Analysis of “Ulysses” by Lord Alfred Tennyson

    “Ulysses” (1833) can be considered one of the most important dramatic monologue by Lord Alfred Tennyson (6 August 1809 – 6 October 1892) with Robert Browning’s one (7 May 1812 – 12 December 1889), “My Last Duchess” (1842). Tennyson’s dramatic monologue represents a turning point in English Literature because the new stylistic chooses are not in line with the previous way of writing. The dramatic monologue is in contrast with the Romantic poetry because the speaking voice is shift from the poet to the main character of the monologue. In “Ulysses” the reader has the opportunity to identify himself in the speaking character and he can understand the character’s psychology.

    The dramatic monologue can be organized into two sections. In the first one Tennyson introduces Ulysses’ characterization. In fact Tennyson’s Ulysses is different from Homer’s and Dante’s Ulysses. Tennyson’s Ulysses is old and he talks about his experiences in order to show himself from the psychological point of view. In the second section there is Telemachus’ characterization. Ulysses characterizes his son, Telemachus. He is in contrast with his father, Ulysses, because he represents the man who fulfils his duties. He has all the typical qualities of Victorian man.

    Ulysses starts talking about his conditions and his family in order to compare himself with Itaca inhabitants. In fact the use of the words “race” and “savage” focuses the reader’s attention to the great distance between Itaca inhabitants and humanity. He tells about his innumerable experiences that characterizes his being from the psychological point of view. The intelligent reader can understand that Ulysses is an inquiring, bold and adventurous man who sacrifices his life in order to explore and know the world. It is very interesting  to notice the words “Myself not least” that summarise the Ulysses’ point of view in front of life. Indeed according to Ulysses’ opinion the knowledge of “cities of men and manners, climates, councils, governments” allow the knowledge of our self. The most important simile creates a parallelism between experience of life and an arch that has faded margins. Along these lines experience is known in the present but it is less known in the past an in the feature.

    In the last part of the first section Ulysses introduces the theme of death. It is represented through the metaphoric reference: “eternal silence”. The use of this metaphoric language underlines the foolishness of amassing without following “knowledge like a sinking star, beyond the utmost bound of human thought.

    In the second sections the reader can immediately finds out the characterization of Telemachus, Ulysses’ son. At fist Ulysses make a list of some adjective to characterize the figure of Telemachus. There is a anaphoric reference to Itaca inhabitants. Ulysses underlines the differences between his and Telemachus’ objectives. Indeed Telemachus is designed to reign Itaca. On the other hand Ulysses is designed to travel. In addition Ulysses says a few words about his companions, putting into evidence the parallelism between the same aims.