Comparisons of Ulysses and the Odyssey

Comparisons of Ulysses and the Odyssey

“To strive, to seek, to find, and not to yield”, what a fine ending to the poem of Ulysses. Meaning, where there’s a will, there’s a way. Ulysses embodies everything people picture of true warriors, explorers, and adventurists. But who else comes to mind when mentioning those few words. None other than Odysseus from the Iliad and the Odyssey. Homer’s character and Alfred Lord Tennyson’s protagonist could truly be one in the same. Both portraying qualities of heroism, courageousness, and living without regret and fear. And above all, the thrill and excitement of exploration and new lands.
Odysseus didn’t plan on such a long journey home, but many side tracks and adventures took place, which wasn’t a problem to Odysseus at all. In fact, it seemed that he enjoyed being out on his own, meeting new people, visiting new places and conquering new challenges rather than being tied down in Ithaca. The same is visible with Ulysses. “For always roaming with a hungry heart much have I seen and known”, Ulysses says this about his travels and how he feels. Both possess the rare warrior spirit, that never gets old and will always keep moving forward with whatever their heart desires. Not only do they possess that type of mentality, but both share the knowledge of seeing the globe and interacting with multitudes of people and creatures. For example, Odysseus met Calypso, the sirens, phaecians and many more.
Another small similarity that both works share, would be the use of the protagonists sons’ name. Telemachus is used in both stories as the son of Ulysses that is destined to take over the throne and also in The Odyssey as Odysseus’s son that has to reign in his fathers place while he lingers on the open seas. In the topic of the heroes sons, it seems that both characters take their sons for granted. On one side, Ulysses takes the opinion that his son will do his job, which is to take care of business on the homeland, and Ulysses gets to gallivant around the globe having personal adventures and soothing his own soul. And on the other side, Odysseus seemed to take his grand old time making it back to Ithaca, and not worrying about his son nor the condition of his kingdom.
The traveling and adventures has also made these two characters huge warriors. With Ulysses mentioning the glories of fighting in the Trojan War and how each and every land he has visited, has made him the man that he was. Like Ulysses, Odysseus was one of the great heroes of the Trojan War, from contemplating and strategizing the famous Trojan Horse where Troy was finally conquered to staying on the shores with Agaememnon while major sacrifices to Poseidon were taking place.
To bring personal opinion into this, these two men seem like the same person. There are way too many coincidences and similarities between them for me to think otherwise. From the outstanding travels to having the same for their son, and out look on life, the compliments of them are too many for them to be two separate individuals.