Ulysses (poem)

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Literary Devices

Rhyme

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Literary Devices Rhyme

As a poem written in blank verse, “Ulysses” doesn’t make use of rhyme. Indeed, neither end rhyme nor internal rhyme features prominently in the poem. That said, it could be argued that Tennyson has included several inexact (or “slant”) rhymes. For instance, the words that end lines 28, 30, and 31 each share a similar, though not identical, sound: “were,” “desire,” and “star.” Likewise, “isle” and “mild” (lines 34 and 36) are close enough to approximate a rhyme. But these examples are the closest Tennyson gets to a traditional end rhyme. The same goes for internal rhyme, which is similarly infrequent. In lines 55–56, for example, the words “moon” and “Moans” form a slant internal rhyme, but they occur on separate lines:

The long day wanes: the slow moon climbs: the deep
Moans round with many voices.

Overall, then, Tennyson deemphasizes rhyme. Instead of relying on the obvious sonic effects of rhyme, Tennyson privileges subtler effects related to assonance, consonance, and alliteration. This strategy helps to elevate the speaker’s language, giving it an air of refined seriousness that’s appropriate for such a solemn and reflective occasion.

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