Lesson #4

[juanmax]

1. The allusion in the poem is clearly to ?The Odyssey?. The title is the big clue, but there are elements in the poem that also indicate the allusion of the poem is The Odyssey.
2. The poem is written in blank verse. We can see this because there is no clear rhyme scheme, but there is a clear iambic pentameter. Second syllables are stressed and lines sum up to ten syllables.
3. Each section has a different ?point?. The first part is addressed to no one in particular, and he says how he, Ulysses, is not meant to rule and be idle. The second part is addressing his son. He makes the comparison of how his son is destined to rule in peace and serenity. The last part is where he concludes that he is meant for glory, and exploration of the unknown. The needs that vitality in his life.
4. Tennyson characterizes Ulyses as a man of adventure. He is an adventurer, constantly in search of it and knowledge.
5. Ulysses symbolizes a life of adventure, exploration, and learning through discovery. Some people are happy living in a place and learning through books and theories, but Ulysses learns and enjoys only with action.
6. What these metonyms represent is freedom. They represent the freedom to do what one wants and believe in what wants.
7. I would say the poem is an 8. It is hard to understand diction, since some words like ?mete? ?dole? ?lees? are not words that I see much. Some ways of structuring are also confusing at times. After reading three times carefully I could understand the poem completely.

[juanmax]

The allusion in the poem is clearly to ?The Odyssey?. The title is the big clue, but there are elements in the poem that also indicate the allusion of the poem is The Odyssey.
2. The poem is written in blank verse. We can see this because there is no clear rhyme scheme, but there is a clear iambic pentameter. Second syllables are stressed and lines sum up to ten syllables.
3. Each section has a different ?point?. The first part is addressed to no one in particular, and he says how he, Ulysses, is not meant to rule and be idle. The second part is addressing his son. He makes the comparison of how his son is destined to rule in peace and serenity. The last part is where he concludes that he is meant for glory, and exploration of the unknown. The needs that vitality in his life.
4. Tennyson characterizes Ulyses as a man of adventure. He is an adventurer, constantly in search of it and knowledge.
5. Ulysses symbolizes a life of adventure, exploration, and learning through discovery. Some people are happy living in a place and learning through books and theories, but Ulysses learns and enjoys only with action.
6. What these metonyms represent is freedom. They represent the freedom to do what one wants and believe in what wants.
7. I would say the poem is an 8. It is hard to understand diction, since some words like ?mete? ?dole? ?lees? are not words that I see much. Some ways of structuring are also confusing at times. After reading three times carefully I could understand the poem completely.

[alberto_dacosta]

1. The poem alludes to Homer's The Odyssey, which depicts Ulysses' return to Ithaca following the Trojan War.

2. This poem is written in blank verse. Notice that all verses are written in iambic pentameter: thus, despite the fact that it has no rhyme scheme, the poem has a structure. Free verse, on the other hand, "conforms to no set rules of traditional versification"; in that sense, poems written in free verse would not be written in iambic pentameter.

3. The main difference between the first and the second strophe lies in the person that Ulysses is addressing and the way he characterizes said person. The first strophe is an introspective reflection about his own character whereby he concludes that "[he] cannot rest from travel" and that his spirit is "yearning in desire to follow knowledge"; in that sense, he emphasizes the fact that he is unfit to be an "idle king" inasmuch as he is a traveler at heart. The second strophe, on the other hand, addresses Telemachus, his son. Here, in contrast with the first strophe, he extols the ability of his son "to fulfil this labour"--that is, the labor of being regent. Thus, whereas the first strophe is concerned with his own desire to be a traveler, the second strophe is related to his perception of his son as more fit of a ruler than he.

4. Ulysses is characterized by Tennyson as an adventurous person that is far more concerned with the pursuit of knowledge and the pleasure of exploration than he is with "worldly" duties like ruling a kingdom. Not a hedonist per se, Ulysses is characterized as a person that finds enjoyment of life in the search for additional wisdom and in the discovery of new places.

5. Ulysses symbolizes an adventurous, carefree way of life; he represents a lifestyle of intellectual curiosity for wisdom's sake, one of discovery and learning that is not focused on "worldly" achievements such as wealth.

6. "Free hearts, free foreheads" symbolizes Ulysses' belief in the fact that a man should be free in feeling and free in will, able to define his or her own path in life. Other instances of figurative language abound: "hungry heart" refers to a thirst for discovery and exploration, whereas "the [climb of the] slow moon" refers to the gradual aging that Ulysses staves off by keeping himself young at heart.

7. I would rate my understanding a seven out of ten. The poem wasn't that hard to understand once I had read it twice, but it was initially very hard to notice the poem's topics and themes because of a rather unorthodox sentence structure, with an abundance of commas, and because of the use of a first-person perspective, which confused me in what pertains to who was actually speaking.

[lucas89a]

1. The poem alludes to the Odyssey.
2.The poem is written in free verse since the lines are unrhymed.
3. The first half of the speech talks about Ulysses's unhappiness. The second part of the poem talks about his relationship with his son (how he loves him, etc.). The final part of his speech talks about his old age.
4. Ulysses is portayed as a man who never stops living; always in need for speed.
5. Ulyssess is the curious type. He has a thirst for adventure.
6. It means a free spirit. A person with a free forehead (free mind) has no limits as to what he/she can learn and travel. You must have some kind of freedom to apease curiosity.
7. I would say an 8. It wasn't an easy poem but it was manageable, nevertheless.

[mariaceleste]

1. Identify the allusion.
The poem alludes to Ulysses/Odysseus.

2. Is this poem written in free verse, blank verse, or is it in some other form (like a sonnet)? How do you know?
The poem is written in blank verse. Though the lines are unrhymed, the poem follows iambic pentameter.

3. Ulysses speech is divided into three sections: beginning at lines 1, 33 ("This is my son..."), and 44 ("There lies the port..."). What is the purpose of each section? To whom is each section addressed?
The poem?s first section conveys how dull Ulysses thinks a ?stationary? life is. The second section introduces Telemachus, Ulysses?s son. By assuming many his father?s responsibilities as king, Telemachus has enabled Ulysses to continue traveling. The last section relays how Ulysses would want to spend his time in anticipation of his death. He desires to keep on traveling, and urge others to do so as well.

4. What kind of person is Ulysses as characterized by Tennyson?
5. What way of life is symbolized by Ulysses?
A somewhat nomadic way of life.

6. What do the two metonymies "Free hearts, free foreheads" represent? Are there any other examples of figurative language that you found?
Free hearts = free spirits, souls.
Free foreheads = free minds.

7. On a scale of 1-10 (1 being easy, 10 being difficult) how hard was this poem to understand? What did you find easy/difficult about it?
It was difficult: 10. I spent a lot of time reading the poem and yet, I only understand bits and pieces of it.

[montanaro.g]

1. Identify the allusion.
Tennyson?s poem alludes to Homer?s Oddysey, Ullises, since the title of the poem is named after this epic hero.
2. Is this poem written in free verse, blank verse, or is it in some other form (like a sonnet)? How do you know?
This poem is written in blank verse because there is no rhyme and the lines are in iambic pentameter.
3. Ulysses speech is divided into three sections: beginning at lines 1, 33 ("This is my son..."), and 44 ("There lies the port..."). What is the purpose of each section? To whom is each section addressed?
The first section is about the present, which is while he still is at Ithaca. The second section he is adressing to his son. The third section is about the future and what journeys it may bring.
4. What kind of person is Ulysses as characterized by Tennyson?
Ulysses is characterized as being free spirited, who has been given the divine right to govern Ithaca.
5. What way of life is symbolized by Ulysses?
Ulysses? life is symbolized by being one of nomad, that is constantly searching for a new adventure to go on.
6. What do the two metonymies "Free hearts, free foreheads" represent? Are there any other examples of figurative language that you found?
The two metonymies mean the freedom to think and to freedom to feel.
7. On a scale of 1-10 (1 being easy, 10 being difficult) how hard was this poem to understand? What did you find easy/difficult about it?
6 probably. The length of the poem makes it difficult to understand and to concentrate, while reading. Figuring out the allusion was easy since the title of the poem is Ulysses, hence the poem is about Ulysses.