Ulysses

The speaker of this poem is the great Greek mythological hero Odysseus (Ulysses is the Roman name.). However, Tennyson gives his own slant to this literary figure. Whereas Homer’s Odysseus wants only to return to his home and family in Ithaca, Tennyson invents a new chapter in the hero’s life in which he longs to do just the opposite—to set sail again in search of adventure. Write a short narrative of your own about a well-known literary figure in which he or she does something new and surprising, but consistent with his or her original character. Include in your new material an explanation for the unexpected behavior.