Welcome, young explorers of literature, to a journey into one of the most inspiring and thought-provoking poems in the English language. Today, we embark on an adventure with a legendary hero, a figure whose spirit of ceaseless quest has resonated through centuries. Prepare to meet Ulysses, not just as a character from ancient myths, but as a voice that speaks to the very core of human ambition and the desire to live life to its fullest. Let us begin by immersing ourselves in the words of Alfred, Lord Tennyson.
Ulysses
BY ALFRED, LORD TENNYSON
It little profits that an idle king,
By this still hearth, among these barren crags,
Match’d with an aged wife, I mete and dole
Unequal laws unto a savage race,
That hoard, and sleep, and feed, and know not me.
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
Through scudding drifts the rainy Hyades
Vex’d 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;
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 wherethrough
Gleams that untravell’d world whose margin fades
For ever and for ever 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
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 grey spirit yearning in desire
To follow knowledge like a sinking star,
Beyond the utmost bound of human thought.
This is my son, my own Telemachus,
To whom I leave the sceptre and the isle,
Well-loved of me, discerning to fulfil
This labour, by slow prudence to make mild
A rugged people, and through 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
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,
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;
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
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
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’
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.
Understanding Ulysses: A Summary of the Poem’s Core Message
Alfred, Lord Tennyson’s “Ulysses” is a dramatic monologue delivered by the legendary Greek hero, Odysseus, known in Latin as Ulysses. The poem finds Ulysses in his old age, back on his island kingdom of Ithaca after his epic twenty-year journey home from the Trojan War. Despite being reunited with his family and reclaiming his throne, Ulysses expresses profound dissatisfaction with his current life. He finds his role as king over a “savage race” dull and unfulfilling, contrasting it sharply with his past adventures and thirst for knowledge.
The central idea of the poem is the relentless pursuit of experience, knowledge, and adventure, even in old age. Ulysses declares his inability to “rest from travel” and his desire to “drink / Life to the lees.” He yearns to explore “that untravell’d world” and to follow knowledge “beyond the utmost bound of human thought.” He acknowledges his son, Telemachus, as a capable and responsible heir who will manage the kingdom with “slow prudence.” However, Ulysses makes it clear that his own path lies elsewhere. He gathers his old mariners, who have shared his past hardships and triumphs, and urges them to join him on one last voyage into the unknown. Despite their advanced age and the dangers ahead, Ulysses inspires them with a powerful call to action: “To strive, to seek, to find, and not to yield.” The poem is a powerful testament to the human spirit’s enduring desire for exploration and purpose.
Noteworthy Knowledge for Every Reader
- Classical Roots: The poem draws directly from Homer’s epic, The Odyssey, which recounts Ulysses’ arduous journey home. However, Tennyson’s poem imagines Ulysses’ life *after* his return, taking inspiration from Dante Alighieri’s Inferno, where Ulysses embarks on a final, ill-fated voyage.
- Tennyson’s Personal Context: Tennyson wrote “Ulysses” shortly after the death of his beloved friend, Arthur Henry Hallam. The poem is often interpreted as Tennyson’s own struggle to move forward and find purpose after a profound loss, channeling his grief into a call for resilience and continued effort.
- An Enduring Message: The poem’s themes of perseverance, the quest for knowledge, and the refusal to surrender to old age or complacency resonate deeply with readers across generations, making it a timeless piece of literature.
In-Depth Analysis of “Ulysses”
“Ulysses” is a masterpiece of Victorian poetry, celebrated for its rich language, profound themes, and the compelling voice of its speaker. Let us delve deeper into its literary fabric.
The Speaker’s Character and Motivation
Ulysses is presented as a hero defined by his past exploits and an insatiable hunger for new experiences. His opening lines immediately establish his discontent:
It little profits that an idle king,
By this still hearth, among these barren crags,
Match’d with an aged wife, I mete and dole
Unequal laws unto a savage race,
That hoard, and sleep, and feed, and know not me.
Here, Ulysses paints a picture of a stagnant, unfulfilling existence. He sees himself as an “idle king” presiding over a “savage race” who neither understand nor appreciate him. His wife is merely “aged,” and his home, Ithaca, is reduced to “barren crags.” This stark contrast between his glorious past and his mundane present fuels his desire for a new adventure.
His “hungry heart” is a powerful metaphor for his ceaseless desire for knowledge and experience:
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;
This hunger is not merely for physical travel but for intellectual and cultural enrichment. He has observed diverse societies and political systems, gaining wisdom that makes him feel a “part of all that I have met.”
Themes Explored in the Poem
The poem weaves together several powerful themes, each illuminated by Ulysses’ compelling monologue.
The Call to Adventure and Exploration
At its core, “Ulysses” is an ode to the spirit of exploration. Ulysses views life as a continuous journey, not a destination. He rejects the idea of settling down, comparing it to decay:
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!
The imagery of “rust unburnish’d” vividly conveys the idea of a life wasted if not actively engaged and challenged. For Ulysses, true life is found in constant motion and discovery. His ultimate goal is not just to travel, but “To follow knowledge like a sinking star, / Beyond the utmost bound of human thought.” This line beautifully captures the boundless nature of his intellectual curiosity.
Dissatisfaction with Domesticity and Routine
Ulysses’ discontent with his domestic life is a prominent theme. He finds the responsibilities of kingship tedious and the people he rules uninspiring. His son, Telemachus, is presented as a foil, embodying the virtues of steady, responsible leadership:
This is my son, my own Telemachus,
To whom I leave the sceptre and the isle,
Well-loved of me, discerning to fulfil
This labour, by slow prudence to make mild
A rugged people, and through soft degrees
Subdue them to the useful and the good.
While Ulysses respects Telemachus’s capabilities, he clearly states, “He works his work, I mine.” This highlights the fundamental difference in their temperaments and life philosophies. Ulysses cannot find fulfillment in the “common duties” that suit his son.
Aging and Mortality
Despite his advanced age, Ulysses refuses to let mortality dictate his spirit. He acknowledges the passage of time but sees it as an impetus for action, not resignation:
Old age hath yet his honour and his toil;
Death closes all: but something ere the end,
Some work of noble note, may yet be done,
He understands that “much is taken” by time, but he firmly believes that “much abides.” The strength of their youth may be gone, but their “will” remains unbroken. This theme offers a powerful message about finding purpose and dignity in every stage of life.
The Enduring Human Spirit
The poem’s most famous lines encapsulate this theme of indomitable will:
Tho’ much is taken, much abides; and tho’
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.
This powerful declaration is a testament to the human capacity for resilience and determination. It suggests that true strength lies not just in physical prowess, but in an unwavering spirit and commitment to one’s goals, regardless of obstacles or age.
Literary and Poetic Devices in “Ulysses”
Tennyson masterfully employs various literary devices to enrich the poem’s meaning and impact.
Dramatic Monologue
“Ulysses” is a classic example of a dramatic monologue. The entire poem is spoken by a single character, Ulysses, revealing his thoughts, feelings, and motivations to an implied audience (his mariners, or perhaps himself). This form allows for deep psychological insight into the speaker’s character, making his internal conflict and resolve incredibly vivid.
Blank Verse and Enjambment
The poem is written in blank verse, meaning unrhymed iambic pentameter. This meter, with its natural rhythm mimicking human speech, gives the poem a conversational yet elevated tone. The absence of rhyme allows Tennyson to focus on the narrative and the speaker’s voice without the constraints of a rhyming scheme. Enjambment, the continuation of a sentence or clause across a line break without a pause, is used extensively:
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
Through scudding drifts the rainy Hyades
Vex’d the dim sea:
This technique creates a sense of continuous flow and urgency, mirroring Ulysses’ restless spirit and his desire for unending experience. It pulls the reader forward, much like Ulysses wishes to push his ship forward.
Imagery
Tennyson’s use of imagery is crucial in creating the poem’s atmosphere and conveying Ulysses’ state of mind. Contrast is often employed:
- Stagnant vs. Dynamic: The “still hearth” and “barren crags” of Ithaca stand in stark contrast to the “scudding drifts,” “dim sea,” and “ringing plains of windy Troy.” This highlights Ulysses’ preference for dynamic, adventurous settings over static domesticity.
- Light and Darkness: The “untravell’d world whose margin fades” suggests the endless possibilities of the unknown, while the “sinking star” symbolizes the pursuit of knowledge into the vast, uncharted territories of thought. The “twinkle from the rocks” and the “slow moon climbs” create a sense of evening, a time for departure and reflection.
Metaphor and Simile
The poem is rich with figurative language:
- “hungry heart”: A powerful metaphor for Ulysses’ insatiable desire for experience and knowledge.
- “rust unburnish’d, not to shine in use”: A metaphor comparing an inactive life to a metal object that has lost its luster through disuse, emphasizing the idea of decay and wasted potential.
- “Life to the lees”: A metaphor drawn from wine, meaning to drink every last drop, symbolizing the desire to experience life fully and completely, leaving nothing untasted.
- “To follow knowledge like a sinking star”: A simile that beautifully conveys the idea of pursuing knowledge to its furthest, most elusive limits, like chasing a star that dips below the horizon.
Allusion
The entire poem is an extended allusion to classical mythology, specifically Homer’s Odyssey and Dante’s Inferno. By referencing these well-known narratives, Tennyson adds layers of depth and resonance to Ulysses’ character and journey, tapping into a shared cultural understanding of heroism and epic adventure.
Repetition and Parallelism
The repetition of phrases and parallel structures emphasizes key ideas. The most famous example is the concluding line:
To strive, to seek, to find, and not to yield.
This parallel structure creates a memorable and impactful statement of purpose, reinforcing Ulysses’ unwavering determination.
The Enduring Legacy of “Ulysses”
Alfred, Lord Tennyson’s “Ulysses” remains a cornerstone of English literature, a poem that continues to inspire and challenge readers. It is a profound exploration of the human spirit’s yearning for purpose, the courage to face the unknown, and the refusal to let age or circumstance diminish one’s ambition. The poem’s rich language, vivid imagery, and the compelling voice of its legendary speaker make it an unforgettable journey into the heart of heroism and the eternal quest for “a newer world.” As you reflect on Ulysses’ words, consider what “untravell’d world” awaits your own exploration, and how you too might strive, seek, find, and never yield.