Ulysses Flashcards
What inspired Tennyson to write the team?
Hallam’s sudden death on 15 September 1833 greatly affected the young poet. He heard about the death of his friend on 1 October and was grief-stricken. He began ‘Ulysses’ a few days later and said of his poem, ‘It gives the feeling about the need of going forward and braving the struggle of life.’
Which literary figure is the poem based on?
Ulysses, as King of Ithaca, was one such ruler.
What is the story of Ulysses? (just read)
Homer’s, ‘The Iliad’ tells the story of the Trojan War, which resulted from the abduction of Helen, wife of Menelaus, King of Sparta, by Paris, son of Priam who
was the King of Troy. The Greek rulers lead an expedition to Troy to arrange for Helen’s return. Ulysses, as King of Ithaca, was one such ruler. He left his wife, Penelope, and infant, Telemachus, to take part in the Trojan War. His performance in the war was exemplary and it was his idea to construct the wooden house, which was presented to Troy as a gift and allowed the Greeks to win the war after ten years of fighting. His arrogance angered the gods and thus when he embarked for home he is confronted with a series of challenges, which he had to overcome. It took him a further ten years to reach home. He had been away for so long that when he returned, no one recognised him. Many suitors had been courting Penelope in an effort to gain his estates. However, she had remained faithful to him. Telemachus, who was now 20, assisted his father in conquering these suitors and he regained both his wife and his island. Tennyson changes the narrative by choosing to have Ulysses become bored on his return and want to return to adventuring for the rest of his life.
What is the poem written in?
The poem is a dramatic monologue in blank verse in which Ulysses is the speaker.
Why did the poet make use of dramatic monologue?
Blank verse is used for narrative poetry. The purpose of a dramatic monologue is to give the readers insight into the character that is speaking. Thus, we are given an understanding of Ulysses’ sense of self and his emotional state.
What does the poem show about Ulysses?
The poem shows us that he is human and has flaws – one of which is pride and arrogance.
Ulysses has returned from the Trojan War and has been home for three years, which he has found dull and tedious. What is his attitude in the first 3 lines and what does it convey?
His attitude in the first five lines conveys his disillusionment.
He feels that his role as King of Ithaca is serving no purpose. How is this conveyed?
This is conveyed through diction such as ‘idle king’, ‘still hearth’ and ‘barren crags.’
What does the diction reinforce in lines 1-5?
The diction reinforces a mood of desolation evoked by the setting which is dull.
How is his dissatisfaction further displayed?
His dissatisfaction is further displayed in his criticism of his wife as ‘aged’. Given that his wife has waited twenty years for him, this seems harsh.
He feels ____ as his only purpose is to ‘mete’ (measure) and ‘dole’ (give out) ‘unequal laws unto a savage race’. According to Ulysses, these laws are inconsistent and unjust, further reinforcing his frustration at his _____ ___ _____.
unproductive
lack of purpose
What does the reference to ‘savage race’ imply?
The reference to ‘savage race’ implies that the people of Ithaca are brutish and lack sophistication – he perceives them as primitive and lacking in culture.
What is Ulysses ‘concerned’ about? (2)
- He is concerned that they ‘hoard, and sleep, and feed’ so that their lives consist solely of base actions that position him to see them as inferior.
- Of more concern to Ulysses is that they ‘know not me’ suggesting that they do not perceive him as a man of great stature, who is regarded as heroic.
What is the shift in Ulysses attitude in line 6?
There is a shift in Ulysses’ attitude and we see him become more enthusiastic.
He is a man of action displayed by ‘I cannot rest from travel’.
What is the significance of the metaphor ‘I will drink life to the lees’?
The metaphor of ‘I will drink life to the lees’ compares drinking the dregs of alcohol from the bottom of a bottle to the way in which he is desperate to get the most out of life – every last bit – and suggests a yearning attitude. Despite the conditions, he has made the best of all the circumstances he has encountered whether conditions were optimal or not, and when he was either on his
own or faced obstacles together with his mariners.
What does the repetition of ‘greatly’ do?
The repetition of ‘greatly’ contributes to his palpable enjoyment of life.
The ‘scudding drifts’ suggest ____ storms that he had to endure while he was at sea.
torrential
What is the context and significance of the line ‘rainy Hyades’?
The ‘rainy Hyades’ is a constellation of stars that was meant to bring the coming of the rain.
What figure of speech is ‘vext the dim sea’ and what does it amplify?
The personification of ‘vext the dim sea’ amplifies the anger of the sea which reinforces the force of the storms.
What do lines 11-15 convey?
These next lines convey the stature with which he is regarded and convey his arrogant attitude.
‘I am become a name’ conveys that he is ___everywhere.
‘roaming with a hungry heart’ conveys the way he ____ every experience that he encountered.
known
relished
What does the repetition of the ‘h’ enhance?
The repetition of the ‘h’ enhances his yearning nature and the use of ‘hunger’ suggests that he is never satisfied and always wants to experience more.
What does the line ‘‘Much have I seen and known’ reinforce?
‘Much have I seen and known’ reinforces just how many diverse experiences Ulysses has had in his life which encompasses ‘different climates, councils, governments’.
He feels a sense of ___ in claiming, ‘Myself not least but honoured of them all’.
pride
What does the line tell us about him?
He is a man who has enjoyed the camaraderie of battle and this is evident in the alliteration of
‘drunk delight of battle with my peers’.
The repetition of the __ amplifies the notion of him drinking every drop out of life and links
back to ‘I will drink life to the lees’.
‘d’
What does the onomatopoeia created by the ‘ringing plains of Troy’ allow us to imagine?
The onomatopoeia created by the ‘ringing plains of Troy’ allows us to imagine the sounds of a battle being fought vigorously.
What does the line ‘I am a part of all that I have met.’ convey?
the idea of Ulysses being comprised of every single
one of his experiences – he has been shaped by all that he has done and all that he has
encountered.
What does the metaphor contained in ‘Yet all experience is an arch wherethro’ gleam?
The metaphor contained in ‘Yet all experience is an arch wherethro’ gleams that untravell’d world’ compares experience to an arch. As he travels through each arch, he gains new experience but can still see further knowledge and experience that is to be gained.
