... sea," and "sunset," describing his trapped inner self, similar to death being trapped in life. Ulysses feels that he is dead, now that he has become famous ("become a name"), and is no longer a real human being, but a ghost or tale, bringing him closer to the "eternal silence". Nevertheless, one of the recurring themes in Tennyson's poetry is the conflict between personal fulfillment and public responsibility. Ulysses is drawn towards what he ... great adventure, and the other is that he is simply an old man running away from his family and friends. Some even believe that Ulysses is on ...

• Word Count: 1975
• Approx Pages: 8
• Grade Level: High School