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Othello

Good Essays

Michael Chica

209 Trull

February 15th, 2013

English 1302 01

Professor Beavers

A Man’s Dream

In the poems written by Alfred, Lord Tennyson’s “Ulysses” and “Odysseus” written by W.S. Merwin we can compare and contrast both poems. In Tennyson’s “Ulysses” and in Merwin’s “Odysseus” they are talking about the same person, Odysseus. But the poems are also different because, Tennyson’s poem is about Odysseus talking about how his son would be a better fit king than he was, and that he would rather sail to find another world. In Merwin’s poem Odysseus talks about his journeys from one island to the other and how he is still sailing and trying to get home. So how can we compare and contrast both poems? Easy, because one poem is …show more content…

Another example is when Odysseus landed on the island ruled by Poseidon’s son, Polyphemus. Odysseus and his crew were traveling the island when they came face to face with the Cyclops; the Cyclops then grabbed all of them and brought them to his home as prisoners. This shows that Odysseus really did not want to go home. If he did then he would have not fallen into the traps set by Poseidon. Instead the God of Water got the best of Odysseus and targeted his weak points, his weak points of traveling and also seductive women. By having these distractions in Odysseus’s way he almost lost the love of his life, his own flesh and blood Telemachus, and also the kingdom of Ithaca. In the poem “Ulysses” written by Alfred, Lord Tennyson, Odysseus says “Though much is taken, much abides; and though We are not now that strength which in old days Moved earth and heaven, that which we are, we are One equal temper of heroic hearts, made weak by time and fate but strong in will To strive, to see, to find and not to yield.” And in the poem “Odysseus” written by W.S. Merwin it says “The knowledge of all that he betrayed Grew till it was the same whether he stayed or went. Therefore he went. And what wonder If sometimes he could not remember Which was the one who wished on his departure Perils that he could never sail through, And which, improbable, remote, and true, Was the one he kept sailing home to?” As we can tell in the poem “Ulysses”, Odysseus

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