Ulysses as a Victorian ModelUlysses is a classical hero who reappears in the literary work of great poets such as Homer and Tennyson. During the Victorian era, Alfred Lord Tennyson was one of England's most famous poets. He even held the prestigious position of Poet Laureate in Great Britain. Tennyson began writing at a time when duty and conformity were traits that distinguished the middle class from the lower class. In a two-volume collection of “Poems,” Tennyson wrote “Ulysses” after the death of a close friend, Arthur Henry Hallam. Hallam inspired the character of Odysseus, while the loss of this particular friendship influenced the tone of the play. The ancient Greek hero describes his distaste for the royal position and his desire to travel before his imminent death. Amidst the underlying grief, Tennyson used the poetic form of the dramatic monologue to protest the social values ​​of the time. In the poem "Ulysses", Tennyson expresses his views on the need for individual assertion and rebellion against bourgeois conformism. The result is the development of a very self-righteous character who values ​​himself more than the outside world. journey of the mind and soul “to follow knowledge like a sinking star” (Tennyson 31) and leaves behind the responsibility of his kingdom. Odysseus seems to feel unimportant when he is at home near his “still home,” “among barren rocks” (Tennyson 2). He prefers to experience “the drunken pleasure of combat” (Tennyson 16) rather than spending time with his “old wife” (Tennyson 3). Odysseus explains his motivation: “I cannot rest from the journey, I will drink/Life to the lees” (Tennyson 6-7). Ulysses feels like he is living without being truly alive and only memories of his past... middle of paper... striving to seek, to find and not to give in” (Tennyson 70), placing an image romantic in the minds of the audience of Ulysses walking away and full of hope. Works Cited Tennyson, Alfred Lord. “Ulysses.” The Norton Anthology of English Literature. Ed. Christ, Carol T., Catherine Robson and Stephen Greenblatt. New York: WW Norton, 2006.Print.EJ Chiasson, “Tennyson’s ‘Ulysses’—A Reinterpretation.” Critical Essays on the Poetry of Tennyson. Ed. John Killham (New York: 1960), 164-173 Mazzeno, Laurence W. “Alfred, Lord Tennyson.” Critical investigation of poetry. Ed. Frank N. Magill. Flight. 7. New Jersey: Salem Press, Inc., 1982. 8 vols. Robbins, Tony. “Tennyson’s “Ulysses”: the significance of the Homeric and Dantesque backgrounds. » Victorian poetry. Flight. 11, No. 3. West Virginia UP, (Fall, 1973),177-193