Resumo de Ulysses

The Theme of Ulysses
Tennyson wrote 'Ulysses' when he was suffering from the death of Hallam. In his autobiography Tennyson wrote that this poem was written under the sense of loss and the understanding that life must go on. Tennyson has written about the familiar epic hero Ulysses and has combined the account given by Homer and Dante.
The poem is in the form of a dramatic monologue where the narrator speaks alone, creating a sense of distance between himself and the audience. However, because there is implied audience all the time, there is never a sense of isolation. Being a dramatic monologue, 'Ulysses' gives a feeling of activity that never subsides. This audience may be real or in the mind of the speaker. But it is always made to feel present. Ulysses talks to different audiences in the poem and this further adds to the sense of hectic activity.
The poem opens with a predicament shared by any social body: "It little profits that an idle king, /By this still hearth?mete and dole/ Unequal laws". This is the predicament that is also faced by Ulysses who wants to "drink/ Life to the lease." There is a personal relevance since Ulysses' quest resembles that of Tennyson who wishes to be reunited with his friend. Ulysses is consumed with an insatiable desire "a hungry heart", and wishes to go beyond the boundary of human experience to look into unchartered territory, "that untravell'd world whose margin fades". He also wants to know about life after death. In this manner he is in search of immortality and wants to "follow knowledge like a sinking star/ Beyond the utmost bound of human thought." This sinking star becomes the symbol of the dying hero, and becomes the underlying theme of his search.
In the first section of the poem Ulysses is indulging in dramatic monologue where his mind is his audience. He has lost control on his own household, and presuming him to be dead, there are suitors desiring attention of Penelope. His palace is full of strangers and he desires to leave this place without any wish to come back. He seeks a renewal in life after death.
In part II of the poem, Ulysses changes his audience. Now he is talking to an undefined audience about his son Telemachus to whom he delegates all his authority. This is a contrast between son and father. While the son is well balanced and firmly rooted in this world, Ulysses is interested in unraveled world. Ulysses accepts this difference, portrays his son as an ideal ruler who is cautious in his decisions, and can be relied to treat his subjects fairly:" thro' soft degrees/Subdue them, to the useful and good". Ulysses accepts this capability of his son and, therefore, makes Telemachus his successor. He acknowledges that being old he should be more careful about his activities since any delay would cause him "rust unburnish'd, not to shine in use".
In Part III of the poem he addresses his third audience who are his fellow mariners "souls that have toil'd, and wrought, and thought with me". He tells them that death is the end of all, but something still can be achieved "Not unbecoming men that strove with Gods." Ulysses and his mariners start on a journey of no return over "the dark, broad seas". In this part Ulysses offers two very strong arguments. The first one is that journey to the next world is unavoidable and, secondly, that although the future life is uncertain, it is better than doing nothing in old age. He calls upon them that old age may weaken them physically, but mentally they would be alert and successful: " Made weak by time and fate, but strong in will/To strike, to seek, to find, and not to yield." This is the note of defiance or the call to do your action, and the poem ends with this positive ringing note. The last two lines encapsulate the theme of the poem, which slowly emerges.
It is a beautiful poem, and these closing lines are extremely appropriate. They draw on the whole history of European imagination and aspiration to nnyson is giving voice through Ulysses. The Ulysses who gives expression to these ideas is clearly Dante's representation. This is modern poet's response to renaissance where the mere muttering about the beauty is replaced with action. This action can even be seen at times as bordering on hubris. Hubris is the basic ingredient of Aristotelian concept of tragedy where the protagonist attains almost godlike proportions before his fall. Same is true of Ulysses. Undeniably, Ulysses is aware of the uncertainty that can be the result of his actions. But he does not believe in acceptance of his physical frailty; he has an iron will, an unyielding determination. This determination is both classical and modern. In this manner, we find that there is a cyclical nature about our approach. The romantic and the renaissance periods were an interlude between the classical and the moderns, who perceived man to be aiming high and striving for the best.

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