Ulysses Questions and Answers (12th English Poem 4)
Poem Comprehension Questions
a) … I mete and dole , Unequal laws unto a savage race, That hoard, and sleep, and feed, and know not me.
- i. What does Ulysses do?
- He rules a savage race with unequal laws.
- ii. Did he enjoy what he was doing? Give reasons.
- No, because the people were idle and uncivilized.
b) Yet all experience is an arch where through , For ever and for ever when I move. Gleams that untravelled world, whose margin fades , For ever and for ever when I move.
- i. What is experience compared to?
- 👉 Experience is compared to an arch(Pathway to explore).
- ii. How do the lines convey that the experience is endless?
- 👉The margin fades forever and forever as Ulysses moves forward, showing that the quest for knowledge has no limit—the more one explores, the more remains to be discovered.
c) Little remains: but every hour is saved , From that eternal silence, something more, A bringer of new things; and vile it were
- i. How is every hour important to Ulysses?
- 👉 Every hour is valuable as it helps him escape eternal silence (death) and brings new knowledge and experiences.
- ii. What does the term ‘Little remains’ convey?
- 👉 It means Ulysses has little time left in life, yet he wishes to use it meaningfully instead of wasting it.
d) This is my son, mine own Telemachus, To whom I leave the sceptre and the isle , Well-loved of me,
- i. Who does Ulysses entrust his kingdom to, in his absence?
- 👉 He entrusts his kingdom to his son Telemachus.
- ii. Bring out the significance of the ‘sceptre’.
- 👉 The sceptre signifies kingship, authority, and responsibility of ruling the kingdom.
E) That ever with a frolic welcome took , The thunder and the sunshine, and opposed
- i. What do ‘thunder’ and ‘sunshine’ refer to?
- 👉 Thunder refers to difficulties, while sunshine refers to happy times in life.
- ii. What do we infer about the attitude of the sailors?
- 👉 The sailors were cheerful, courageous, and ready to face both joy and hardships with equal spirit.
f) Death closes all: but something ere the end, Some work of noble note, may yet be done, Not unbecoming men that strove with Gods.
- i. The above lines convey the undying spirit of Ulysses. Explain.
- 👉 Ulysses believes that although death is inevitable, one must achieve noble deeds before dying.
- ii. Pick out the words in alliteration in the above lines.
- 👉 Death – done
g) …for my purpose holds , To sail beyond the sunset, and the baths , Of all the western stars, until I die.
- i. What was Ulysses’ purpose in life?
- 👉 His purpose was to sail beyond known horizons in search of knowledge and adventure.
- ii. How long would his venture last?
- 👉 It would last until his death.
h) One equal temper of heroic hearts, Made weak by time and fate, but strong in will , To strive, to seek, to find, and not to yield.
- i. Though made weak by time and fate, the hearts are heroic. Explain.
- 👉 The hearts are heroic because, despite the weakness of old age and fate, they remain courageous, determined, and unyielding in spirit.
- ii. Pick out the words in alliteration in the above lines.
- 👉 To – temper, to – time, to – to.
3. Identify the figures of speech
- a) “Thro’ scudding drifts the rainy Hyades / Vext the dim sea…”
- 👉 Personification (the Hyades are described as vexing the sea like humans).
- b) “For always roaming with a hungry heart”
- 👉 Metaphor (the heart is compared to being hungry for adventure/knowledge).
- c) “And drunk delight of battle with my peers;”
- 👉 Metaphor (the speaker is described as drunk with delight, not literally drunk, but overpowered by joy).
- d) “…..the deep / Moans round with many voices.”
- 👉 Personification (the sea (deep) is described as moaning with voices like a human).
Paragraph Questions (Slow Learners)
Ulysses
TITLE : Ulysses
Poet : Alfred Tennyson
Theme : Ulysses adventure, responsibility and venture
- Ulysses, the king of Ithaca was a great man.
- He did not want to end his life as an idle king, Making laws and punishing bad people.
- He had unquenchable thirst for travel and exploration.
- He declares that it is boring to stay in one place.
- He wants to shine in use rather than being rusted.
- He says life is not merely breathing.
- He desires to hand over his sceptre and kingdom to his son Telemachus.
- He wants his son to fulfil his duties towards the people with care and prudence.
- Ulesses summoned his sailors to gather at the port for his next adventure.
- He praises his sailors that they have faced thunder and sunshine.
- He aspires them saying that they may have grown old and weak physically but their spirit is young and undaunted.
Moral : Live life with full of adventure and exploration.
