In our time period, we see countless athletes retire and then reapply themselves to their craft because their love for their game is something that cannot be erased. In a very similar fashion, the poem "Ulysses" is about a former sailor/adventurer/warrior, well past his prime, who has also grown restless living back at home in a motionless lifestyle. As he exclaims, "I will drink life to the lees," one can assume not only that he feels that his current life is stalling, but also that he will attempt to escape his self-declared limbo. Reading on, we can see that his motivation to continue living an intrepid lifestyle is to "follow knowledge like a sinking star." In essence, the satisfaction of both new discoveries and new experiences is the fuel that drives Ulysses' restlessness, a restlessness to return to the "delight of battle" and the meeting of new people. As Ulysses claims that he is a "part of all that [he] has met," one can assume that, in his past campaigns, each new person that he met was a chisel that sculpted him into the man and persona that he currently is in the present. Going one step further, this claim could also signify that Ulysses has left a part of himself with every person that he's met and that he wants to continue to spread both his influence and name across the world as posthumous reputation was a significant factor in the time period.
From these observations, we can see that when a person has applied themselves to their craft for years upon years, gaining new experiences and building his/her reputation each and every day, it is nearly impossible for them to accept a life in stasis where the hand of time is more or less the only force of motion.
Since these claims are arguable, one interesting thing to note is that another driving factor for Ulysses to go adventuring again is the fact that he feels as though he has no responsibility back home as his son Telemachus has matured into a capable heir to the throne. If there was no heir, he may feel obligated to stay at home and rule his people, although they are a "savage race."
I really like your point that Ulysses is not only a result of his experiences, but also that he has left a part of himself with everyone he has come across during his travels. We can see this in The Odyssey as well, because his influence on those whose paths he's crossed (such as Menelaus) is very obvious, though we have not yet been able to see their effects on him. It makes me think of how much he has changed throughout his journey, and how his new character compares to the person he was before he left Ithaca.
ReplyDeleteI don't necessarily agree with your interpretation of the line "I am a part of all that I have met". I saw it more as an agressive and self-congratulatory statement on Ulysses' part rather than an expression of the personal importance of the lands that he has traveled to. He sees himself as such a strong and imposing force that he influences and changes the places that he travels to solely with his presence. Places to not change him, he changes them.
ReplyDeleteI think your analogy about the retired athlete is great; Ulysses is bored because he can no longer do what came to define his existence, his image and his perception of himself: adventure. I think the fact that he thinks Telemachus is capable is an indictment of the throne and Telemachus. It's a boring and mundane job for an average man. Ulysses sees himself as almost too great for the throne as he says 'he strove with gods'. It's maybe less of a feeling of relieved responsibility than disdain.
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