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Ulysses By Tennyson Lord Alferd Tennyson presents to us in the poem "Ulysses" an old sailor, a warrior and a king who is in retrospection on his experiences of a lifetime of travel. Ulysses' old age and strong will causes him to be restless and unable to be comfortable at home. He chooses a life of travel over his family because that is what he knows best. Because of his faults, we identify with his character. As a result, Ulysses attempts to go on to face a new but familiar journey, not knowing if it would be his last. By connecting with Ulysses' courage he awakens the heroic spirit in all of us. At home Ulysses is unable to adjust to old age. Regardless of his physical body he feels his spirit is still longing for travel. He feels as though his wife is too old, and he governs the people with no respect, "Matched with an aged wife, I mete and dole / Unequal laws unto a savage race, / That hord, and sleep, and feed, and know not of me"(Lines 3-5). Ulysses condescends his own son by describing his timidness to rule the people and how his son