Ulysses
Ulysses Questions and Answers Marks 2
Who was Ulysses? Who was Telemachus?
Ans. Ulysses, the son of Laertes, was the king of the barren and rocky island of Ithaca, off the West Coast of Greece. He in Tennyson’s poem is the representative of victorian spirit whose motto is to “strive, to seek, to find and not to yield.” represents Ulysses and Penelope. He Telemachus was the son of in the poem as an ordinary man.
Write a comment of the character of ulysses?
Ans. Ulysses is a mighty warrior who took part in the battle of Troy. He is brave and prudent. He has a restless spirit and a man of action. He does not boast of past glory. He is humble. He has an insatiable thirst for knowledge.
Compare Ulysses’ character with that of Telemachus.
Ans. Ulysses, as painted by Tennyson in his poem Ulysses is a lover of knowledge and action. He aspires for the unattainable and the infinite and desires to go beyond the utmost bounds of human thought and action. But his son Telemachus, lacks that passionate idealism and urge for action though he is competent and dutiful.
“I will drink, if to the less”-Explain the line.
Ans. The line indicates, that Ulysses wishes to get enjoyment as much as he can. He compares the life to a cup full of wine. He would like to taste the last drop of the contents of the life. Infact he will gather all types of experiences even in the old age. He will accept both favourable and unfavourable experiences in life.
“He works his work, I mine” –Who says type of work the persons mentioned here do?
Ans. Ulysses, the ruler of Ithaca, says this. He contrasts the philosophy of life of his son with that of his own and makes the above remark. Telemachus, his son has patient tactfulness and is a dutiful person performing all his social and domestic duties along with the duties of a king. But Ulysses himself is not interested in performing these ordinary duties of life and wants to sail to gain new knowledge.
“I am become a name”-Who says this? How does the speaker become a name?
Ans. Ulysses says this in Tennyson’s poem ‘Ulysses’. Ulysses is a mighty warrior and has taken part in Trojan war.
. “Life piled on life Were all too little, and of one to me …..signify the above
Ans. Ulysses has compared experience to an Through the arch we can see the glimpse of huge unknown unseen fields beyond. When we start approaching the border line starts moving. In the same way an experience leads to another experiences. The more we gain experience, the greater is the that we realise little.
What does the expression “Life piled on life” mean meaning of the line?
Ans. The expression ‘Life piled on life’ means that many 1 were added together.
Life is short and limited while knowledge is limitless. If the whole period of life is spent in acquiring knowledge it is not possible to gather all knowledge. Even if many lives were added together to gather knowledge it remains little.
. “Every hour is saved from that eternal silence” -Where is the line taken from? Bring out the inner significance of the line.
Ans. The line is taken from Tennyson’s Ulysses.
Our life span is fixed. It is the sum total of few hours. Each hour leads us to that eternal silence. So we should spent even an hour to gather knowledge. Such an hour spent in activities, as if, had been snatched from the jaws of death.Estimate Tennyson’s “Ulysses” as a dramatic monologue.
Ans. The poem is a dramatic monologue where Ulysses speaks out his mind and reveals his character and philosophy. It does not possess the dramatic qualities of Browning’s monologue. It does not have that abruptness of beginning, that subtle description of the background and anunces of characterization, individuality of the situation and that ed tone. There is, however, a suggestion of the presence of the second character the group of mariners whom Ulysses addresses and whose responses are only suggested.
What is Tennyson’s attitude to life as presented in ‘Ulysses’?
Ans. Tennyson, in the poem ‘Ulysses’ opines that life is meant for ceaseless work. A life of indolence is no more than death. A life of rest from all toils is not desired. Life is action, adventure. It is a long journey from the known to the unknown. Every hour of life should be spent in search of new experiences after experiences.
“I will drink life to the lees.”—Who says this and why?
Ans. This line is extracted from Tennyson’s poem “Ulysses”. Ulysses, who is a modern man of action uttered this line. To remain satisfied with the limited life of a king and to confine himself.
Write a note on Happy Isles.
Ans. According to Greek mythology, it is Elysium. It is believed that the souls of dead heroes enjoyed everlasting peace there. These are believed to be situated in the western ocean beyond the straits.
“To Strive, to seek, to find out the inner significance of the line.
Ans. This line indicates the essence of victorian period Ulysses here calls upon his mariners to take part once again to explore new region and branches of knowledge. They become old but they still have the same determination. They will try to find anything new in.
“For always roaming with a hungry heart” — Explain the line.
Ans. Ulysses here represents himself as a man of victorian period. He has spent twenty years in battle field but still he is willing to participate in another adventure. Actually he wants to gather more knowledge with insatiable thirt.
Tennyson’s ‘Ulysses’ is a representative poem of the Victothe view.
Ans. Tennyson’s ‘Ulysses’ symbolises aspiration for the unattainable and restless spirit for knowledge and adventure. Victorain Age was Inown for the passion of knowledge. Ulysses represents this passion for knowledge, for the exploration of its limitless fields, for the annexation of new kingdoms of science and thought. He represents the Victorian spirit of daring and restless adventure.Thus this poem by Tennyson is a representative poem of the Victorian Age.
What were the characteristics of the Victorian Age ?
Ans. The characteristics of the Victorian Age are its improved standard of decency and morality, a self satisfaction engendered by the great increase of wealth, the-prosperity of the nation as a whole and the immense industrial and scientific development; conscious rectitude and deficient sense of humour, and unquestioning acceptance of
authority and orthodoxy
Write the central idea of the poem.
Ans. Knowledge is limitless and infinite one life is sufficient to gather all knowledge. Life piled on life are too little to achieve it. Even old age is not age of retirement but to achieve some useful and honourable deeds.
Is the poem ‘Ulysses’ a dramatic monologue?
Ans. Ulysses is a dramatic monologue of its kind. Here in this special type of soliloquy Ulysses is the speaker who expresses his thoughts in the presence of the listeners his old companions. The poem exhibits the characters of the speaker. The poem opens abruptly and it centres round a single emotion gradually reachingthe climax.
Write a note on the source of the poem.
Ans. Tennyson himself expresses his indebtedness to Dante’s Divine Comedy’ (1265-1321), Inferno Canto 26 and Homer’s epic Odyssey’ IX (100-137). But the poem is actually basaed not on Homer but on Dante. Tennyson retains the sentiment, spirit of Dante.
“Yet. does the poet say “all experience is an arch” ?
Ans. These lines are taken from the poem “Ulysses” by Tennyson. Ulysses speaks here of his pursuit of experience. He says that experience is like the arch of the horizon. One comes near it but it recedes back and further back. Experience enables man to have a vision of the unknown world but when he tries to approach it, he finds that the unknown unexplored world moves back and further
“But every hour is saved From that eternal silence, something more
A bringer of new things;”—What does the speaker want to say?
Ans. Ulysses, the speaker wants to make the best use of the remnant of the life left to him. He feels that every hour of life profitably employed is an hour saved from the silence of death. Every hour of human life is valuable since it adds fresh knowledge and experience to life.
“And this grey spirit yearning in desire
To follow knowledge like a sinking star.” –Who is the ‘grey spirit’ ? What is his desire ?
Ans. Ulysses refers himself as the “grey spirit” because of his old age. He has abhorrence for a life of inaction and idleness. He wants to spend his life in all action. He desires to follow the star of knowledge beyond the horizons of the known into the regions of the unknown which is infinite. He will pursue it till the very end of his life.
Who is Telemachus ? What does his father expect from him ?
Ans. Telemachus is Ulysses’s son. Ulysses determines to leave his kingdom to his son Telemachus who is kind-hearted and prudent enough to do his duty to the people. He will do all the ordinary duties of life in which he is interested, while his father will sail to gain more knowledge.
Who is Ulysses? What ideal does he represent in Tennyson’s ‘Ulysses’? Or, who was Ulysses in Tennyson’s poem ‘Ulysses’?
Ans. Ulysses is the Roman name of the legendary Greek hero Odysseus. He is the hero of Homer’s epic Odyssey. He was the King of Ithaca, an island in the Ionian Sea.
In Tennyson’s poem, Ulysses represents the spirit of adventure and the eternal quest Cuprapuerta) for knowledge.
2. “It little profits and know not me.”
Who is the protagonist in the poem ? Why is he not satisfied with his life in Ithaca?
Ans. The protagonist in Tennyson’s poem is Ulysses. Ulysses is the Roman name of the legendary Greek hero Odysseus, in Homer’s epic Odyssey. He was the King of Ithaca, an island in the Ionian Sea. Ulysses has returned after fighting the battle of Troy for ten long years and voyaging for ten more years Ulysses has resumed his duties as the King of Ithaca but he feels restless and ‘idle’ among the rugged landscape. The still hearth’ refers to the dull domestic life, filled with trivialities . He no more feels attracted towards his aged wife Penelope. He is tired of his duties as a King, in measuring out imperfect laws among his savage Ithacan subjects. The people ‘hoard and sleep and feed and they are unable to appreciate his idealism and to sympathize with his wide ranging aspirations. “I cannot rest from travel; I will drink Life to the lees.”
Who spoke these words? Why does he want to drink life’ to the lees?
Ans.Thus speaks Ulysses, the great legendary Greek hero. He thus speaks in Tennyson’s poem, Ulysses.
Ulysses has the wander-lust. Travel brings experiences, experiences in turn brings knowledge. Having travelled long over land and seas, Ulysses has now settled for a peaceful life in his island kingdom of Ithaca. Yet, he is restless and hates such a life of contentment .
“Lees’ is the sediment cavabo fail that gathers in the bottom of AK a bottle of wine. Ulysses will leave nothing untasted in life, he will ditt K the wine of life to the dregs that is, he will have a life of activity and enterprise to the very close. He would enjoy life to his heart’s content.
“Thro’ scudding Vext the dim sea : I am become a name What is Hyades? Explain the phrase “I am become a name”.
Ans. Hyades is a Greek word meaning “Rainers”, a group of seven stars the head of the constelation Taurus. They were so called because their rising and setting were believed to be attended with rain. Hyades were nymphs [fara afa) who were rewarded by Zeus and transformed into adventure. Thusdrifts the rainy Hyades .stars Ulysses had an indomitable spirit, an yearning for he had become famous for his travels on shore, in dry weather, and also on tumultuousl foot seas in disturbed the weather. He had become famous for his extensive travels and adventures.
“For always roaming ….. honour’d of them all;” Why was the speaker ‘roaming with a hungry heart? What has he to know seen?
Ans. Ulysses had a ‘heart’ hungry to seek knowledge, an yearning life to his best. He had an indomitable spirit, always eager to know more, he had travelled extensively
In search of knowledge and adventure through various civilizations. He had become acquainted with various people, their manners, their administration, and the climates of their countries. Wherever he had gone, he had been respected as a man who represents the highest aspiration of man.
“Yet all experience is an arch wherethro’
Gleans that intravelld world, whose margin fades For ever and for ever when I move”
-Who is the speaker here?Why is ‘experience’ compared to an arch?
Ans. Here, the speaker is Ulysses, in Tennyson’s celebrated poem ‘Ulysses’. Experience has been explicitly compared to an arch. All that Ulysses had experienced, all the knowledge acquired by him so far urges him to explore still, the unexplored realms of the world. The nearer he approaches the unexplored regions, they keep shifting further and further. Thus his desire for knowledge enhances (4272710 PTO psl) and allures him. As we can have a distant view through an arch, so for Ulysses, every experience serves as an arch through which he catches a glimpse of the unexplored world. “And this grey spirit yearning in desire To follow knowledge like a sinking star.” -What does this grey spirit’ refer to? Bring out the imagery implied here.
…. every What does life actually mean to the speaker? Why does he say “Life life/Were all too little?”
piled upon The poet makes a distinction between true living and mere existence. Man has not been fashioned to live out his days merely by breathing in and out, but to make use of his potentials. Life in Ithaca was for him a mere existence which made his soul die.
Ulysses feels that if several life spans are accumulated together, still it is too little to acquire knowledge to its fullest limit. But he has been given only one life, out of which only a little remains as he has reached old age. According to his own estimate only three years or so remains to be lived hereafter.
“To follow knowledge like a sinking star human thought.” What is a sinking star? Bring out the imagery used here.
Ans. A sinking star is a star seen while passing below the horizon. Ulysses’ quest for knowledge and adventure is compared to the journey of a ship across the ocean at night. As the ship proceeds westward, the star is seen. But if the ship stands still the star will vanish out of sight. So, old as he is, Ulysses is eager to gain new experiences in life which no human being has ever attained and to follow the star of knowledge. Also, the Greeks were forbidden to sail beyond the straits of Gibralter. In these lines Ulysses expresses his desire to challenge that ancient edict and defy the gods.
“This is my son … useful and the good.” Who is his son? How is Ulysses different from his son?
Ans. He is a total contrast to all that Ulysses is. The whole passage is rich in irony. “Mine own Telemachus” is a phrase suggesting great affection. But, on the other hand.
…………heroic hearts Made weak by time and fate, but strong in will To strive, to seek, to find, and not to yield.” Explain..
Ans. The speaker is Ulysses in Tennyson’s celebrated poem ‘Ulysses’. The expression ‘beyond the sunset’ means beyond the western horizon where the sun vanishes out of sight. “The baths of all the western stars’ also refer to the western horizon where the stars seem to dip into the sea to have a bath. Figuratively, both expressions refer to man’s insatiable thirst for adventure and his endless quest for .
“It may be we shall touch the Happy Isles, Achilles…..” And who is see the great Achilles’?
Ans. He also known as fortunate [albucatata) island, is situated in the Atlantic Ocean off the west coast of Africa. They form the Greek paradise. The only way the Greeks could reach the Happy Isles was after death. Thus Ulysses is aware of the fact that they may be by the ocean, yet, he is ready to face the challenge.
Achilles was the paradigm of Greek heroism. He is the hero of Illiad, the terror of the Trojans and Slayer of Hector. Ullysses hopes to meet Achilles after he crosses the Happy .
Of what ‘heroic hearts’ does he speak here? What do time and fate imply here? Do these lines contain any symbolic significance?
Ans. In Tennyson’s poem ‘Ulysses’. . The speaker is Ulysses “Heroic hearts’ here refer to Ulysses himself and his brave followers who had accompanied him in his many adventures on land and seas. ‘Time’ here refers to the advanced age of these brave souls. ‘Fate’ here refers to the great difficulties and misfortunes they had suffered during their long and perilous travels over land and seas. Symbolically, these lines refer to man’s insatiable thirst for adventure and his endless quest for knowledge.
Give the meaning of the following line : “How dull it is to shine in use”
Ans. In the poem ‘Ulysses’, poet Lord Tennyson compares life to a sheathered sword. The sword becomes rusty if it is not in use. But if it is used it shines. Likewise if a man does not use his intellect he will be blunt.
They keep the wheels of civilizations rolling through the ages.
“You and may yet be done.”Does the speaker feel dejected due to old age? What work is still undone?
Ans. In these lines Ulysses gives a clarion call to the mariners who had been his companions earlier. Old age for him does not signal a retreat into dignified lesure, he refuses to live an idle life. On the contrary, he rises to the challenges of old age, suggesting that a great deal of work remains undone before death which is knocking the door. \
“for my purpose holds …..To sail beyond the sunset, and the baths Of all the Western stars………… –Who is the speaker? What is meant by ‘beyond the sunset’ and ‘the baths/Of all the western stars’? Why does the speaker determine to act in this manner?
Ans. The persons concerned are Telemachus and Ulysses . Ulysses takes the noble work of travelling extensively and acquiring knowledge while Telemachus accomplishes his duties at home and as a king. Progress in human civilization depend upon both these men-one who acquires knowledge and the other who dispenses [ get all this home.
He works duties at They represent two kinds of human activity, both of which are essential for the growth and development of a civilization. There has always been a broad division of labour among men living in a society. A few adventurous spirits carry on the quest for fresh knowledge, under take great risks and break new grounds. Thus they keep civilization developing to higher and still higher stages. But there are a larger number of people, less adventurous in spirit, who work for the preservation and continuation of the fruits won by their more adventurous fellows. Civilization needs the service of both these kinds of people. Together,
. “Come, my “Tis not too late to seek a newer world”.-Whom does the speaker address to? What does he want them to do ?
Ans. Ulysses addresses, his sailors who have stood by him in aged. He determines to undertake fresh adventures and wants this dangers with cheerful hearts and together with him they have been friends, mariners to accompany him.
“To strive, to seek, to find and not to yield.”—Where from this line is taken ? Who is the speaker here ? To whom does What does he want them to do ? he speak ?
Ans. This line is extracted from Tennyson’s poem ‘Ulysses’ . Here Ulysses himself is the speaker. He appeals to his mariners to join him in his last great adventure because though they are old, they have sufficient strength of will. Ulysses believes that these mariners are determined to make efforts to search and find out new lands and never to admit defeats.
What is the theme of the poem ‘Ulysses’?
Ans. The main theme of the poem ‘Ulysses’ is that life has its fruition in work. Life of indolence is no more than death. Knowledge is endless, so there is no end to work. Every hour of our life should be spent in search of new experiences after experiences.
The poem “Ulysses” has an autobiographical interest in it. Do you agree ?
Ans. The poem Ulysses has an autobiographical interest in it. It springs from powerful feelings prompted by Hallam’s death. In it we see Tennyson’s determined resolution to overcome the mood of despair and face life with all its hazards brought on by the death.
Who are the principal poets of the later nineteenth century ? What was this period called ?
Ans. Tennyson, Browing and Matthew Arnold are the principal poets of the later nineteenth century which is also known as the Victorain Age (1832-1892).
What was the philosophy of life of Tennyson as reflected in his poems?
Ans. Tennyson could never have a steady faith in any philosophy whatever and always wavered between optimism and pessimism. If Tennyson’s ‘Break, Break, Break’ draws a gloomy picture then neces.
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