An Idle King In “Ulysses,” Tennyson presents Ulysses, the great Greekwar hero and warrior of the Trojan War, serving, again, as king of Ithaca.
Ulysses, having been home for three years, feels himself stagnating and wastinghis life in the unwanted role of king. Longs to be again the man he has been. Ulysses desires a life of independence, physical adventure, and intellectualpursuit. Ulysses desires a life of independence.
The island is dependent on himand the civilization “hoard, and sleep, and feed, and know not me. “Ulysses yearns to escape to be on his own yet; the people rely on his kingshipalthough they carry out life without giving much thought for Ulysses. He seesthe “savage race” not aware of what his heart desires nor of adventureand/or intellectual life. After three years of being king, Ulysses feel old andhis idleness leaves him with his name and reputation. Discerns that his subjectsdo not comprehend his personality, and believes that his talents aredisappearing while staying at Ithaca. Ulysses says, “How dull it is topause, to make an end” to a journey that has adventure, courageous events,and glory.
He does not want to stop and live life as king, but to sail himselfinto independence. Telemachus, son of Ulysses, is more fitted to govern than hisfather does because Telemachus strives to take over “the scepter and theisle. ” Secondly, Telemachus has the deposition that will allow him”. .
. by slow prudence to make/A rugged people,” and bring them to astate that “is useful and . . . good.
” Ulysses sees his son able toamend the citizens up to a new level. In seeking independence, Ulysses choosesto give his throne to his son so he can rejuvenate his soul, and which allowshimself to find greatness again. Ulysses desires a life of physical adventure. He comes to realize that “For some three suns” he has “store[d],and hoard[ed]” himself as though to “rest from travel.
” Remembersliving abroad for twenty years as he “[roamed] with a hungry heart”seeking and feeling adventure. Destiny allows Ulysses to see much different”cities of men” where they have certain “manners, climates,councils, [and] governments,” which greet him with respect and honor. Ulysses also remembers of the times he has “enjoyed/Greatly, . .
. sufferedgreatly, both with those that loved me and alone. ” The “delight ofbattle. . . /Far on the ringing planes of windy Troy” pleases Ulysses andcalms his soul which seeks for more adventure.
The king knows that breathing isnot living and wishes to fulfill life with many adventures and experiences. Whatlittle life remains for Ulysses, he knows that “life plied on life,”one life after another, is not enough for all of the delightful wars. Inaddition, he apprehends that his sailors are old, like himself, but that”Old age hath yet his honor and his toil. ” Ulysses desires a greatamount of adventure by sailing with his hair in the wind again. This, he thinks,will save him from being “a gray spirit yearning in desire,” and willrestore him to, like before, an active life. Ulysses desires a life ofintellectual pursuit.
He finds satisfaction in physical adventure and in acontinuos intellectual venture to fill his avid thirst for life. Ulyssescontinually seeks for knowledge, “Beyond the utmost bound of humanthought. ” Considers himself “. .
. a part of all that . . . [he has]met,” from the previous travels, yet he wishes “to seek a newerworld. ” How he will find the new destination is by “sail[ing] beyondthe sunset, and the baths of all the western stars, until [he dies].
“Ulysses will continue his quest for intellectual pursuit traveling westwardtoward the unexplored land that might lie in the Atlantic Ocean and keep seekingknowledge until death overtakes him. In his monologue, Ulysses states, “. . . every hour . .
. saved from that eternal silence [death],” is “A bringerof new things. ” Ulysses will undertake to reach the horizon, which isalways from its pursuer, seeking new knowledge. Not only his thirst for insightwill never be satisfied, but he plans, even if he has not, “that strengthwhich in old days/Moved earth and heaven,” will be capable to strive, toseek, to find. .
. . ” The quest for wisdom makes Ulysses wants to leave hiskingdom and feel the same again as years before. Ulysses, who desires to beindependent, finds that the life he returns to be not what after twenty years hehas been searching. He feels that he needs to be adventurous, and wiser, so longas life permits his desires of sailing to the unknown.
