Ulysses
From reading this poem you can see how Ulysses battles with finding contentment and the dissatisfaction of his current position caused by old age. He has spent his good years fighting and trying to return home but now that his journey is complete he feels dissatisfied and yearns to get back out into the world. This struggle of being content and discontent comes from within and the poem helps us to see how he tries to content himself despite his obvious struggle with discontentment.His discontentment is seen early on in this poem from his complaints such as the time he mentions "Matched with an aged wife, I mete and dole" (Line 4, pg 995) as if he was just given his wife and was not a choice of his. This statement indicates that he is
A reflection of his past causes him to be discontent with his present. He will drink he says, maybe drunkenness could relieve him of the pain he suffers when as he tries to deal with his current reality. He starts to show some positive signs of being content and try's to consider the fact that growing old may have benefits and isn't bad after all, "Old age has yet his honor and his toil" (Line 50, pg 997). This seems to calm his soul and keep him content despite his physical limitations. Whenever he speaks of his past he talks of it with much pride, joy, and the description of his heroic-like feats allows us to see that contentment was with him during those times. Ulysses seems to find contentment only by focusing on the value he possesses as a result of his previous accomplishments. Throughout the poem we can see that Ulysses must have had a very adventurous past which he much enjoyed. Shortly after that statement he then mentions "Some work of noble note, may yet be done" (Line 52, pg 997), which makes it hard to determine whether or not his previous statements is based on contentment or just a way of disguising discontentment. As he continues to reminisce on his youthful days when he was full of vigor and proud of himself he goes on to say "I cannot rest from travel; I will drink" (Line 6, pg 996), this statements shows the displeasure he finds in being stable. dissatisfied with his current situation and being matched with an aged wife doesn't soften the blow he receives from growing old. Later on though, in the last few sentences of the poem, "though much is taken, much abides" (line 65 pg 997) he finds joy by acknowledging the fact that with age comes wisdom and experiences that build mental and/or emotional strength to persevere. The question that arises from reading this poem is what becomes of the hero after the quest? Can he still be content as an inactive aged man? Apparently, this is what seems to bother Ulysses thus causing him to reminisce on his victory days. The conclusion of the poem does not clearly indicate whether he was truly content or continued to sway back and forth with discontent.
Common topics in this essay:
,
pg 997,
matched aged wife,
reading poem,
poem ulysses,
content despite,
matched aged,
aged wife,
|
Acceptance Essays
