The poem reflects on how Ulysses makes meaning in his life, and how he wants to live his life to the fullest until he dies. Alfred, Lord Tennyson's "Ulysses" is a poem that allows the reader to see through the eyes of Ulysses (or Odysseus in Greek), hero of Homer's classic epic, "The Odyssey." 7. But the old warrior who fought in the Trojan War could not enjoy the bliss of family life. Some believe that Tennyson was commissioned by Queen Victoria to be a virtual mouth peace for imperialism.When looked at from that perspective, the poem Ulysses seems to encourage,the sons with no claim to their father’s fortunes, to embark on a voyage of conquest. What is the nature of this change? All these people needed something to do. The Victorian era is well-known for its enrichment of knowledge, expansion of empire and growth of economy. Tennyson chose Ulysses, the mythical hero, as the speaker of this poem. A character whose final destination is his home in Ithaca. Tennyson as a representative of the Victorian Period. Tennyson's poem fuses both Homer and Dante's versions of the story; in the poem, Ulysses has made it home (Homer), but he wants to go sailing around the world again (Dante). Read the excerpt from "Ulysses" by Alfred, Lord Tennyson. At what point does the tonal quality begin to shift? In this poem Tennyson successfully captures that spirit of his period. So, he made arrangements for a new adventure. Get an answer for 'Tennyson's poem "Ulysses" portrays the famous mythical Greek warrior. By Dr Oliver Tearle A poem about growing old, but written when Alfred, Lord Tennyson (1809-92) was a young man in his early twenties, ‘Ulysses’ has been analysed as a response to the death of Tennyson’s close friend, Arthur Henry Hallam. Alfred, Lord Tennyson who is an old man says he will not yield, and is still with a temper of heroic hearts. In the Victorian culture, being old, fragile, or ill, was considered to be a nuisance as you were deemed useless to the society. How does the Ulysses of Tennyson reflect the Victorian values of Tennyson?' Ulysses It little profits that an idle king, By […] Here you will find a thorough literary analysis of "Ulysses" by Alfred Tennyson, including a break down by stanza. The poem is a long monologue spoken by Ulysses detailing how bored he is in Ithaca (an island off the coast of Greece) and how he wants to get as much out of life as he can. His heroic spirit yearned for more knowledge and adventures. Ulysses, Returned home after twenty years. Tennyson's characterization is a bit different from the Homeric vision. By Dr Oliver Tearle A poem about growing old, but written when Alfred, Lord Tennyson (1809-92) was a young man in his early twenties, ‘Ulysses’ has been analysed as a response to the death of Tennyson’s close friend, Arthur Henry Hallam. The age had a throbbing spirit, spirit of activity. More than any other Victorian-era writer, Tennyson has seemed the embodiment of his age, both to his contemporaries and to modern readers. Ulysses It little profits that an idle king, By […] In his famous poem “Ulysses” Tennyson reflects this indomitable spirit of the people of his society. Whereas Tennyson's persona in "Ulysses" may be said to represent "the life of infinite search," Tennyson's Telemachus acts as a foil to the persona by standing for "the life of conscientious absorption in duty" (Chiasson 169). Tennyson uses this spirit of Ulysses to represent the Victorian philosophy of life. Select four sets of lines in the poem that reflect the Victorian theme of seeking new adventures despite obstacles. Victorian people, like Ulysses, believed in action, not in mere living. Traditional texts present Ulysses as character which seeks freedom. T. S. Eliot called Tennyson's "Ulysses" a "perfect poem." This philosophy of action and adventure of Ulysses has been suggested in this poem. They, in fact, thrived in action—in geographical and philosophical explorations. It reflected the scientific temperament of the Victorian age and the Romantic tendency to revolt against established institutions.