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Question
Read the set of line from the poem and answer the question that follow.
Death closes all: but something ere the end,
Some work of noble note, may yet be done,
Not unbecoming men that strove with Gods.
- The above lines convey the undying spirit of Ulysses. Explain.
- Pick out the words in alliteration in the above lines.
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Solution
- Ulysses is aware of aging and a substantial decrease in his physical strength. He knows that will close in on him sooner or later. But before that happens, he wants to sail beyond the sunset/horizon and if possible meet warriors like Achilles. He wants to achieve something worthy of those who challenged and fought with God. Thus these lines show the undying spirit of Ulysses.
- ere, end, noble, note are the words that alliterate.
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Introduction
The poem ‘Ulysses’ is a dramatic monologue that contains 70 lines of blank verse. Ulysses, the King of Ithaca, gathers his men together to prepare for the journey and exhorts them not to waste their time left on earth. Ulysses has grown old, having experienced many adventures at the battle of Troy and in the seas. After returning to Ithaca, he desires to embark upon his next voyage. His inquisitive spirit is always looking forward to more and more of such adventures.
‘Ulysses is not happy to perform his duties as a king.’ Why?
Pick out the lines which convey that his quest for travel is unending.
‘He works his work, I mine’ – How is the work distinguished?
Identify the figure of speech employed in the following line.
Thro’ scudding drifts the rainy Hyades Vext the dim sea...
Identify the figure of speech employed in the following line.
For always roaming with a hungry heart
Read the set of line from the poem and answer the question that follow.
……for my purpose holds
To sail beyond the sunset, and the baths
Of all the western stars, until I die.
- What was Ulysses’ purpose in life?
- How long would his venture last?
Explain with reference to the context the following line.
How dull it is to pause, to make an end,
To rust unburnished, not to shine in use!
Explain with reference to the context the following line.
....you and I are old;
Old age hath yet his honour and his toil;
Explain with reference to the context the following line.
The long day wanes: the slow moon climbs:
the deep Moans round with many voices.
Explain with reference to the context the following line.
To strive, to seek, to find, and not to yield.
How would the poet’s advice help his son who is at the threshold of the manhood?
Here are a few poetic device used in the poem.
Transferred Epithet- It is a figure of speech in which an epithet grammatically qualifies a noun other than the person or a thing, it is actually meant to describe.
Read the line given below and answer the question that follow.
Tell him to be a fool ever so often
and to have no shame over having been a fool
yet learning something out of every folly
hoping to repeat none of the cheap follies
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He will be lonely enough
to have time for the work
How did the young soldier face his end?
