Chapter 5 – Ulysses Solutions

Content Structure

1. About the author – Alfred, Lord Tennyson
2. Summary of the Ulysses
3. Word meanings
4. Exercises solutions
5. Additional Questions and Answers
- 5A. Multiple choice questions and answers (MCQs)

1. About the author – Alfred, Lord Tennyson

Alfred, Lord Tennyson was one of the greatest poets in England who was born on August 6, 1809, in Lincolnshire, England. He is known for his vivid imagery, musical rhythm, and deep emotional expression. In his writing, he explores themes such as nature, grief, heroism, faith, and the conflict between science and religion. His most famous poems include “The Charge of the Light Brigade,” “Ulysses,” “The Lady of Shalott,” and “Crossing the Bar.” His close friend Arthur Hallam deeply inspired his long elegy “In Memoriam A.H.H.” In 1884, he was given the title of Baron by the British government, making him the first English writer to be honoured with a noble rank.He died on October 6, 1892.

2. Summary of the Ulysses

A theatrical monologue, “Ulysses” by Alfred Lord Tennyson is a piece of writing in which the Greek hero Ulysses also known as Odysseus reflects on his life after returning to Ithaca. In the form of a monologue the poem is presented directly to the audience. Ulysses realizes that he finds no joy in ruling his nation or living a quiet life with his elderly wife as he grows older. Along with feelings of boredom and restlessness he believes that living without purpose is meaningless. Ulysses longs for his past, which was filled with thrilling adventures such as visiting different places meeting new people, and overcoming great challenges. He believes that every new experience enriches life and that stopping is like rusting. From beginning to end he feels a person should live life to the fullest with all their energy and passion. He then speaks about his son Telemachus who will one day become king. Although he praises Telemachus for his patience, intelligence and sense of duty, he also notes that Telemachus is not like him. Ulysses enjoys taking risks while Telemachus is more suited to responsibility. As the poem comes to a close Ulysses invites his former companions to join him on one final journey across the seas. He does not let age stop him from believing they still have brave hearts and strong wills and that they remain courageous. In his dream of traveling beyond the sunset he hopes to discover things no one has ever seen before. Ulysses’ belief that one should never stop challenging oneself learning or exploring no matter their age is powerfully expressed in the poem’s final motivational line: “To strive, to seek, to find, and not to yield.”

3. Word meanings

Word	Meaning
Barren crags	Dry rocks
Dole	Give out
Scudding drifts	Fast-moving clouds or waves
Eternal	Never-ending
Yearning	Strong desire
Discerning	Showing good judgment and understanding
Subdue	Control
Tenderness	Gentle and kind feeling or behaviour
Adoration	Deep love
Mariners	Sailors
Twinkle	Soft light
Furrows	Narrow lines
Abides	Stays
Heroic	Brave
Strive	Try hard

4. Exercises solutions

Choose the correct answer from the alternatives given :

1. What is the speaker in “Ulysses” longing for?
a) A peaceful and quiet retirement
b) New adventures and experiences
c) The comfort of his family
d) Forgiveness for past mistakes

Ans: b) New adventures and experiences

2. What phrase from the poem best reflects Ulysses’ restless spirit?
a) “Grow old along with me”
b) “Much have I seen and known”
c) “I yearn for the old familiar ways”
d) “To strive, to seek, to find, and not to yield”

Ans: d) “To strive, to seek, to find, and not to yield”

3. What is the significance of the “far-off lands” mentioned in the poem?
a) They represent a lost love.
b) They symbolize the speaker’s regrets.
c) They represent the unknown and the call for continued exploration.
d) They represent the speaker’s yearning for death

Ans: c) They represent the unknown and the call for continued exploration.

5. Additional Questions and Answers

5A. Multiple choice questions and answers (MCQs)

1. Which other poet showed a similar Ulysses?
(a) Dante in “Inferno”
(b) Euripides in “Medea”
(c) James Joyce in “Ulysses”
(d) Homer in “Iliad”

Ans: (a) Dante in “Inferno”

2. Who is called the “idle king”?
(a) Dante
(b) Tennyson
(c) Ulysses
(d) Telemachus

Ans: (c) Ulysses

3. What does Ulysses feel about Penelope?
(a) She inspires him
(b) She is a good wife
(c) She travels with him
(d) He hardly mentions her

Ans: (d) He hardly mentions her

4. Calling his wife “aged” means—
(a) She is wise
(b) He doesn’t find her attractive
(c) She is restless
(d) She depends on him

Ans: (b) He doesn’t find her attractive

5. When Ulysses says “Unequal laws unto a savage race”, he means—
(a) He likes ruling
(b) His people are wise
(c) Ruling bores him
(d) He enjoys power

Ans: (c) Ruling bores him

6. Ulysses compares life to—
(a) A journey
(b) A dream
(c) A battle
(d) A treasure hunt

Ans: (a) A journey

7. “Those that loved me” refers to—
(a) Family
(b) Fellow warriors
(c) His people
(d) Enemies

Ans: (b) Fellow warriors

8. “Vext the dim sea” means—
(a) Clear sky
(b) Calm sea
(c) Stormy weather
(d) Sunrise

Ans: (c) Stormy weather

9. “Much have I seen and known” shows—
(a) Inversion
(b) Personification
(c) Metaphor
(d) Metonymy

Ans: (a) Inversion

10. Ulysses compares experience to—
(a) Ship
(b) Road
(c) Arch
(d) Mountain

Ans: (c) Arch

11. “Gleams that untravell’d world” shows—
(a) Metaphor
(b) Simile
(c) Imagery
(d) Personification

Ans: (c) Imagery

12. His wish for the “untravell’d world” means—
(a) He’s happy at home
(b) He dislikes his people
(c) He wants higher purpose
(d) He fears death

Ans: (c) He wants higher purpose

13. “How dull it is to pause” means—
(a) Life should stop
(b) We should rest
(c) Life must move on
(d) Resting is fun

Ans: (c) Life must move on

14. The line “To rust unburnish’d” shows—
(a) Death
(b) Value of action
(c) Old age
(d) Lost identity

Ans: (b) Value of action

15. “As tho’ to breathe were life” means—
(a) Breathing is all
(b) Just breathing isn’t living
(c) Breathing defines life
(d) Life is physical

Ans: (b) Just breathing isn’t living

16. “Life piled on life” means—
(a) One life isn’t enough
(b) One life is enough
(c) He’s happy
(d) Life is too much

Ans: (a) One life isn’t enough

17. “Eternal silence” is an example of—
(a) Irony
(b) Euphemism
(c) Periphrasis
(d) Synecdoche

Ans: (b) Euphemism

18. His “gray spirit” longs for—
(a) Rest
(b) Death
(c) Adventure
(d) Family time

Ans: (c) Adventure

19. “To follow knowledge like a sinking star” uses—
(a) Simile
(b) Metaphor
(c) Personification
(d) Hyperbole

Ans: (a) Simile

20. Who will rule after Ulysses?
(a) Penelope
(b) Argos
(c) Telemachus
(d) None

Ans: (c) Telemachus

21. Ulysses gives his sceptre to—
(a) Telemachus
(b) Achilles
(c) Penelope
(d) His men

Ans: (a) Telemachus

22. “Soft degrees” means—
(a) Gently
(b) Slowly
(c) Honestly
(d) Both (a) & (b)

Ans: (d) Both (a) & (b)

23. “Most blameless is he” refers to—
(a) Ulysses
(b) Paris
(c) Telemachus
(d) Achilles

Ans: (c) Telemachus

24. “Offices of tenderness” means—
(a) Household work
(b) Soft nature
(c) Duties to people
(d) Both

Ans: (a) Household work

25. “He works his work, I mine” – ‘He’ means—
(a) Ulysses
(b) Telemachus
(c) Tennyson
(d) Achilles

Ans: (b) Telemachus

26. The “vessel” in “The vessel puffs her sail” means—
(a) Escape
(b) Death
(c) New adventure
(d) Return home

Ans: (c) New adventure

27. “There gloom the dark, broad seas” shows—
(a) Danger ahead
(b) Fear
(c) Reluctance
(d) Calm sea

Ans: (a) Danger ahead

28. “Thunder and sunshine” means—
(a) Good weather
(b) Bad weather
(c) Both good and bad
(d) None

Ans: (c) Both good and bad

29. “Free foreheads” means—
(a) Freedom
(b) Beheading
(c) Free minds
(d) Empty minds

Ans: (c) Free minds

30. “Death closes all” is—
(a) Alliteration
(b) Metaphor
(c) Personification
(d) Simile

Ans: (c) Personification

31. “Lights begin to twinkle” means—
(a) Stars
(b) Lamps
(c) Moonlight
(d) Fires

Ans: (a) Stars

32. Ulysses tells his men they may reach—
(a) A star
(b) A mountain
(c) Happy Isles
(d) Wonderland

Ans: (c) Happy Isles

33. “We are not now…in old days” means they lack—
(a) Wealth
(b) Wisdom
(c) Strength
(d) Experience

Ans: (c) Strength

34. At the end, Ulysses decides to—
(a) Stay home
(b) Give up
(c) Go on one more trip
(d) Retire

Ans: (c) Go on one more trip

35. Who speaks in the poem?
(a) Achilles
(b) Ulysses
(c) Hector
(d) Apollo

Ans: (b) Ulysses

36. What does Ulysses say about his people?
(a) They love him
(b) They are wise
(c) They are rough and ignorant
(d) They praise him

Ans: (c) They are rough and ignorant

37. “I will drink life to the lees” means—
(a) Sleep
(b) Give up
(c) Enjoy life fully
(d) Tired of life

Ans: (c) Enjoy life fully

38. Where did Ulysses fight?
(a) Athens
(b) Sparta
(c) Troy
(d) Rome

Ans: (c) Troy

39. Ulysses leaves his kingdom to—
(a) Penelope
(b) Telemachus
(c) Sailors
(d) Elders