Tennyson’s “Ulysses” as a Dramatic Monologue

Abstract

Alfred Lord Tennyson, a well- renowned writer of the nineteenth century, uses classical myths as the foundation to build a concrete work of art that mirrors the sentiments of his age and his personal experiences. His much referred and well-acknowledged “Ulysses”, a dedication to Arthur Hallam, is one of the examples that bring out his approach to literature, politics and humanities. Hence, this paper attempts to analyze Tennyson’s “Ulysses” as a dramatic monologue. It studies the features of dramatic monologue and how the poet places and subverts the role of classical mythologies in this sub-genre. The study does not only focus on the genre rather extends its argument to the socio-political prejudices and people’s behaviors, specifically the quest for knowledge and also, self-centeredness in the modern age. It also refers to the postulations of Tennyson’s contemporaries and critics; thereby, proving it to be a dramatic monologue.