Lesson Plan 14 - Tennyson英美文学.pptVIP

Alfred, Lord Tennyson Born in 1809 Came from a very wealthy and well-established family; had a very good up-bringing and education Also published poems at the early age of 17 Poet Laureate after William Wordsworth (the official poet of the England Monarchy; appointed by the government and is expected to produce poems frequently and/or for government special occasions) Ulysses Published in 1842 Known for its Dramatic Monologue form and has been called the first true dramatic monologue Style: 70 lines of blank verse (regular meter, but no rhyme) Ulysses Plot: Ulysses describes his discontent and restlessness upon returning to his kingdom (Ithaca) after his time fighting in the Trojan War and his far-ranging travels. Facing old age, Ulysses yearns to explore again, despite his reunion with his wife Penelope and son Telemachus. Theme: heroism; imperialism; the pursuit of knowledge and adventure (craving for new experiences) Class Questions Break, Break, Break Describe the poem’s style and themes. What do the waves and sea represent? What two things are being compared in the poem? Can you find any phrases that are paradoxical? Crossing the Bar What does the bar (sandbar) represent? Why does the speaker wish for a “full tide” when he crosses the bar? Who is the Pilot? Is this idea of a pilot similar to any other poems we have read this semester? Break, Break, Break Classified as an Elegy (tribute to someone who died) and was written amidst his isolation/depression. Minimal in terms of style and detail/description The poem juxtaposes life and death. It also contains many paradoxes: Touch of a vanished hand (Line 11), sound of a voice that is still (Line 12) The sea is used to represent the human cycle of life and death; death being symbolized by the crashing of waves on the shore. The sea is also used as a metaphor for a person in lines 1-2. Major Themes in Break, Break, Break Youth/Life vs. Death Grief: While the narrator is grieving the death of his friends,