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The poem I chose to write about is “Ulysses”, by Alfred Lord Tennyson. It is a poem based on Homer’s Odyssey, which is the story of Odysseus (Ulysses) and his journeys. Odysseus was King of Ithaca and leader of the Greek army. The Greeks sailed into Troy to fight what turned out to be a lengthy battle. After ten years at war, Odysseus and the Greek army conquered Troy and set out on their voyage home. On their journey they encountered a series of adventures. I plan to discuss what the poem “Ulysses” is about, why it was written and what it means. “Ulysses” is a speech Odysseus gives to his sailors, rebelling against his life and conformity, after he reclaimed the throne in Ithaca. According to Dante, Ulysses never returned to Ithaca because of his love for adventure. Tennyson combines Dante’s ending with Homer’s to show Ulysses’ rebellious nature. In his speech Ulysses explains why he wants to leave Ithaca forever. He says that he has returned home and found his wife is old and his duties as King are only to make sure the laws are kept.
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