One equal temper of heroic hearts,
Made weak by time and fate, but strong in
To strive, to seek, to find, and not to yield.
These are the concluding lines of "Ulysses", a famous dramatic monologue, by Alfred, Lord Tennyson, the Poet Laureate of the Victorian period. These lines reflect Ulysses' indomitable spirit.
Ulysses returned home after twenty years. He fought in the Trojan War. He also fought with the gods, giants, witches and storms on his way back. He is widely experienced in hardship and struggle. But still his heart craves for new adventures and new knowledge. He decides to set out on a new journey. He speaks to his old comrades and encourages them in undertaking a new adventure. Ulysses feels that he is no longer strong. His old age has made him weak. Besides, his fate has not been always favourable to him. But he has the will power to encounter any adverse situation. He believes that his indomitable strength of mind will enable him and his comrades to fight back enemies, to explore the unexplored and to win any battle. In these lines, Tennyson encourages the Victorian people through the mythical character, Ulysses. These lines, thus, reflect the Victorian spirit.
