Analysis of Alfred, Lord Tennyson’s Epic Poem Ulysses Essay -- Epic Poe

Alfred, Lord Tennysons epical poem Ulysses is composed as a dramatic monologue, consisting of four stanzas each of which frankly discuss the speakers rate of flow situation and yearning for adventure. The use of iambic pentameter provides a sense of fluidness to the speakers voice. The speaker reveals himself to be the protagonist of the poem with the opening move line It little profits that an idle king (1). The use of the ledger idle offers the first clue as to unitary of the main themes of the poem. Tennyson ofttimes like the protagonist of his poem feels the need to move on, in life. The menses in which the poem was wrote, many sociable changes where occurring in Victorian England, the do of the industrial revolution where being felt far and wide and at that place was, the idea that society needed to work together in mark to establish conformity. Ulysses is feeling emotionally empty throughout the poem, without his old salt friends and adventures mistak able to times gone by, a similar situation that Tennyson had found himself in. Ulysses was pen after the death of his close friend, soul mate and confidante Arthur Henry Hallam. This was one of many poems composed by Tennyson, upon Hallams death the most celebrated being Memorandum (1833-1850). Tennyson himself commented how the series of poems were a direct comparison to how he felt after the loss of his dear friend. The poem was published in the book Poems by Alfred Tennyson (1842). Mythological characters appear to play an important mapping within Tennysons poetry, from English folk law characters such as King Arthur that featured in Morte DArthur and other Idyllis to the Greek mariner and adventurer Ulysses. The character of Ulysses has featured in many great epic poems, ... ...hesterton. Tennyson. London Hodder & Stoughton, 1906. PDF. Gray, Erik. Tennysons Rapture Transformation in the Victorian salient Monologue. Victorian Studies 50.3 (2008) 541-42. Project MUSE. Web. 21 Feb. 2015. . Nohrnberg, James. Eight Reflections of Tennysons Ulysses. Victorian song 47.1 (2009) 101-50. Project MUSE. Web. 21 Feb. 2015. . Robbins, Tony. Tennysons Ulysses The Significance of the Homeric and Dantesque Backgrounds. Victorian rime Autumn 11.3 (1979) 177-93. JSTOR. Web. 21 Feb. 2015. . Skidmore, Joel. The Odyssey - Background - Detailed Version. Greek Mythology. 1997. Web. 20 Feb. 2015. .