses embodies the Victorian ideal of the relentless pursuit of self-improvement and knowledge, even in the face of adversity. His determination to “strive, to seek, to find, and not to yield” resonates with the Victorian spirit of perseverance and exploration. “Ulysses” remains relevant for its exploration of universal themes such as the search for purpose, the challenges of aging, and the tension between societal expectations and personal desires. Ulysses’ refusal to accept complacency and his insistence on pushing beyond the limits of ordinary life continue to inspire readers facing their own struggles with identity, purpose, and the passage of time.

Tennyson’s “Ulysses” stands as a powerful reflection on the human condition, drawing on classical influences while addressing the concerns of the Victorian age and speaking to questions of ambition, aging, and the pursuit of meaning.

Questions for Consideration

1. How does Tennyson’s portrayal of Ulysses differ from the character in Homer’s Odyssey and Dante’s Inferno? What motivations drive Tennyson’s Ulysses to seek new adventures despite his age and responsibilities as king?
2. What does Ulysses’ attitude toward aging reveal about his character? How does the poem explore the tension between the inevitability of aging and the desire to continue striving for new experiences?
3. How does the form of the dramatic monologue contribute to the development of Ulysses’ character in the poem? What do we learn about Ulysses through his own words, and how does the structure of the poem enhance this insight?
4. How does Ulysses reconcile his responsibilities as a king with his desire for adventure? What does the poem suggest about the balance between public duty and personal fulfillment?
5. In what ways does Ulysses embody Victorian ideals such as perseverance, individualism, and the pursuit of knowledge? How might the poem reflect the concerns and values of the Victorian era?
6. Analyze the symbolism of the “sinking star” and the “still hearth” in the poem. What do these images represent in the context of Ulysses’ internal conflict and his vision of life?
7. How does the tone of Ulysses’ speech shift throughout the poem? What is the significance of the final line, “To strive, to seek, to find, and not to yield,” in shaping the poem’s overall mood and message?
8. In what ways does Ulysses fit or challenge the traditional notion of the hero? How does his desire to continue his journey reflect or complicate the heroic ideals of his time?
9. How can Ulysses’ struggle with restlessness and dissatisfaction be understood in a modern context? What contemporary situations or feelings might parallel Ulysses’ experience in the poem?
10. Compare “Ulysses” with another of Tennyson’s poems, such as “The Lotos-Eaters” or “Break, Break, Break.” How do these poems similarly or differently address themes of loss, aging, or the passage of time?

Notes & Commentary

Works Cited

• Ricks, Christopher (1989). Tennyson (Second ed.). London: Palgrave.