Alfred, Lord Tennyson’s subject matter and tone of his poetry became drastically different following the death of his best friend (Cain 126), a reaction to bearing the emotional brunt of life without him. This friend, Arthur Henry Hallam, whom Tennyson met in the poets’ club at Trinity College in Cambridge, and who was also engaged to Tennyson’s sister (Cain 126) died in Vienna at age 22 of a cerebral aneurysm (Cash 6). Combining pure emotion and thought into one, Tennyson finished “Ulysses,” one of his greatest poetic works, 20 days after being informed of his death (Cash 6).
In a letter written by Tennyson, he states that “Ulysses” is about “going forward and braving the struggle of life” and it is ”written under the sense of loss‟ (Cash 6). In “Ulysses,” Tennyson takes hold of his intense grief for the loss of one of his best friends and transforms it into an ode to living life with as much intensity and adventure as possible. In order to effectively and poetically convey his message, Tennyson utilizes many literary devices, and in analysis of the work it becomes clear that the primary triumph in “Ulysses’ ” language is its powerful utilization of symbolism, as demonstrated in the poem and reinforced by academic critique and analysis. The way in which Tennyson manages to string these symbols together further enhances and strengthens his poetic vision.
Throughout “Ulysses,” Tennyson symbolizes his sense of loss of a friend by projecting himself into the poem through Ulysses’ character, as he also once admitted in one of his letters (Cash 6). One could say the entire theme of the poem, “living one’s life to the fullest,” is a tribute to Hallam’s short-lived life and an is also ode to life without Hallam. Hallam was the adventu...
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...nd the West through “Ulysses,” because its message is something every human is able to feel — the need to know more, the need to understand, the need to grow as an intellectual. Its passion is one of many things that further unifies us as a species on a level beyond biological processes, and for that he deserves the utmost respect and recognition for the masterpiece he procured.
Works Cited
Cain, Kathleen Shine, et al. Introduction to Literature. Boston: Pearson Learning Solutions,
2012. Print.
Cash, Peter. "Alfred Tennyson." English Association Bookmarks 68 (2011): 1-24. Web. 4
Mar. 2014.
Hales, John W. Folia Litteraria; Essays and Notes on English Literature. London: Seeley and Co. Ltd., 1893. Print.
Kyriakidou, Evangelina. "Tennyson's Ulysses: Odysseus as a Siren." Tennyson's Ulysses:
Odysseus as a Siren. The Classics Network, n.d. Web. 08 Mar. 2014.
In Ithaca, the depth of Joyce's irony is displayed. The denouement of this odyssey is perfect for this story, while at the same time leaving us with the exact opposite of the resolution in the tale the book proclaims to emulate. Odysseus' public apotheosis parallels Bloom's private shame. The concise question and answer format which Ithaca adopts, found no where else in the book, is refereed to by many critics as reminiscent of a catechism. The description is well deserved given the overt religious themes in Ulysses. The almost mathematical precision of the text in juxtaposed with gut wrenching emotion surrounding infidelity. The parallels that one can draw between the characters of Ulysses and the Odyssey are perhaps the deepest in Ithaca while the themes and undertones of the work drift further apart.
Fitzgerald's book at first overwhelms the reader with poetic descriptions of human feelings, of landscapes, buildings and colors. Everything seems to have a symbolic meaning, but it seems to be so strong that no one really tries to look what's happening behind those beautiful words. If you dig deeper you will discover that hidden beneath those near-lyrics are blatancies, at best.
This passage shows Nick making his way through New York at night, seeing the sights and narrating the way this external stimuli makes him feel. It exemplifies the manner in which Nick interacts with the world around him, often as an observer, rather than participant, and is integral to the development of his character. Fitzgerald utilizes vivid imagery throughout the paragraph, paired with a strong narrative regarding Nick’s experience in New York; furthermore provoking the audience to ponder a theme central to the novel.
Fitzgerald has two different emotions to his characters as a ancient figure authorities program and inescapable human. At the level of sensible art conception, his mood is fully expected on th...
Tennyson’s abstract poetic structure provides comprehension difficulties in finding a single thematic idea. He intertwines historical allusions, along with deep and person feelings through one piece of work. The organic structure of certain Tennyson poetry presents a tone of uncertainty. While his unconventional works give a more solidified aura. Contrary in structure, mood, and tone, “Ulysses” and “The Lady of Shalott”, harbor the underlying theme of coveting to escape from their idle worlds.
In the history of written literature, it is difficult not to notice the authors who expand their reader's style and manner of reading. Some write in an unusual syntax which forces the reader to utilize new methods of looking at a language; others employ lengthy allusions which oblige the reader to study the same works the author drew from in order to more fully comprehend the text. Some authors use ingenious and complicated plots which warrant several readings to be understood. But few authors have used all these and still more devices to demand more of the reader. James Joyce, writer of Ulysses and Finnegans Wake, uses extraordinarily inventive and intricate plot construction, creative and often thought-provoking word constructions, allusions to works both celebrated and recondite, and complex issues and theories when challenging his readers to expand their method of reading.
According to Seneca, “We ourselves encounter storms of the spirit, which toss us daily, and our depravity us into all the ills which troubled Ulysses… by example of Ulysses, how I am to love my country, my wife… even after suffering shipwreck, I am to sail towards these ends, honorable as they are” (Seneca). Seneca believes that one shouldn’t merely read the story of Ulysses and admire it for how beautifully written it is, instead one should grasp what his story is teaching and use this in life. Ulysses story shows how to handle adversity and the obstacles we face in tough times through bravery and perseverance. Seneca states, “You, sir, are teaching me how the treble and the bass are in accord with one another… though the strings produce different notes, the result is a harmony; rather bring my
Blunden, Edmund and Heinemann, Eds. “Tennyson.” Selected Poems. London: Heinemann Educational Books, 1960. p.1. print.
I found that throughout this poem there was much symbolism within it. Identifying that it was written in first person form showed that this poem relates to the author on a personal basis, and that it was probably written to symbolize his life. But when talking about people’s lives, you can conclude that people’s lives are generally and individually very diffe...
T.S. Eliot declared that Ulysses was a masterpiece because it demonstrated the futility of all prior literary styles. Indeed, the episodes of "Oxen of the Sun" and "Aeolus" could be taken as challenging primers on English style and rhetoric. This kaleidoscopic potential is seemingly reduced to a stark black-and-white vision in "Nausicaa." As many critics have pointed out, Joyce stylizes Gerty MacDowell's half of the narrative with a saccharine veneer which euphemizes her sexual encounter (itself a distanced and euphemized rendezvous) with Bloom. The first-time reader and seasoned critics alike are led into sneering at Gerty behind the safety of the author's overt critique of her superficiality; only when Joyce reveals the psychological origin of her constant evasion - her lame leg, a condition which is only hinted at until Bloom notices it post-climax - are the first seeds of pity sown in the reader's mind. The audience's appreciation of Gerty's "defect" grows "ten times worse" (301) in light of Bloom's uncharacteristically cavalier and scurrilous attitude towards a fellow outsider in which he, too, is guilty of his own brand of sexual evasion. As the reader implicitly identifies Bloom's rather heartless outlook with his own, he compensates for his initial condemnation of Gerty's character by sentimentalizing her with a Dickensian gloss - and thus is held as culpable of evasion as the episode's heroine and hero. Joyce's manipulation of his audience's expectations is never deployed through explicit moralizing but through his parallactic style (a concept distinct from the stylistic cornucopia present elsewhere in the novel), a shifting mode through which he questions t...
Tennyson brings out the agony felt by Ulysses at his old age, The influence of the Industrial age can be seen in Tennyson's usage of the word 'profits' in the very first line . The character calls himself 'idle' showing his disillusionment at this ripe stage of life .The "still hearth" and "the barren crags" symbolize death. He continues complaining about his hapless state and the reader begins to detect the shallowness of character of this otherwise larger than life legend. He is so self-centered and full of self pity that he shows scant respect for those close to him and those that he rules as seen in lines 4-5. His pride keeps him from calling himself old, in that many words ; He has to allude to his wife's age to let the reader in on his own advanced years.
...ues. The body of symbolism indicates Thomas’s changing view between the writer and his environment and outward look of the relationship with his own children. The use of surrealism provides a vivid image of his life’s despair. Though the poem can be analyze and evaluated from all of the different methods of criticism. The text within the verses indicates that the evaluation of the author is indicative to the psychological critical approach.
Every living thing was giving the gift of life. Life is something unimaginable, something that is hard to explain in a way. No matter where you came from, life is precious and sometimes mistaken. In the text Ulysses by Alfred, Lord Tennyson his mariners and Ulysses are not ever taken their life for granted. As stated by Ulysses, “My mariners, souls that have toiled and wrought, and thought with me--that ever with a frolic welcome took...Old age hath yet his honor and his toil; death closes all; but something ere the end, some work of noble note, may yet be done, not unbecoming men that strove with Gods.” (Prentice Hall Literature [the British tradition - volume two] page 972 lines 45-55). No matter how old one was, anything is possible. The only thing that stops one from pursuing something great is death, but before that happens live a great life like Ulysses and do things that are unexpected because before it is known death is right around the corner. Ulysses and his feelings about aging and his attitude toward life in general are things one would not normally do when they are old, but as Ulysses puts it is that even though you are old you can still do things that you were able to do when you were young.
The final element of the Victorian Age that can be seen in Tennyson's poetry is a feeling of isolation that was heavily felt among the Victorians. This sense of isolation, which sparked a desire for social change, was felt for various reasons. The first is that the scientific discoveries mentioned before set younger generations apart from the previous ones. Many people feared the effects of rapid industrialization, as they often didn't fully understand technology, making them feel isolated from the modern world and nostalgic towards simpler, rural life. Another is that the spiritual doubt that came as a result of these scientific advancements also led Victorians, and in particular, Victorian artists, to feel isolated from life, love, and spirituality. This theme can be seen in The Lady of Shalott, along with the themes about women's roles. In the poem, the Lady of Shalott is completely isolated from society that it becomes harmful to her psyche and ultimately chooses death over her life of isolation. The dangers of social isolation shown in the poem emphasize the need for social change that was greatly felt in the Victorian age. It also shows the isolation of the Victorian artist, who must observe life rather than participate in it. For example, the Lady of Shalott must continue to weave her web alone, and as soon as she tries to participate in the world her web is ruined. This can be symbolic of how it was often thought that an artist's work can suffer when he tries to become more than an observer, when he breaks his isolation. A similar theme is expressed in Ulysses, where the speaker, like the Lady of Shalott, wishes to explore the world, but is resigned instead to a life of conformity: marriage, manners, a tedious job. He is r...
Homer's Odyssey depicts the life of a middle-aged, while Tennyson's "Ulysses" describes Ulysses as an old man. The character's role in his son's life shifts. With maturity, Telemachus does not require as much guidance from his father. However, time does not alter the caring fellowship the man has with his crew, nor the willpower that he possesses in achieving his goals.