Ulysses

Ulysses -- originally Odysseus -- was the hero of Homer's epic of a ship blown off course after the battle of Troy and then the sailors being subject to many amazing adventures.

This poem takes up the story many years later, when Ulysses is now the ruler of the Greek island of Ithaca. It is a boring and unprofitable existence and our hero wishes to return once more to a life of adventure.

He decides to leave his island under the care of his son, Telemachus, and to set off once again with his trusted crew.

It is of little use for a king to remain idle, bored out of his bracket, and ruling a people who simply are unable to appreciate me. Indeed, many don't even know me!

I can no longer rest from the excitement of travelling and so I intend to live life once more to the full.

I have enjoyed my life immensely thus far, even though there has often been hardship, both on shore and upon the stormy seas.

I am a legend for what I have seen and done, for the strange peoples, lands and governments I have visited. I have been everyone's equal, and have delighted in fighting alongside my fellow soldiers, even far away from home on the battlefields of Troy.

Adventure runs in my blood, but my life is now pathetically boring. And yet, despite my advancing age, I still feel I can hold death at bay for just a little bit more by undertaking further exciting adventures and fulfilling my passionate thirst for knowledge.

I shall therefore abdicate my throne in favour of my son, Telemachus. He's a trustworthy fellow who will rule wisely, slowly civilizing these boorish people so as to make them industrious and useful.

He knows what he must do, and I can rely on him. He will also make sure to keep my household gods satisfied so that they won't get angry in my absence and sink my ship while I'm not looking.

There below me is the harbour. The ship has all her sails ready for departure.

My sailors are trustworthy folk who have delighted in sharing my previous adventures, who love fun and excitement, and who are also capable of tough work and hardship.

It's true we are all old, but we are still capable of a bit more from life. After all, death brings an end to everything, so we must live it up now while we still have the chance.

The night is approaching, the moon is rising slowly into the sky, the lights of the harbour are beginning to twinkle.

Come, my friends let's away now and row this ship into the deep waters of the Mediterranean, then head westward to where the sun sets, and keep sailing till we die.

Who knows what lands we may reach? Perhaps even Heaven itself where we might be honoured to make the acquaintance of the great Achilles once more.

We are what we are, but we still have a little life left in us to achieve some more truly amazing things.

Read the left column and then answer
the following questions:


What language devices are used in the following? Explain each answer but please note that there might be more than one correct answer.

• "I will drink life to the lees" (4)

simile

No, I'm afraid you're wrong! A SIMILE is a comparison between two things but it can usually be recognised by use of the words "as", "like" or "than": He is as light as a feather; Her happiness is like a flutter of butterflies; The puff adder was fatter than a bag of pus.

metaphor

Yes, you're right! A METAPHOR is a direct comparison between two things. The object becomes the thing to which it is being compared: "His happiness shone so brightly we had to wear shades" -- comparing his happiness to the sun but saying that his happiness is the sun. "Her wit was so sharp it nearly cut me" -- comparing her wit to a sharp knife but saying that her wit is a sharp knife. In the poem "Ulysses", life is compared to wine in a bottle by saying that we actually drink life. Or the heart is compared to an animal by saying that the heart is hungry. Or delight is compared to wine or another liquid by saying that we drink delight.

personification

No, I doubt you'll find personification here! PERSONIFICATION is a form of metaphor in which we give inanimate or non-human things the characteristics of a human being: "The sun's face wrinkled in mirth as she peeped in through the bedroom window" -- the sun is given the characteristics of a person. "The wind whispered her secret thoughts to the trees" -- the wind is given the characteristics of a person. "The slow moon climbs" -- the moon is given the characteristics of a person.

alliteration

Yes, alliteration has been used here. ALLITERATION is the repetition of consonants, usually those at the beginning of a word: He laid his head on the executioner's big black block; Double, double, toil and trouble. In this poem we have "drink life to the lees", "roaming with a hungry heart" and "drink delight in battle".

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• "For always roaming with a hungry heart" (4)

alliteration

Yes, alliteration has been used here. ALLITERATION is the repetition of consonants, usually those at the beginning of a word: He laid his head on the executioner's big black block; Double, double, toil and trouble. In this poem we have "drink life to the lees", "roaming with a hungry heart" and "drink delight in battle".

simile

No, I doubt there is any simile tucked away here! A SIMILE is a comparison between two things but it can usually be recognised by use of the words "as", "like" or "than": He is as light as a feather; Her happiness is like a flutter of butterflies; The puff adder was fatter than a bag of pus.

metaphor

Yes, you're right! A METAPHOR is a direct comparison between two things. The object becomes the thing to which it is being compared: "His happiness shone so brightly we had to wear shades" -- comparing his happiness to the sun but saying that his happiness is the sun. "Her wit was so sharp it nearly cut me" -- comparing her wit to a sharp knife but saying that her wit is a sharp knife. In the poem "Ulysses", life is compared to wine in a bottle by saying that we actually drink life. Or the heart is compared to an animal by saying that the heart is hungry. Or delight is compared to wine or another liquid by saying that we drink delight.

personification

No, I doubt you'll find personification here! PERSONIFICATION is a form of metaphor in which we give inanimate or non-human things the characteristics of a human being: "The sun's face wrinkled in mirth as she peeped in through the bedroom window" -- the sun is given the characteristics of a person. "The wind whispered her secret thoughts to the trees" -- the wind is given the characteristics of a person. "The slow moon climbs" -- the moon is given the characteristics of a person.

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• "And drink delight of battle with my peers." (4)

personification

No, I doubt you'll find personification here! PERSONIFICATION is a form of metaphor in which we give inanimate or non-human things the characteristics of a human being: "The sun's face wrinkled in mirth as she peeped in through the bedroom window" -- the sun is given the characteristics of a person. "The wind whispered her secret thoughts to the trees" -- the wind is given the characteristics of a person. "The slow moon climbs" -- the moon is given the characteristics of a person.

alliteration

Yes, alliteration has been used here. ALLITERATION is the repetition of consonants, usually those at the beginning of a word: He laid his head on the executioner's big black block; Double, double, toil and trouble. In this poem we have "drink life to the lees", "roaming with a hungry heart" and "drink delight in battle".

onomatopoeia

No, there's no onomatopoeia here! ONOMATOPOEIA is a word which incorporates the sound made by the subject: The buzzing of the bees; The clatter of the cans. This poem uses onomatopoeia in such descriptions as: "ringing planes" -- to convey the sound of sword beating against sword; "the deep moans round" -- to convey the deep rumbling, moaning sound of the ocean waves.

metaphor

Yes, you're right! A METAPHOR is a direct comparison between two things. The object becomes the thing to which it is being compared: "His happiness shone so brightly we had to wear shades" -- comparing his happiness to the sun but saying that his happiness is the sun. "Her wit was so sharp it nearly cut me" -- comparing her wit to a sharp knife but saying that her wit is a sharp knife. In the poem "Ulysses", life is compared to wine in a bottle by saying that we actually drink life. Or the heart is compared to an animal by saying that the heart is hungry. Or delight is compared to wine or another liquid by saying that we drink delight.

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• "Far on the ringing planes of windy Troy." (4)

onomatopoeia

Yes, indeed! You have found an example of onomatopoeia! ONOMATOPOEIA is a word which incorporates the sound made by the subject: The buzzing of the bees; The clatter of the cans. This poem uses onomatopoeia in such descriptions as: "ringing planes" -- to convey the sound of sword beating against sword; "the deep moans round" -- to convey the deep rumbling, moaning sound of the ocean waves.

metaphor

No, I'm afraid not! A METAPHOR is a direct comparison between two things. The object becomes the thing to which it is being compared: "His happiness shone so brightly we had to wear shades" -- comparing his happiness to the sun but saying that his happiness is the sun. "Her wit was so sharp it nearly cut me" -- comparing her wit to a sharp knife but saying that her wit is a sharp knife. In the poem "Ulysses", life is compared to wine in a bottle by saying that we actually drink life. Or the heart is compared to an animal by saying that the heart is hungry. Or delight is compared to wine or another liquid by saying that we drink delight.

personification

No, I doubt you'll find personification here! PERSONIFICATION is a form of metaphor in which we give inanimate or non-human things the characteristics of a human being: "The sun's face wrinkled in mirth as she peeped in through the bedroom window" -- the sun is given the characteristics of a person. "The wind whispered her secret thoughts to the trees" -- the wind is given the characteristics of a person. "The slow moon climbs" -- the moon is given the characteristics of a person.

alliteration

No, I'm afraid not! This is not an example of alliteration! ALLITERATION is the repetition of consonants, usually those at the beginning of a word: He laid his head on the executioner's big black block; Double, double, toil and trouble. In this poem we have "drink life to the lees", "roaming with a hungry heart" and "drink delight in battle".

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• "Yet all experience is an arch wherethro'
  Gleams that untravell'd world." (4)

assonance

No, this is not an example of assonance! ASSONANCE is the use of rhyming vowel sounds in nearby words: All is doom, all gloom; Coal black, shoal black; Souls that have toil'd, and wrought, and thought.

metaphor

Yes, you're right! A METAPHOR is a direct comparison between two things. The object becomes the thing to which it is being compared: "His happiness shone so brightly we had to wear shades" -- comparing his happiness to the sun but saying that his happiness is the sun. "Her wit was so sharp it nearly cut me" -- comparing her wit to a sharp knife but saying that her wit is a sharp knife. In the poem "Ulysses", life is compared to wine in a bottle by saying that we actually drink life. Or the heart is compared to an animal by saying that the heart is hungry. Or delight is compared to wine or another liquid by saying that we drink delight.

euphemism

No, this is not an example of euphemism! EUPHEMISM is the use of a word with a soft connotation to describe a harsh reality: "He has passed into the hands of the Lord" -- he has died; "The late Mr Johnson" -- the deceased Mr Johnson; "Saved from that eternal silence" -- saved from death.

alliteration

No, I'm afraid not! This is not an example of alliteration! ALLITERATION is the repetition of consonants, usually those at the beginning of a word: He laid his head on the executioner's big black block; Double, double, toil and trouble. In this poem we have "drink life to the lees", "roaming with a hungry heart" and "drink delight in battle".

---

• "To rust unburnished, not to shine in use." (4)

personification

No, I doubt you'll find personification here! PERSONIFICATION is a form of metaphor in which we give inanimate or non-human things the characteristics of a human being: "The sun's face wrinkled in mirth as she peeped in through the bedroom window" -- the sun is given the characteristics of a person. "The wind whispered her secret thoughts to the trees" -- the wind is given the characteristics of a person. "The slow moon climbs" -- the moon is given the characteristics of a person.

sibilance

No, I'm afraid not! This is certainly not an example of sibilance! SIBILANCE is a form of alliteration but where the "s" sound is repeated, sometimes to create an onomatopoeic effect: He sipped with his straight mouth, softly drank through his straight gums.

assonance

No, this is not an example of assonance! ASSONANCE is the use of rhyming vowel sounds in nearby words: All is doom , all gloom; Coal black, shoal black; Souls that have toil'd, and wrought, and thought.

metaphor

Yes, you're right! A METAPHOR is a direct comparison between two things. The object becomes the thing to which it is being compared: "His happiness shone so brightly we had to wear shades" -- comparing his happiness to the sun but saying that his happiness is the sun. "Her wit was so sharp it nearly cut me" -- comparing her wit to a sharp knife but saying that her wit is a sharp knife. In the poem "Ulysses", life is compared to wine in a bottle by saying that we actually drink life. Or the heart is compared to an animal by saying that the heart is hungry. Or delight is compared to wine or another liquid by saying that we drink delight.

---

• "Every hour saved from that eternal silence." (4)

euphemism

Yes indeed, this is an example of euphemism! EUPHEMISM is the use of a word with a soft connotation to describe a harsh reality: "He has passed into the hands of the Lord" -- he has died; "The late Mr Johnson" -- the deceased Mr Johnson; "Saved from that eternal silence" -- saved from death.

alliteration

No, I'm afraid not! This is not an example of alliteration! ALLITERATION is the repetition of consonants, usually those at the beginning of a word: He laid his head on the executioner's big black block; Double, double, toil and trouble. In this poem we have "drink life to the lees", "roaming with a hungry heart" and "drink delight in battle".

assonance

No, this is not an example of assonance! ASSONANCE is the use of rhyming vowel sounds in nearby words: All is doom, all gloom; Coal black, shoal black; Souls that have toil'd, and wrought, and thought.

metaphor

No, I'm afraid not! A METAPHOR is a direct comparison between two things. The object becomes the thing to which it is being compared: "His happiness shone so brightly we had to wear shades" -- comparing his happiness to the sun but saying that his happiness is the sun. "Her wit was so sharp it nearly cut me" -- comparing her wit to a sharp knife but saying that her wit is a sharp knife. In the poem "Ulysses", life is compared to wine in a bottle by saying that we actually drink life. Or the heart is compared to an animal by saying that the heart is hungry. Or delight is compared to wine or another liquid by saying that we drink delight.

---

• "To follow knowledge like a sinking star." (6)

simile

Yes, you have it! There is indeed a simile tucked away here! A SIMILE is a comparison between two things but it can usually be recognised by use of the words "as", "like" or "than": He is as light as a feather; Her happiness is like a flutter of butterflies; The puff adder was fatter than a bag of pus.

metaphor

Yes, you're right! A METAPHOR is a direct comparison between two things. The object becomes the thing to which it is being compared: "His happiness shone so brightly we had to wear shades" -- comparing his happiness to the sun but saying that his happiness is the sun. "Her wit was so sharp it nearly cut me" -- comparing her wit to a sharp knife but saying that her wit is a sharp knife. In the poem "Ulysses", life is compared to wine in a bottle by saying that we actually drink life. Or the heart is compared to an animal by saying that the heart is hungry. Or delight is compared to wine or another liquid by saying that we drink delight.

euphemism

No, this is not an example of euphemism! EUPHEMISM is the use of a word with a soft connotation to describe a harsh reality: "He has passed into the hands of the Lord" -- he has died; "The late Mr Johnson" -- the deceased Mr Johnson; "Saved from that eternal silence" -- saved from death.

alliteration

Yes, alliteration has been used here. ALLITERATION is the repetition of consonants, usually those at the beginning of a word: He laid his head on the executioner's big black block; Double, double, toil and trouble. In this poem we have "drink life to the lees", "roaming with a hungry heart" and "drink delight in battle".

sibilance

Yes, you've got it! This is certainly an example of sibilance! SIBILANCE is a form of alliteration but where the "s" sound is repeated, sometimes to create an onomatopoeic effect: He sipped with his straight mouth, softly drank through his straight gums.

---

• "Souls that have toil'd, and wrought, and thought." (4)

sibilance

No, I'm afraid not! This is certainly not an example of sibilance! SIBILANCE is a form of alliteration but where the "s" sound is repeated, sometimes to create an onomatopoeic effect: He sipped with his straight mouth, softly drank through his straight gums.

alliteration

No, I'm afraid not! This is not an example of alliteration! ALLITERATION is the repetition of consonants, usually those at the beginning of a word: He laid his head on the executioner's big black block; Double, double, toil and trouble. In this poem we have "drink life to the lees", "roaming with a hungry heart" and "drink delight in battle".

assonance

Yes indeed! This is an example of assonance! ASSONANCE is the use of rhyming vowel sounds in nearby words: All is doom, all gloom; Coal black, shoal black; Souls that have toil'd, and wrought, and thought.

euphemism

No, this is not an example of euphemism! EUPHEMISM is the use of a word with a soft connotation to describe a harsh reality: "He has passed into the hands of the Lord" -- he has died; "The late Mr Johnson" -- the deceased Mr Johnson; "Saved from that eternal silence" -- saved from death.

---

• "The slow moon climbs." (4)

simile

No, I doubt there is any simile tucked away here! A SIMILE is a comparison between two things but it can usually be recognised by use of the words "as", "like" or "than": He is as light as a feather; Her happiness is like a flutter of butterflies; The puff adder was fatter than a bag of pus.

metaphor

No, I'm afraid not! A METAPHOR is a direct comparison between two things. The object becomes the thing to which it is being compared: "His happiness shone so brightly we had to wear shades" -- comparing his happiness to the sun but saying that his happiness is the sun. "Her wit was so sharp it nearly cut me" -- comparing her wit to a sharp knife but saying that her wit is a sharp knife. In the poem "Ulysses", life is compared to wine in a bottle by saying that we actually drink life. Or the heart is compared to an animal by saying that the heart is hungry. Or delight is compared to wine or another liquid by saying that we drink delight.

personification

You're right! This is an example of personification! PERSONIFICATION is a form of metaphor in which we give inanimate or non-human things the characteristics of a human being: "The sun's face wrinkled in mirth as she peeped in through the bedroom window" -- the sun is given the characteristics of a person. "The wind whispered her secret thoughts to the trees" -- the wind is given the characteristics of a person. "The slow moon climbs" -- the moon is given the characteristics of a person.

alliteration

No, I'm afraid not! This is not an example of alliteration! ALLITERATION is the repetition of consonants, usually those at the beginning of a word: He laid his head on the executioner's big black block; Double, double, toil and trouble. In this poem we have "drink life to the lees", "roaming with a hungry heart" and "drink delight in battle".

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• "The deep moans round with many voices." (4)

onomatopoeia

Yes, indeed! You have found an example of onomatopoeia! ONOMATOPOEIA is a word which incorporates the sound made by the subject: The buzzing of the bees; The clatter of the cans. This poem uses onomatopoeia in such descriptions as: "ringing planes" -- to convey the sound of sword beating against sword; "the deep moans round" -- to convey the deep rumbling, moaning sound of the ocean waves.

bathos

No, this is not an example of bathos! BATHOS is an anti-climax or the exact opposite of Climax: He came, he saw, he ran away; My life revolves around my car, my house, my wife and my dog.

metaphor

No, I'm afraid not! A METAPHOR is a direct comparison between two things. The object becomes the thing to which it is being compared: "His happiness shone so brightly we had to wear shades" -- comparing his happiness to the sun but saying that his happiness is the sun. "Her wit was so sharp it nearly cut me" -- comparing her wit to a sharp knife but saying that her wit is a sharp knife. In the poem "Ulysses", life is compared to wine in a bottle by saying that we actually drink life. Or the heart is compared to an animal by saying that the heart is hungry. Or delight is compared to wine or another liquid by saying that we drink delight.

personification

You're right! This is an example of personification! PERSONIFICATION is a form of metaphor in which we give inanimate or non-human things the characteristics of a human being: "The sun's face wrinkled in mirth as she peeped in through the bedroom window" -- the sun is given the characteristics of a person. "The wind whispered her secret thoughts to the trees" -- the wind is given the characteristics of a person. "The slow moon climbs" -- the moon is given the characteristics of a person.

alliteration

Yes, alliteration has been used here. ALLITERATION is the repetition of consonants, usually those at the beginning of a word: He laid his head on the executioner's big black block; Double, double, toil and trouble. In this poem we have "drink life to the lees", "roaming with a hungry heart" and "drink delight in battle".

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• "To strive, to seek, to find, and not to yield." (4)

metaphor

No, I'm afraid not! A METAPHOR is a direct comparison between two things. The object becomes the thing to which it is being compared: "His happiness shone so brightly we had to wear shades" -- comparing his happiness to the sun but saying that his happiness is the sun. "Her wit was so sharp it nearly cut me" -- comparing her wit to a sharp knife but saying that her wit is a sharp knife. In the poem "Ulysses", life is compared to wine in a bottle by saying that we actually drink life. Or the heart is compared to an animal by saying that the heart is hungry. Or delight is compared to wine or another liquid by saying that we drink delight.

personification

No, I doubt you'll find personification here! PERSONIFICATION is a form of metaphor in which we give inanimate or non-human things the characteristics of a human being: "The sun's face wrinkled in mirth as she peeped in through the bedroom window" -- the sun is given the characteristics of a person. "The wind whispered her secret thoughts to the trees" -- the wind is given the characteristics of a person. "The slow moon climbs" -- the moon is given the characteristics of a person.

alliteration

No, I'm afraid not! This is not an example of alliteration! ALLITERATION is the repetition of consonants, usually those at the beginning of a word: He laid his head on the executioner's big black block; Double, double, toil and trouble. In this poem we have "drink life to the lees", "roaming with a hungry heart" and "drink delight in battle".

bathos

No, this is not an example of bathos! BATHOS is an anti-climax or the exact opposite of Climax: He came, he saw, he ran away; My life revolves around my car, my house, my wife and my dog.

climax

Yes, this is an example of climax! CLIMAX is a series of words, growing from the lesser to the stronger or most important: He came, he saw, he conquered!

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