SoliloquyVictorian · 18425 min · 2 passagesDemanding

Ulysses

Tennyson gives Homer's hero an old age and lets him reject it. The poem is magnificent and slightly alarming — the will to keep going can be a kind of greed.

Time Mortality Ambition

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An idle king

Dramatic monologue

It little profits that an idle king, By this still hearth, among these , Matched with an aged wife, I and Unequal laws unto a savage race, That , and sleep, and feed, and know not me. I cannot rest from travel: I will drink Life to the : all times I have enjoyed Greatly, have suffered greatly, both with those That loved me, and alone; on shore, and when Through scudding drifts the rainy Hyades Vexed the dim sea. I am become a name; For always roaming with a hungry heart Much have I seen and known.

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Plain English

It's worth little that I, an idle king, sit by this quiet hearth among barren rocks, matched with an old wife, measuring out unequal laws to a savage people who hoard and sleep and feed and don't know me. I can't rest from travelling. I'll drink life to the dregs. I've enjoyed and suffered greatly, with people who loved me and alone, on shore and at sea when the rainy star cluster troubled the dim water. I have become a name, because always roaming with a hungry heart I have seen and known much.

To strive, to seek, to find

Anaphora

Come, my friends, 'Tis not too late to seek a newer world. Push off, and sitting well in order smite The sounding furrows; for my purpose holds To sail beyond the sunset, and the baths Of all the western stars, until I die. It may be that the gulfs will wash us down: It may be we shall touch the Happy Isles, And see the great Achilles, whom we knew. Though much is taken, much abides; and though We are not now that strength which in old days Moved earth and heaven, that which we are, we are; One equal temper of heroic hearts, Made weak by time and fate, but strong in will To , to seek, to find, and not to yield.

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Plain English

Come, my friends, it isn't too late to look for a newer world. Push off, and sitting in order strike the sounding waves, because my purpose is to sail beyond the sunset and the baths of all the western stars until I die. Maybe the gulfs will swallow us; maybe we'll reach the Happy Isles and see Achilles, whom we knew. Though much is taken, much remains; though we're not as strong as we were, what we are, we are — one shared temper of heroic hearts, weakened by time and fate but strong in will to strive, to seek, to find, and not to yield.

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Ambition — how other works handle it →Mortality — how other works handle it →

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