Alfred Tennyson’s “Ulysses” Critical Analysis

Alferd Tennysons’s “Ulysses ”Alfred Tennyson’s ‘Ulysses’ is both a lament

and an inspiring poem. Even modern readers who are not so familiar with the
classics, can visualize the heroic legend of Ulysses, and so is not prepared
for what he finds in the poem— not Ulysses the hero but Ulysses the man.
Tennyson brings out the agony felt by Ulysses at his old age, The influence of
the Industrial age can be seen in Tennyson’s usage of the word ‘profits’ in
the very first line. The character calls himself ‘idle’ showing his
disillusionment at this ripe stage of life.

The “still hearth” and “the barren crags” symbolize death. He continues
complaining about his hapless state and the reader begins to detect the
shallowness of character of this otherwise larger than life legend. He is so
self-centered and full of self pity that he shows scant respect for those close
to him and those that he rules as seen in lines 4-5. His pride keeps him from
calling himself old, in that many words ; He has to allude to his wife’s age to
let the reader in on his own advanced years. The wisdom and grace of old
age seem to elude him completely as he metaphorically claims “I will drink
life to the lees.”Tennyson uses vivid imagery in lines 10 - 11, the “rainy
Hyades”again bringing out the fear of death in the narrator . The lines “I am
become a name”, and “ myself not least , but honored them all” reflects the
awareness Ulysses has of his legendry fame . The reader begins to identify
with the character as he seems fraught with the same faults that afflict
normal men . “A hungry heart’ is a personification used to highlight the
character’s insatiable desire to travel and explore “ I am part of all that I met
“, portray the swelling pride of one who knows he is a legend. In lines 22-25
the character laments at having to , ‘pause’ and “ to make an end”
symbolizing imminent death. He hates his infirm state as can be seen in lines
24- 30.”For some three suns “ is a connotation suggesting he has been in
bed for three days, which for him is the most demeaning of all . Ulysses can
see death at his doorstep , yet feels every hour can be used for the unending
quest for knowledge. Tennyson uses a powerful simile in line 31 equating
‘knowledge ‘ to ‘the sinking star’ which is the most elusive and the most
difficult to discern in the sky. In line 32 he uses a hyperbole to dramatize the
extent of the character’s desire for the unknown and the unexplored. The
second part of the poem, lines 33-43 are devoted to the contrast between
father and son, one can feel the heavy sarcasm in the words “ slow
prudence” “blamelessness” and “decency” of his son. He is contemptuous of
these traits, which maybe harmless and noble, yet are hardly worthy of a
great king. Ulysses’ wandering spirit looks upon any kind of softness as a
failing. He sneers at the more ‘centered’ personality of his son who governs
his people in a mild and orderly manner .In lines 37-38 he reveals his
paradoxical personality as he feels soft handling is a form of subjugation that
“ subdues them to the useful and the good”. Here the reader can peer into
the maverick character of Ulysses and his complete disregard of anything
normal and routine. Another character trait that shows through in lines 41-
42 is that of an agnostic or to put it less strongly, he shows a “jovial
agnosticism”. (Landow) .The poem is a dramatic representation of a man
who has faith neither in the gods nor in the necessity of preserving order in
his kingdom and his own life (Landow). Just as the reader is wearing down
under the relentless spate of negative traits of Ulysses, Tennyson brings
respite in the third stanza reminding one of the past glories of this fabled
soldier of the Trojan war. With rich usage of symbols and visual imagery, he
manages to finally make a connection between the character and the
reader . The last stanza is directed to his mariners as also to the readers who
after visiting upon all the negative traits of his character realized that he too
was human like them . He calls upon them, “souls that have toiled ,and
wrought ,and thought with me”(46),immediately connecting them to his
struggle. Tennyson uses symbolism all through this last stanza.” The port”
symbolizes the final place(44),the “vessel puffs her sail” symbolizes the soul
ready to leave.“ There gloom the dark, broad seas”(45) denote the unknown
nature of the final journey. Ulysses calls upon his friends to take up the
challenge in the face of death and like a true soldier, to fight till the end. He
refuses to give in to the vagaries of old age and extols the readers to join
him in the final battle. “this open invitation to join Ulysses in his last heroic
attempt seals the bond between reader and speaker” ( Cleverly) .The hero in
us rises to the fore as he implores us with his appeal in line 56-57 “come ,
my friends .’Tis not too late to seek a newer world”. In lines 60 - 65 Ulysses is
not certain where death will take him. “Maybe that the gulf will wash us
down”(62) symbolizes the possibility of hell but “Happy Isles” (63) stand for
heaven where he feels he will be greeted by his old friends like Achilles .In
line 67 Tennyson uses the hyperbolic expression “Moved earth and heaven”,
to highlight the legendary strength of Ulysses. “That which we are , we are”,
indicate the coming to terms with life or maybe it could even mean the final
realization that the soul is more powerful that the body . In the end there is a
strong message for the reader - more than a message it is a model to base
ones life on -“Made weak by time and fate, but strong in will .To strive, to
seek, to find, and not to yield.(66-70).As the last lines unfold a realization far
beyond what is apparent starts emerging. In the initial stanzas of the poem
was Ulysses lamenting at his sorry state because he couldn’t gracefully
accept old age or was it an appeal to those who pod along, “That hoard, and
sleep, and feed” to take notice of life. In that light Ulysses seems to be an
enlightened soul, who saw far ahead of the normal people. His quest for
knowledge like a ‘sinking star’ was unquenchable. Was he seeking the higher
truth. Did he know something that the others were not aware of? “Beyond
the utmost bound of human thought” (32). He was seeking something
beyond death is evident in “for my purpose holds .To sail beyond sunset.”
What does he mean by “ seek a newer world”(57). When we see Ulysses in
this light we realize that the faults we sought in him in the initial stages of
the poem are failings only as perceived by a society “centered in the sphere
of common duties”(39). Otherwise they were not faults but relentless
endeavors of a restless soul to seek that which is beyond the realms of
human thought.

Bibliography
Cleverly , Rachael . “A Hero Among Men, A Man Among Heroes.” Critical
Analysis of Tennyson’s ”Ulysses”

Landow, George . “Literature, history and culture in the age of Victoria”