Classical elements in Tennyson’s Poetry: Ulysses

"Classical elements refer to ancient beliefs inspired by natural observation of the phases of matter; with the classical elements: earth is equivalent to solid, water is equivalent to liquid, air is equivalent to gas and fire is equivalent to plasma. Historians trace the evolution of modern theory pertaining to the chemical elements, as well as chemical compounds and mixtures of natural substances to medieval, and Greek models”. (Wikipedia)

"Ulysses" details Ulysses' intense dissatisfaction and boredom on his island home of Ithaca. The poem is a monologue spoken by him, where he not only expresses his discontent, but also describes his desire to keep sailing. He's getting older and doesn't have a lot of time left, so he wants to get busy living rather than busy dying. The poem concludes with his resolution to "strive, to seek, to find, and not to yield."

The poet begins projecting himself as "an idle king" analyzing the moribund existence he dwells in. He compares it to a "still hearth", a fireplace that no longer carries the flame, but only the ashes. These "barren crags" refer to the island of Ithaca in Ulysses' kingdom: a lime-stone ridge seventeen miles long and four miles broad at its widest, noted for its ruggedness and barrenness, and unhealthy for cultivation. Homer in his Odyssey too portrays the island as "craggy". The speaker mentions that he is "matched" with an aged wife. Penelope, who was fifty during the time, and did not possess the passion and spirit of adventure that Ulysses still held. The phrase 'mete' and 'dole' implies -to measure and deals out in small qualities. It is actually a despicable metaphor from a grocer that foregrounds the triviality of the reality that Ulysses thrives in. The people of Ithaca are likened to a "savage race" that just perform the basic functions of subsistence, and refuse to intellectually stimulate and communicate. They are even unaware of their king. The speaker refuses to live a torpid life and declares:

" I will drink

Life to the lees".

People quite often give up all their aspirations during old age. However, Tennyson wants to drink life to the 'lees'. 'Lees' refers to the grosser part of the liquid that has settled at the bottom. The poet implies that he gracefully welcomes old age with all the trials and tribulations it has to offer. All the elements in this poem are taken from Greek mythology. The poet expresses his feelings through the character of Ulysses which is itself the major classical element. The environments, events and the adventures are closely associated with classical elements.

Tennyson found much inspiration in the ancient worlds of Greece and Rome. Tennyson lived during a period of great scientific advancement, and he used his poetry to work out the conflict between religious faith and scientific discoveries. Much of his verse was based on classical mythological themes, such as Ulysses.

In "Ulysses",   Tennyson uses the ancient voices and choices of Ulysses and his men to explore commitment to ideals and duty, inevitability and stasis, death wishes, and dualism. The character of Ulysses (in Greek, Odysseus) has   explored widely in literature. The adventures of Odysseus were first recorded in Homer's Iliad and Odyssey (c. 800–700 BC), and Tennyson draws on Homer's narrative in the poem.

The Ulysses myth is only one of many elements Tennyson derived from the Greek and Roman classics and these elements are spread like leaven through his work in all stages. They add to the dignity and charm of his poetry; they bring to it a heroic, majestically expression, a lovely touch of reminiscence, and a seal of confident authority. The ethic power of classic Greek stories helped him to declare, and bless, his thoughts to his own satisfaction. It helped him in artistic as well as didactic expression.

In Tennyson's Ulysses we see the reverence for nature as the supreme state that is a major focus of romanticism. In the poem, Ulysses is an old man and coming to turns with his mortality. He talks about natural elements now that his mortality is omnipresent in his mind -

"The lights begin to twinkle from the rocks,

  The long day wanes, the slow moon climbs,

 the deep Moans round with many voices".

We also see the innate goodness of man in the persona of Ulysses who is portrayed as noble and an equal of the gods-

"Death closes all: but something ere the end,

Some work of noble not, may yet be done,

Not unbecoming men that strove with Gods" (Tennyson 2). We see emotions prevalent in this poem, even painful ones and the focus on melancholia which was typical of romantic writers. 

The poet calls on his fellow mariners to seek a new world of adventure. However, there is disparity here as all his followers were dead as per Homer's Odyssey and he had returned to Ithaca alone. He envisages a new world beyond the horizon. He aspires to do render justice to the amour and role handed over to him by Achilles, though old age has rendered him weaker, iron will had made him stronger. He declares: To strive, to seek, to find, and not to yield. Tennyson took over suggestions from myths and legends and adapted them to his own use. He gave them personal touches and variations which grew out of modern life and his reaction to it. This is the case with Ulysses. His mingling of ancient and modern elements made this poem interesting and unique.