An Analysis Of Auden's 'Ulysses' By Alfred Lord Tennyson

Auden’s poem is a criticism of human perceptions and how we use them to detect, or suppress human suffering. In the first half of the poem Auden “compares versions of indifference by portraying youth and age, animals, and humans” (Shmoop, 2014). In the first few lines of the poem, Auden comments on the perceptions of the “Old Masters” and how they were never wrong in their discernment of suffering. He then compares the old masters perceptions to the perceptions of children and animals and how they are unaware of,

This transfer of the power of voice to Penelope’s perspective plays out similarly in Waddington’s diction choices as pitched against those of Tennyson. While “Ulysses” refers in detail to its hero’s “drunk delight” and “roaming with a hungry heart,” the same marvels are offered less glory or attention in the words of Waddington (Tennyson 16, 12). These events are mentioned, but in passing, not in Ulysses’ terms of conquest and action. While Ulysses takes the place of a passive character and only performs deeds in coming home and “climbing the stairs,” Penelope fills the seat of active rescuer and change-maker as she weaves his story (Waddington 25). Thus it is within Waddington’s diction choices for the actions of Penelope, not Ulysses, that her stanzas best reflect the gallant rhetoric akin to Tennyson’s work. From when “her stitches / embroidered the / painful colors / of her breath,” to her creation of Ulysses as “a medallion / emblazoned in / tapestry,” Penelope’s labors in the retelling of her husband constitute the most dynamic language in the work (Waddington 37-40, 30-32). Here, the facade of incapable “blind hands” falls away to reveal Penelope’s potency to create a new myth (Waddington 33).

The themes of loneliness, exile and escape from reality are important aspects that characterize the works of Alfred Lord Tennyson. During the 1800s, these aspects differentiated him from other Victorian poets, distinguishing him as one of the most popular poets of the Victorian era. In Tennyson's poems Mariana, and The Lady of Shalott, the artists express loneliness in their isolation from the rest of the world. The following essay will compare and contrast the displays of temporary and permanent loneliness of these artists through Tennyson's use of imagery, repetition, and word painting.

The poet uses many metaphors, repetition and morbid diction to illicit the response I had to this poem. Firstly, Butson compared the emotions and internal struggles of a

When a reader initially reads Donald Justice’s “The Poet at Seven,” he or she might take the easy route and conclude it for what it says, only. If this method were taken, the poem’s presumed plot would have been taken quite literally: the poet is reminiscing about his childhood memories; the poem is sweet, simple, and nostalgic. However, poems are not that simple. They are complex riddles, full of hidden meaning. To truly shed light on Justice’s purpose of the poem, it is necessary to look at the “what-if’s” through its intricate designs of language. The poem’s form is an important start when close reading. Also, to discern the hidden meaning, it is important to consider the specific word choice and how it paints a picture inside the reader’s mind. As a result, the reader will grasp the poem’s true intention. By doing this, the reader will sincerely have an understanding of “The Poet at Seven,” the way Justice probably would have wanted.

In our readings, the authors yearned for a more simplistic approach to life and looked back on their lives and wondered if they are living correctly. They had left the human restraints of society, that separate them from nature, to search for the answers that no one seems to have the answer to. “ I had crossed the highway, stepped over two low barbed-wire fences...” (Dillard 6) “I’ll

Often times we live our lives based on what our environments pour into us. Friends, family, media, books and experiences shape our way of thinking. Friends give opinions on what they think should be, family will tell you right from wrong; or at least what they consider right from wrong, media will paint an elaborate picture and give visuals of how to, when to and what to expect, and books open our minds to fairy tales, realities and possibilities. After indulging in some of the “great books” that include The Odyssey and The Symposium, I can say that these readings, without a doubt, can and will influence and shape the way we understand our lives. This essay will defend the notion that these “great books,” The Symposium; The poems: Ulysses, Ithaka and Penelope are considered to be fundamentally vital to the human condition. These great readings take us on a journey, a journey of love, loyalty, Perseverance, faith, and the goodness of life. The stories point out some of the most vital aspects of life.

The entirety of Alfred Tennyson’s “Enoch Arden” is framed around three pivotal characters: Annie Lee, Philip Ray, and the title character, Enoch Arden. The poem operates through a love triangle which persists until Enoch’s death. In the excerpt at hand, Enoch is forced to hear of his failed marriage with Annie Lee, who remarried after years of believing her husband had died at sea. Miriam Lane not only informs Enoch that Annie has remarried, but that she has married Philip Ray, has allowed him to take care of her and Enoch’s children, and has borne him a child. Tennyson’s utilization of a love triangle as a prominent plot device likely suggests that Miriam’s news incites feelings of heartbreak in Enoch—he has lost both his wife and his

In the poems “The Wanderer” and “The Dream of the Rood,” anonymous authors give way to the idea that an Almighty God will solve every problem a person has by doing two things: 1) drawing upon the memories of a warrior who has lost everything near and dear to him due to war, and 2) entering the dream of a man who has been exiled and isolated. Each piece takes its reader through the trials and tribulations that one may not relate to in this era, yet the reader is still there alongside the character wanting them to find peace with their world and themselves. Initially, it is believed that the characters will overcome their hardships and achieve the happiness they seek. However, as the reader delves deeper into the character’s story, there is an overwhelming sense of incompleteness. What actually happens at the end of each piece is not written in stone - telling us the story is not whole - nor has a conclusion been reached. The intrapersonal thoughts being shared with the reader reveal the obstacles that keep an overall wholeness from occurring.

When we look at Tennyson as content with his seclusion, we see also see a man who also desired his poetry to be heard. . Perhaps it was the voice of disapproval foe materialism to be heard from by the public, torn by the materialism brought with fame. He had been said to have a desire to be famous, and was called "the most instinctive rebel against the society in which he was the most perfect conformist" (p.1911). The need for fame could be the temptation for materialism, or perhaps the recluse giving into materialism gave leverage for his poems to be heard. The conflict can be thought of as Tennyson's curse, causing opposing feelings. The curse is reflected in "The lady of Shallot." At first, the lady is content in seclusion. She becomes mesmerizes by materialism of glittering gold of the Red Crosse Knight. His

Alfred, Lord Tennyson was a favorite poet of generations. Made Poet Laureate of Great Britain by Queen Victoria, he dominated the literary scene during his time. He also came--for better and for worse--to represent that generation 's taste, both during his life and after it. Tennyson 's rich __Victorian language__ can seem daunting to modern readers. In reading ‘’Maud’’, it 's a good idea to just embrace the exaggerated concepts. Experimental in style, laden with intense symbolism, and full of __social criticism__, ‘’Maud’’ was not a popular poem at first, despite its author 's status. Tennyson himself was proud of the work, and retaliated against criticism by reading it aloud whenever he could. Reportedly, this won over many critics due to the beauty of the poem 's language.

Auden in this poem compares human beings to stars. This comparison can be criticised as being very unfair as stars are both literally and metaphorically above humans. This is evident upon reading “…That for all they care, I can go to hell.” The fact that he used objects of such importance allows readers to appreciate

he still can go out and do things, as no matter how much he has done,

Tennyson portrays the isolation of women through the reoccurring theme of Romanticism, this is shown through the poet’s constant associations with nature being the centre of the poem. The poet focuses more on the surroundings of the main character as she lives “By the island in the river…And the silent isle embowers The Lady of Shalott.” Tennyson presents the speaker to hide the details of the actual lady, her imprisonment and the curse which leads us to believe she is a mystery as the nature around her seems overpowering and consuming her. Tennyson portrays the lady in the poem to be an embodiment of a typical woman of the contemporary culture as he describes ‘A charmed web’ which the woman is ‘weaving, either night or day’. The ‘web’ can be a symbol of slavery but also a symbol of creativity and possibility. When the woman tries to turn away from the web she refuses to be a slave and ultimately

Robert Browning and Alfred Lord Tennyson are celebrated authors and poets in the field of field of literature. A deeper analysis of some of their works displays particular similarities and distinct differences that make each one of them unique. For instance, Browning’s My Last Duchess and Tennyson’s Ulysses show similarities in the overall theme, death, but each brings it out in different styles. This essay explains the comparison of the two poems in detail and the respective significance of use of stylistic devices.