The Victorian Age,Alfred, Lord

Tennyson,&

“Ulysses”

1833-1901 Booming economy, rapid

growth◦ Brutal factory conditions,

filthy slums Despite negative aspects,

great optimism◦ Faith in making everything

right with the world◦ Attempts to expand

democracy, help the poor

The Victorian Period

Women◦ Allowed to attend universities◦ Workday reduced

Children◦ Free grammar schools◦ Workday reduced

Living/Working conditions◦ Public sanitation◦ Regulated factories and housing

Business◦ Repeal of Corn Laws (high taxes on grain)◦ Free trade

Victorian Reform Efforts

1809-1892 Most popular poet

of Victorian Era Influenced by

Romantic poets

“One of the finest looking men in the world. A great shock of rough dusty-dark hair; bright-laughing hazel eyes…of sallow-brown complexion, almost Indian-looking.”

Thomas Carlyle

Alfred,Lord Tennyson

4th of 12 children Educated by his father at a

young age Bitter, angry father unhappy

home environment Cambridge University

◦ Bored, disappointed by classes Best friend, Arthur Henry

Hallum, died at 22 (stroke)◦ Devastated Tennyson, inspired work

Alfred, Lord Tennyson

Hallum

Became incredibly popular in London

1850 Queen Victoria appointed him poet laureate after Wordsworth died

1884 made a baron, added “Lord” to name◦ First English author to earn

this title for his writing

Alfred, Lord Tennyson

Speaker: the person who ‘says’ the words of a poem; not necessarily the poet

Speaker categories:◦ Fictional or Real◦ Generalized (not described in specific detail) or

Specific (given a detailed identity)

Literary Term: Speaker

Tennyson shows different experiences of time:

◦ Perpetual present (nothing significant changes)

◦ Restless movement from past accomplishment into an unknown future

◦ Loss of the past

Literary Concept: Time

Based on Homer’s epic the Odyssey Story of Greek king (Ulysses) who fought in the

Trojan War for 10 years then wandered the seas for 10 more

Ulysses returns home to Ithaca and faces old age

Restless- considers going on another journey

“Ulysses”

1. Who is the speaker?◦ (fictional/real, generalized/specific)

2. Lines 1-5, Ulysses says its pointless to do what?3. L.11-12: What does Ulysses feel he is a symbol of?4. L.19-21: (a) When is the only time the world’s

“margin fades” and (b) what does this mean?5. L.30-32: What does Ulysses’ “gray spirit” desire?6. L.43: What does Ulysses mean by “he works his work,

I mine”?7. L.49: To whom is Ulysses speaking when he says “you

and I are old”?8. L.52-55: What does he believe may still be done

before “the long day wanes”?9. L.59-61: What is Ulysses’ goal/purpose?10.What is Ulysses’ overall attitude towards life?

Reading Comprehension ?s