Prof. Sunitha H G Assistant Professor of English

MCMCW, MYSORE

“Ulysses”

-By Alfred Lord Tennyson

The poem Ulysses is a dramatic monologue written in blank verse by Alfred

Lord Tennyson in 1833 and it was published in 1842. In 1833 he lost his best

friend Arthur Hallam and it inspired him to write this poem. Ulysses known as

Odysseus in Greek mythology was the king of the Ithaca kingdom.

The poem portrays Ulysses as a resolute and heroic man, who is

determined “to strive, to seek, to find and not to yield” at old age. After his far-

ranging travels and exploration for eighteen years, when Ulysses returns to his

kingdom he finds himself idle and restless. He yearns to continue his adventure

and explore the untrodden world. The poem opens with Ulysses’

acknowledgment that his life is monotonous despite him the king of Ithaca. He

bemoans on the fact that he is wasting his time and life to rule the savage, idle

people of his kingdom with unequal laws and they don’t know him at all. The

company of his aged wife is also not helping him to come out of stagnation and

empty feelings. He declares that;

“I cann’t rest from travel; I will drink

Life to the lees”;

While reminiscing his old days, he claims that he found joy in every

moment of his traveling even at the times, when he was suffering. He enjoyed

his traveling both at both times when he was with his faithful sailors and when

he was all alone by himself on land and in the sea sailing through rainstorms. As

an explorer, he has a hungry heart to see and to know the world more. He

reflects that he has seen and learned a lot about all the “cities of men. And

manners, climates, councils, governments”. As a result, he has become famous

and the world respects and gives honor to him.

Ulysses also acknowledges the fact that he felt delighted in fighting the

Trojan war alongside his fellow soldiers. He feels all the places and people he

has encountered have been changed including him. All that in the past have

become experiences for him now and they appear like an arch to him. Through

that arch, he wants to continue his exploration of the untrodden world.

Ulysses exclaims that it is boring to stop and stay in one place without doing

any activities. Here he compares himself to a sword that has been allowed to

rust uselessly without using it in battle. Ulysses declares that bare breathing is

not living and life afterlife would not be sufficient to do all that he desires. At

the old age, very little time is left over and he is at the end of his lifetime. So he

thinks that every little hour left in his life would bring new opportunities to

explore the world. He feels that it would be disgraceful to sit at home, eat and

pray to stay alive. His greatest desire is to explore the world and get new

knowledge. He yearns to go beyond the humans’ limits like “a sinking star”.

In the next part of the poem, Ulysses introduces his son Telemachus, who is

the inheritor of the throne. He asserts his love for his son and applauds his son’s

ability to carry out the responsibilities as a ruler. He says with patience and

prudence, Telemachus will work towards civilizing the savage and idle people of

Ithaca and will make them indulge in productive activities. As a ruler

Telemachus; “Most blameless is he”. Because in the absence of Ulysses he

shows proper respect and affection to his mother and will continue his offering

worship and sacrifices to the Gods that Ulysses most honored. Hence he

declares that Telemachus is well fit to discharge kingly duties whereas he is fit

to continue his exploration of the world.

“He works his work, I mine”.

Then Ulysses while indicating the sea addresses his mariners, who

worked and explored the world with him to gain new knowledge. He says that

the sea is calling and the ship is ready to sail beyond the dark sea. He reminds

his mariners about their joyful acceptance of both troubles and good luck in their

previous explorations with all bravery and resolution. Now as Ulysses

acknowledges both he and mariners have grown older but they are still capable

of hard work and earn respect before “death closes all”. He urges to accomplish

some great deeds before death takes them all. Because they are all the heroic

men, who fought with the Gods in the Trojan War. As the night is befalling

Ulysses urges his mariners to join him in the last voyage. Because they are not

too old to explore the unknown regions of the world. He talks about his goal to

sail beyond the horizon before death takes him away from the world. He

confesses that during their voyage their ship may get drowned in the sea or they

may reach the Happy isles, where they can see Achilles the warrior. In spite of

being old, they haven’t lost their heroic qualities. Their minds and hearts are still

brave and composed to face any difficulties. Though they are physically weak

and old yet they are the same men with strong spirits. In spite of humans

destined to mortality and aging, Ulysses refuses to yield not only to enemies but

also to time and age.

“…but strong in will

To strive, to seek, to find and not to yield”.

Thus the poem ends with Ulysses’ articulation of his goal in seeking new

knowledge and new worlds.

Annotation:

There lies the port; the vessel puffs her sail:

There gloom the dark, broad seas. My mariners,

Souls that have toiled, and wrought, and thought with me-

The above lines are taken from the poem “Ulysses” written by Alfred

Lord Tennyson. The poem is a dramatic monologue written in blank verse by

Alfred Lord Tennyson in 1833 and it was published in 1842. In 1833 he lost his

best friend Arthur Hallam and it inspired him to write this poem. The poem

portrays Ulysses, the king of Ithaca, as a resolute and heroic man and he is

determined “to strive, to seek, to find and not to yield” at old age. After his far-

ranging travels and exploration for eighteen years, when Ulysses returns to his

kingdom he finds himself idle and restless. He yearns to continue his adventure

and explore the untrodden world.

In these lines Ulysses is addressing his mariners after talking about his

past explorations and about his son Telemachus. By pointing out the port, he

says that the sea is calling and the ship is ready to sail beyond the dark sea.

Moreover the gloomy darkness is approaching to cover the vast sea. So he calls

out his mariners to start the voyage and these are the same mariners, who

worked hard and explored the world with him to gain new knowledge.

“If”

- By Rudyard Kipling

The poem “If” is written by the India born British poet Rudyard

Kipling in 1895. It was first published in Rewards and Fairies in 1910. The poem

is written in the form of paternal advice to a son. The poem talks about a set of

conditionals that we all should follow including his son to succeed in life and to

be happy. The whole poem is written in a single complex sentence. Throughout

the poem, the speaker puts on conditions as requirements to succeed in one's

life. It is only in the ending the speaker talks about the achievement that one

can get after fulfilling the conditionals. Overall the poem is an ultimate

inspiration for everyone which tells us how to deal with different situations in

life. It conveys how to be a good human being.

In the first stanza of the poem, the speaker advises his son to

keep calm when others are losing their heads. He also tells his son not to lose

temperament even if others are blaming for their faults. Because losing temper

doesn’t solve a problem rather it intensifies it. Hence keeping one’s head cool

allows to think wisely and to solve any tough situations. In the next lines, the

speaker advises his son to have faith in himself when others doubt him. But

sometimes he needs to give heed to others' doubt and must try to find out the

reason for their suspicion. This helps not to get demoralized or disheartened and

not to do anything wrong knowingly or unknowingly. Along with that, he advises

his son to work hard and wait for the result without getting tired.

“If you can wait and not be tired by waiting”

Because losing patience makes one lose many opportunities. In the next lines,

the speaker advises his son not to indulge himself in lies or in hating others when

they lie or hate him. Both truth and love are the ultimate universal things in the

world. Along with this, a person should not show himself as too good or too

wise. Because both may get us into trouble.

In the second stanza, the speaker turns to advise his son to

develop self-control. He says we should not let our dreams and thoughts control

us. If not they detach us from reality leading us to fail. Then he talks about

success and failure, which are inevitable in everyone’s life. The speaker

personifies ‘triumph’ and ‘disaster’ by calling them ‘two imposters(cheaters)’.

Because too much happiness in success and grief in failure reduces one’s chance

to reach higher goals. He says;

“If you can meet with Triumph and Disaster

And treat those two imposters just the same”.

Then he advises his son to learn how to handle it when others misinterpret or

deliberatively distort his words in their favor to befool others. We shouldn’t lose

our temper in such kind of situations. Rather he needs to tolerate that ensuring

we have spoken truth. Then if his life or his favorite things broke he should

quietly and graciously pick up the pieces to rebuild it; “And stoop and build ‘em

up with worn-out tools”. But we shouldn’t complain about the loss with

everyone. This quality will take us to the top of the world.

In the third stanza, the speaker tells his son to develop courage and

grace during pressurized timings. Because it takes one’s nerve/courage to risk

everything in one toss and remain calm without complaining about it and to

rebuild it from the beginning. Here the speaker is talking about taking big risks

to achieve success and about developing mental toughness and the will power.

Because these two drive us to work hard even at old age or during illness. The

will power compels our body to work and achieve success. “…the will which says

to them, Hold on!”

Then in the last stanza, the speaker advises his son to have touch

with people from different classes of society and treat them all with the same

courtesy. Because the connection with common people helps to realize the

reality of the world. The noble touch with kings gives power and opportunities.

Then he tells his son should be strong enough so that neither enemies nor loving

people can hurt him. The personality must be in such a way that everyone should

support and give importance to us but not too much. Because it may bound us

from our duty. He says;

“If neither foes nor loving friends can hurt you,

If all men count with you, but none too much:”

Lastly, the speaker advises his son not to waste time as its precious. Every

minute with sixty seconds must be utilized by us using some productive works.

In the last lines, the speaker reveals what would be the reward (achievement) if

his son fulfills the conditionals. His so would be a complete and perfect human

being.

Annotation:

If you can talk with crowds and keep your virtue,

Or walk with kings –nor lose the common touch,

If neither foes nor loving friends can hurt you,

If all men count with you, but none too much;

The above lines are taken from the poem “IF” written by Rudyard Kipling in 1895.

The poem was first published in Rewards and Fairies in 1910. The poem is

written in the form of paternal advice to a son. The poem talks about a set of

conditionals that we all should follow including his son to succeed in life and to

be happy. The whole poem is written in a single complex sentence. Throughout

the poem, the speaker puts on conditionals as requirements to succeed in one's

life. It is only in the ending the speaker talks about the achievement that one

can get after fulfilling the conditionals. Overall the poem is an ultimate

inspiration for everyone which tells us how to deal with different situations in

life. It conveys how to be a good human being.

In these last stanza’s lines the speaker advises his son to have touch with people

from different classes of society and treat them all with the same courtesy.

Because the connection with common people helps to realize the reality of the

world. The noble touch with kings gives power and opportunities. Then he tells

his son should be strong enough so that neither enemies nor loving people can

hurt him. The personality must be in such a way that everyone should support

and give importance, but not too much.

“Questions from a worker who reads”

-By Bertolt Brecht

The poem “Questions from a worker who reads” is written by Bertolt

Brecht, a famous German poet and the founder of the epic theatre, in literature.

His works were influenced by the political, social, economic, conditions of

Germany during the 1970s. Brecht who was a Marxist has tried to convey his

messages and the Marxist ideologies through his poems and plays. He was

always on the side of poor and downtrodden people.

The poem “Questions from a worker who reads” reveals his

boundless compassion to the working-class people. We always glorify and brag

our history mentioning the names of the kings, the wars waged by them and the

historical monuments erected by them. But unfortunately, no one bothers to

speak about the labourers and soldiers who shed their sweat and blood.

Emperors and kings could not have invaded any country and win a war or built

any monument without workers or soldiers. But it is ironic that only kings and

people of higher ranks are mentioned in history. The poem has great relevance

to modern society as well. Public buildings constructed by the working class

people using their own funds and taxes are inaugurated by politicians and their

names are written in the buildings. No one values the effort and work of the

working-class people. Hence the poem also deals with socio-political themes in

a satirical and critical tone.

The poem presents the surprise and confusing questions that arise in

the mind of a worker after reading history. The worker has a first-knowledge of

the spade works. These are worker’s sarcastic rhetorical questions and they

compel the readers to rethink their knowledge on history. By workers, the poet

means builders, masons, labourers, cooks, soldiers and so on. First, the seven

gates of Thebes is mentioned and who constructed it. In history, many kings’

names are mentioned. But with sarcasm, the speaker asks were those kings

pulled up the stones to build the gates of Thebes. Then there is a reference to

Babylon and Lima cities. Babylon, a city of ancient Mesopotamia, was destroyed

many times and each time it was erected by workers. Lima, a city of Peru, was

known for its glittering and richness in history. But where did the workers live

who built it? Even about the great-wall of China, it is mentioned that it was built

by the king Qin Shi Huang in history. But nobody knows the whereabouts of the

masons, who built it.

The imperial Roman kingdom is full of triumphal arches. But the

speaker asks who constructed them. It wasn’t emperors. But it’s their names

glorified in history. Then the speaker asks over who did the Caesars achieve

triumph. Because in all their triumphs and construction of the arches it was

soldiers and workers who worked hard. But in history, only the emperors are

mentioned in history. Byzantium an ancient Greek city is mentioned and praised

much in songs and in poems for its palaces. But the workers, which contributed

to the construction of that city, lived in humble dwellings and there is no

reference about it in history.

Even in the fictional work of Plato Timaeus and Critias, an allegory,

when Atlantis was submerging in the Atlantic ocean the drowning people cried

out for their slaves. But in the work, there is not a single reference about the

slaves. Many historical wars and emperors are glorified in history like Alexander

the Great, conquering India, Julius Caesar's victory in the Gallic wars, Fredrick II

victory in the Seven Years War. The speaker asks were the wars fought only by

the kings and did they achieve victory all alone. Because it was soldiers and

cooks who stood as backbones in all those wars. Then in 1588, the Spanish

Armada (battleship) of Philip II was drowned by a storm defeat by the British

Empire. In history, there is a reference if Philip II weeping hard when he heard

the news. But the speaker sarcastically says that the king was not the only one

who wept when the armada was drowned. Even the families of the drowned

and dead soldiers must have cried too. But the traditional narrative method of

history only talks about the kings and the emperors.

At the ending of the poem the speaker wonders that every page of

history is named after victories and feasts of the kings. In history, we can see

that for every ten years a great man is born. But all their expenditures are lifted

by the taxes paid by the working-class people. The speaker briefs that history is

nothing but full of reports and they raise many questions in the minds of workers

who read it.

Annotation:

Every page a victory.

Who cooked the feast for the victors?

Every ten years a great man?

Who paid the bill?

These above lines are taken from the poem “Questions from a worker

who reads” written by Bertolt Brecht, a famous German poet and the founder

of the epic theatre, in literature. This poem reveals his boundless compassion to

the working-class people and by workers, the poet means builders, masons,

labourers, cooks, soldiers and so on. It is ironic that only kings and people of

higher ranks are mentioned in history when it has always been the labourers,

workers and soldiers who have shed their sweat and blood. Hence the poem

presents the surprise and confusing questions that arise in the mind of a worker

after reading history of great cities like Thebes, Babylon, Lima, Byzantium,

Roman Empire, Atlantis and of kings like Caesars, Philip of Spain, Alexander the

Great, Fredrick II.

In these last lines of the poem, the speaker says that every page

of history is named after victories and feasts of the kings. In history, we can see

that for every ten years a great man is born. But all their expenditures are lifted

by the taxes paid by the working-class people and we can’t find a single word

about common man or workers.

“You Start Dying Slowly”

-By Pablo Neruda

The poem “You Start Dying Slowly” is written by Pablo

Neruda, a Chilean Nobel prize-winning poet. The poem is written in

free verse without any rhyme scheme it's about living life to the fullest

without any negativity. Throughout the poem, the speaker tells us

how to flourish in life and live it fully, if not he warns us we start dying

slowly. Herewith the term 'dying slowly' he means mere surviving

without living in happiness and blessings of life. Thereby he inspires us

all to have a vibrant life and be the master of our lives, dreams, and

destiny instead of being a slave and leading passive life.

The poem begins with the alarm; “You Start Dying Slowly” if

we don’t travel by coming out of our shells and experience new things.

Because traveling allows one to meet new people, visit new places and

learn new things. Then to see and to feel the unseen we also need to

read. As life is too short to keep on traveling we need to cultivate the

habit of reading. It not only expands our knowledge and experience

but also increases our knowledge. Along with traveling and reading,

listening enables us to understand the world and ourselves better. By

'listening' the speaker means “the sounds of life” like noises and

voices around us, music, the music of nature, and most importantly

silence. Listening silence (being in silence) creates self-awareness and

it leads to self-appreciation. If we don’t praise and encourage

ourselves for our achievements we cannot expect from others. When

we neglect traveling, reading, listening and self-appreciation, despair

and negativity fill us leading to losing hope in a happy life. It’s an alarm

of we dying slowly.

Then in the second stanza, the speaker reinforces the idea of

living life fully by telling us not to kill our self-esteem. Because any

differentiation on the basis of caste, color and other things towards us

makes no difference until we don’t feel inferiority about ourselves.

When we don’t respect ourselves we can’t expect respect from others.

Then humans are all basically social animals and we need to

communicate and help each other at the needy time. At the same

time, we need to let others also to help us. That strengthens our social

bonding and lets us be empathetic towards each other. If we close

doors and prefer leading life in gloom and loneliness its alarm of our

slow death.

Living life at its height includes being the master of our

lives. We shouldn’t let even our habits have control of us, particularly

bad habits. Rather we need to them in the bud. Then the speaker asks

us to tread on new paths by having giving up old ones and to change

our mundane routine. This allows us to navigate new untrodden ways

for a successful life. Apart from that acknowledging different emotions

and getting well mixed in society with people is also important to

flourish in life. Hence the speaker asks us to “wear different colors”.

If we fail in these explorations our lives are nothing but a living death.

Finally, the speaker asks us to change our lives and job if we

are not happy. Otherwise, it will become monotonous, burden and

boring. Even though we are not satisfied with life and job we usually

never take risks and uncertainties by changing them in fear of losing

comfort zones. Thereby giving up our talents, passion, and dreams.

So the speaker asks us to take risks for what is safe and;

“Allow yourself

At least once in your lifetime

To run away from sensible advice”

Thus through the poem, the poet advises to rediscover our

lives and live at its full. Otherwise, he gives a big alarm that 'we start

dying slowly'.

Annotation:

You start dying slowly …

When you kill your self-esteem;

When you do not let others help you.

The above lines are taken from the poem “You Start Dying

Slowly” written by by Pablo Neruda. In the poem tells us how to

flourish in life and live it fully, if we don’t not we start dying slowly.

Herewith the term 'dying slowly' the poet means mere surviving

without living in happiness and blessings of life. Thereby he inspires us

all to have a vibrant life and be the master of our lives, dreams, and

destiny instead of being a slave and leading passive life.

In these lines the speaker reinforces the idea of living life

fully by telling us not to kill our self-esteem. Because any

differentiation on the basis of caste, color and other things towards us

makes no difference until we don’t feel inferiority about ourselves.

When we don’t respect ourselves we can’t expect respect from others.

Then humans are all basically social animals and we need to

communicate and help each other at the needy time. At the same

time, we need to let others also to help us. That strengthens our social

bonding and lets us be empathetic towards each other. If we close

doors and prefer leading life in gloom and loneliness its alarm of our

slow death.

“We ARE THE TSB BANKING DIRECTORS”

-BY DARRYL ASHTON

The poem “WE Are the TSB Banking Directors” is written by

Darryl Ashton, a British poet, and writer. Ashton also gives stand-up

comedy poem performances. He has written on both serious and

humorous subjects. The present poem “WE Are the TSB Banking

Directors” is about a post-modern phenomenon globalization and

liberalization. Under its new economic policies, banks are being sold

and bought like tomatoes and apples when they are considered as

assets of a nation.

The poet has satirized this act of selling and buying banks

without considering the interest of customers. He criticizes the selfish

acts of banks’ trustees, directors, and employees. Here in the poem,

the poet satirized the TSB banking directors. The Trustee Savings Bank

is a British financial institution and its directors are appointed as

trustees. Its first bank was established in 1810 in Scotland with the

motive of accepting savings deposits from people. During the 1970s

and 1980s, various trustee savings banks were merged into a single

institution named TSB Group plc. Later on, it became a subsidiary to

Banco de Sabadell, a banking group in Spain. This act of selling the

bank by the trustees to the Spanish people is criticized by the poet in

the poet.

Throughout the poem, the ‘directors’ (trustees) of the bank

show how selfish and hypocritical they are and their real motives. The

poem begins in a kind of self-introduction of the bankers. They claim

that;

“We always like to say; yes!” for whatever the customers come up

with, but they also confess that they like to cause stress to them. By

continuing their hypocritical confession the bank employees agree

that they have the power and chance to grant loans when people

come up with any request like that. But they sanction loan only to a

few privileged people. Thereby confessing how they differentiate rich

and poor customers.

The banking people inform about a Spanish banking group purchasing

the TSB institution by flashing their huge money. With the sale of the

bank, the bankers are intended to flee from the country. The poet

feels sad about losing another national asset to a foreign source. But

the bankers feel it’s good and profitable for them. Because they have

gained huge profits in that trade. They say;

“But we have all made a killing”. That’s all that matters to them.

They blatantly reject safeguarding the customers’ interest

under the pretext of shortage of money; “as money is so tight!” Hence

they declare that at the right time they would inform about the bank

people being sold out to the Spanish customers as they don’t really

care about them. Next, the bankers wonder whether the Spanish

people know the English language or do they speak in gibberish.

Because after the acquisition of a nation’s assets like banks it’s

important to know that nation’s language too. Here the poet has

parodied the Spanish people and the banking people.

Then the directors agree with the fact that they pretended

about caring for people. So they confess;

“We were so very phony!”

As they have sold out the bank and amassed huge money the banking

people want to leave Britain and set for a new country. In their

farewell words, they don’t forget to express gratitude to the people of

Britain and the Spanish bank group. Because of who they became rich.

Before taking leave the directors confess; “We bankers are greedy

sods!”

Thus through the bank people, the poet satirizes and parodies

the new economic policies and hypocritical nature of the banking

people.

Annotation:

Nothing now is British-

Oh, what a shame!

But we have all made

A killing- it is the name

Of the game!

The above lines are taken from the poem “We Are the TSB Banking Directors” written by Darryl Ashton, a British poet, and writer. The poem is about a post-modern phenomenon globalization and liberalization. The poet has satirized the act of selling and buying banks without considering the interest of customers. Here, he criticizes and satirizes the TSB’s trustees, directors, and employees for their selfish and hypocritical acts.

In these lines the poet feels sad about losing another national asset to a foreign source. Because a Spanish banking group has purchased the TSB institution by flashing their huge money. But

the banking people feel it’s good and profitable for them. Because they have gained huge profits in that trade.