an idle king

A detailed Summary of an idle king


In "Ulysses," Tennyson presents Ulysses, the great Greek war hero and warrior of the Trojan War, serving, again, as king of Ithaca. Ulysses, having been home for three years, feels himself stagnating and wasting his 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 intellectual pursuit.

Ulysses desires a life of independence. The island is dependent on him and 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 kingship although they carry out life without giving much thought for Ulysses. He sees the "savage race" not aware of what his heart desires nor of adventure and/or intellectual life. After three years of being king, Ulysses feel old and his idleness leaves him with his name and reputation. Discerns that his subjects do not comprehend his personality, and believes that his talents are disappearing while staying at Ithaca. Ulysses says, "How dull it is to pause, 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 himself into independen


ce. Telemachus, son of Ulysses, is more fitted to govern than his father does because Telemachus strives to take over "the scepter and the isle." Secondly, Telemachus has the deposition that will allow him "... by slow prudence to make/A rugged people," and bring them to a state that "is useful and ... good." Ulysses sees his son able to amend the citizens up to a new level. In seeking independence, Ulysses chooses to give his throne to his son so he can rejuvenate his soul, and which allows himself to find greatness again.

Ulysses, who desires to be independent, finds that the life he returns to be not what after twenty years he has been searching. He feels that he needs to be adventurous, and wiser, so long as life permits his desires of sailing to the unknown.

Ulysses desires a life of intellectual pursuit. He finds satisfaction in physical adventure and in a continuos intellectual venture to fill his avid thirst for life. Ulysses continually seeks for knowledge, "Beyond the utmost bound of human thought." Considers himself "...a part of all that ... [he has] met," from the previous travels, yet he wishes "to seek a newer world." How he will find the new destination is by "s

Some common words found in the essay are:
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Approximate Word count = 811
Approximate Pages = 3 (250 words per page double spaced)

Category: English

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