Ulysses

Yaakov Burack

Prof. Schlager

Comp 2

2/11/14

To Leave, or Not to Leave, That is the Question: A Critical Analysis of “Ulysses”

The poem “Ulysses” was written in 1833, prompted by the death of Lord Tennyson’s great friend, Arthur Hallam. Ulysses was a legendary Greek king of Ithaca who had finally returned home to his family and kingdom after ten years of battles and adventures. In his poem, Tennyson portrays an older Ulysses who once again wishes to sail the sea for one last voyage. A major area of issue is whether Ulysses has the right to simply abandon his family and kingdom in order to satisfy his lust for travel and exploration. Tennyson appears to be very ambiguous regarding his feelings towards Ulysses; does Ulysses have a right to leave in his old age, or does he have a duty to his people?      

        It is possible to feel empathetic for Ulysses in his old age. Ulysses says in the opening lines of the poem that he no longer wants to be king of Ithaca, ruling over a “savage race” that does nothing but eat and sleep. Ulysses is becoming older by the day and feels that he should be allowed to live his life how he wishes. He is “matched with an aged wife” who no longer needs Ulysses to be around (line 3). He wants to live life to the fullest and “drink life to the lees”(lines 6-7).  Ulysses compares himself to a metal instrument that is simply rusting away due to his inactivity (line 23). For Ulysses, life is more than breathing and going through the motions; life is about adventure. To what extent does Ulysses have to give up his life for his people? Will he ever be able to live life the way he wants?  

        Ulysses may or may not have a right to leave his kingdom even though he has a divine duty to be king. Nevertheless, he does not necessarily have to give reasons as to why he is leaving. Ulysses hides the fact that he simply wants to leave Ithaca and says many incomprehensible things. In lines 31-32, Ulysses says he wants to “follow knowledge like a sinking star, beyond the utmost bound of human thought.” How can one follow a sinking star and what kind of knowledge is he seeking beyond human thought? Ulysses claims, “some work of noble note, may yet be done” (line 52). What kind of noble act does Ulysses think can be accomplished? He also tells his mariners that it is “not too late to seek a newer world” (line 57). Ulysses does not actually think he will discover any new world. In truth, Ulysses has no real goals; all he wants to do is travel somewhere knowing he will die doing it. He wishes to “sail beyond the sunset, and the baths of all the western stars” until he dies and will maybe see the great Achilles who is dead (lines 60-61). Can one sail beyond a sunset? Ulysses seems to be saying that he wants to travel to his death. Finally, in the last line of the poem, Ulysses says “ To strive, to seek, to find, and not to yield.” It is a very strong sounding way to end his speech; however, it does not mean anything. What is being sought, found, and not yielded to? Ulysses delivers a very charismatic speech to his sailors, but a closer reading shows that it does not make much sense.