Human’s Pursuit of Existence
Lord Alfred Tennyson’s epic poem “Ulysses” is the monologue of a legendary ancient mariner that is reaching the conclusion of his life but still yearns to leave his kingdom and travel the seas embarking upon another new adventure. “Ulysses” has numerous interpretations in which the unwavering theme deals with the issues of a purposeful life and mortality. Ulysses can be interpreted as a person who is arrogant, restless, drive, heroic and adventurous. To others, he could be seen as an old man bitter with the passing of his youth and dissatisfied with the latter years of his life still to come. More importantly, “Ulysses” deals with the desire to overcome the dull details of everyday existence and to successfully triumph over the obstacles placed upon us in life. Through exact word selection and the use of the character Ulysses, Tennyson expresses several important ideals pertaining to a human’s existence in which life is about the ability to live life to its fullest potential, embracing progress and understanding that change is inevitable, and the capacity to always seek new knowledge.
Tennyson’s first ideal pertaining to a human’s existence is that a person must always continue to live life to their fullest potential. Ulysses in a sense has created a heroic life traveling abroad consoling with kings and generals while traveling to “cities of men/ and manners, climates, councils, governments” (13-14).
The Essay on Existentialism: Philosophy of Life and Existence
Existentialism “Existentialism is an attitude that recognizes the unresolvable confusion of the human world, yet resists the all-too-human temptation to resolve the confusion by grasping toward whatever appears or can be made to appear firm or familiar…The existential attitude begins a disoriented individual facing a confused world that he cannot accept. ” (Robert Solomon) Existentialist all share ...
Because of this, Ulysses feels compelled to live the rest of his life to the fullest and enjoy every single day that he remains to exist. Ulysses expressed this sentiment when he stated “how dull it is to pause, to make an end, / to rust unburnished, not to shine in use” (22-23).
Ulysses proclaims that it is boring to stay in one place and by staying in one place a person pretends that all there is to life is the simple act of breathing. “I cannot rest from travel; I will drink / Life to the lees” (6-7).
From this, Ulysses is saying that he wants to live life to the fullest and that he must leave again because he has become part of the world that he created through his journeys. If a person allows their age to dictate what they can and cannot do, then they have accepted that death is near and have chosen to simply wait for the end. Tennyson understands this and expresses this thought in the final line when he said “to strive, to seek, to find, and not to yield!” (70).
Humans, just as Ulysses, need to accomplish goals to utilize their potential or else they begin to lose their self-respect.
Tennyson’s second ideal key to existence is that a person must embrace progress and understand that change is inevitable. Ulysses returns to his home to see that the world he has left is not the world that he has returned to after a twenty year absence. Not only have the people’s needs changed, but Ulysses now needs something far different from what his kingdom desires. Ulysses craves the life of infinite search whereas his people now desire a ruler thoroughly absorbed in the common duties of a king. When Ulysses left Ithaca, his people desired a warrior king that would protect them from harm, but upon his return preferred a more compassionate ruler to reign over them. Ulysses conveys this thought in the opening paragraph when he states that “a savage race, / that hoard, and sleep, and feed, and know not me” (4-5).
His people no longer desire a protector as a king which is why he believes that his son is now more capable of the common duties of ruling the kingdom.
Tennyson’s last ideal that is paramount to a human’s existence is the capacity to always seek out new knowledge. This thought is touched upon when Ulysses refers to himself as a gray spirit. The word spirit is used in the sense that a being is full of life and enthusiasm. The word gray can be thought of in the sense of a grey head which would denote wisdom incurred from age. Guided only by the stars that he speaks of in the next line, Ulysses wisdom is supported by his determination to seek out knowledge. Just as a soldier’s weapons will decay from lack of use, so too will a person’s mind if they fail to continually use it. Ulysses has gotten old, but realizes that dedication to a life of adventure will push back the moment of death.
The Essay on Ulysses Character Lines Tennyson
Alford 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 ...
In summation, Tennyson expresses several important ideals pertaining to a human’s existence in which life is about the ability to live life to its fullest potential, embracing progress and understanding that change is inevitable, and the capacity to always seek new knowledge. Just as Tennyson’s careful choice of words was important in allowing him to express his ideas through Ulysses, the use of iambic pentameter to hold the poem together is similarly just as important. The beat of the poem creates a feeling of movement and natural flowing sound. Ulysses is simply going along with the movements and natural flow of his life that he has always known. He is an adventurer and will never be content with a quiet domestic life because it would go against the ideals brought about earlier. Perhaps Ulysses desires to set sail again because he knows his “purpose holds to sail beyond the sunset” (60).
Just as Ulysses embraced the life he was given, he possibly welcomed the idea of death because it would be a new experience for him to embark upon.