The home of the mariners is not ever actually scene. An island
away from society and civilisation. The waterfalls and streams
make the place seem like the Garden of Eden. The reference to "A
land of streams!" demonstrates connections between places,"And
like a downward smoke, the slender stream, Along the cliff to fall
and pasue the fall did seem" Shows the water is slowing down -
challenging expectations. Rivers are always the dominant feature,
rivers sybolise the flow of life and change, but nothing happens or
changes o the island.
Point of view
The point of view narrative is third person,
emphasis on the dream like state of the poem.
We are merely observing the events in the
poem. We get an impartial viewpoint,we can
decide if Tennyson is sympathising with them or
making an exaple of them. "We will return no
more" suggests they are tired of fighting and
living, the reference to the word "Slave"
reinforces this idea that we are meant to
sympathise with them.
Additional narrative methods
Destination
The return to a pattern in the rhyme
scheme towards the end. There is a
question posed about the idea of
freewill in the final events "Sow the
sead, and reap the harvest with
enduring toil"
Time and sequence - the
timeframe of the peom is over a
very short period of time, time on
the island appears almost frozen.
Tithonus
Significant narrative features
Time and sequence
The timesclae is Thithonus reflecting on the huge
amount of time Tithonus has spent in this state
"many a summer" and "The woods decay, the woods
decay and fall" shows he is reflecting and recounting
on the response, he is wanting to die.
Scenes and places
The use of "the woods decay, the woods
decay and fall" shows how Tithonus is
suffering and slowly fallig apart but never truly
dying as the woods can "fall" but Tithonus
himself never will.The references to ground
and decay are used becuase they are all
natual processes wich Tithonus cannot be part
of.
Additional narrative methods
Point of view - the poem is told from the perspective
of Tithonus which means that there is a more
reflecive account of what he feels "I asked thee.
'Give me immortality'" this is paraphrased and
therefore may have not been what he feels and as
aresult his integrety as a narrator is questioned.
Mariana
Significant narrative methods
Destination
Overall, th poem is set in chronological order because the only change is the end of the previous day and the
start of a new one “the night is dreary”, “dew”, “the day is dreary” and “thick-moted sunbeam” all show time
passing. But there is no conclusion to the story, nothing actually changes in the life of Mariana, this makes it
seem like there is no cycle to the poem because the story is never concluded or changed.
Time and sequence
She neither sleeps nor wakes but is stuck in a permanent
dream-like state, blurring the time she is awake or sleeping. A
sense or torment is created as her life is being drained "The
moon was ver low" shows this passing of time". Confuses the
distriburtion of time, she repeats "I am aweary, aweary,I would
that I were dead!" at the end of every day which blurrs the days
together into unimportant repetitions of the same experiences
for her. Makes her stagnation seem stronger.
Additional narrative methods
Scenes and places - Tennyson
expands upon the “moated grange” in
the epigraph and uses adjectives like
“broken”, “rusted”, “unlifted” and
“weeded” which imply that the house
has been abandoned for some time.
This is a metaphor for Mariana’s
situation as she has been abandoned
and left to rot by her lover. There is also
evidence of her being stuck in a
stagnating limbo like state. The “flitting
of the bats” shows us that she is not the
only thing in the grange and there is
other life there, this shows she is not
fully isolated. This image of “night fowl’s
crow” contrasts well with the silent and
stagnated atmosphere within the house.
Godiva
Significant narrative methods
Point of view
Aside from the begining, the rest of the tale is
written in thrid person. This allows the reader to
from their own opinion on whether we can learn
from the past. The language is very old fashioned
"Oh ay,ay,ay" this clearly separates the poem
from modern times. The point of view shows us
that Tennyson is experiencing nostalgia for the
pas. Even during a period of great scientific
advancement, we sould always remember the
past. Tennyson represents himself as hanging
round with ‘grooms and porters’, maybe showing
him in a noble light as he is willing to lower himself
to the lower classes, thus linking him with Lady
Godiva’s gesture of solidarity. The first person
narration also adds a certain personal tint to open
the poem; it is something, which Tennyson really
feels strongly about.
Characterisation
Hair hair is described as "looking like a
summer moon" being long is a sign of
higher status. She is compared to light to
show her actions are good. Her hair
could also be a symbole of her eraticism.
"And shower'd the rippled ringlets to her
knee" shows how seeing her ankle could
simply be enough.
Additional narrative methods
Voices in the story - Tennyson also
uses direct speech, which breathes
some life into the characters of the
story and makes them seem more
like real people. Often in myths and
legends we forget that the people in
them are actually real. Also allows
the reader to sympathise more with
Godiva’s cause as we can actually
hear exactly what she thinks and
says to the Earl. Justifies her trip
through Coventry in the nude.
Ulysses
Significant narrative methods
Voices in the story
Ulysses has four different voices he
uses for different audiences, each stanza
makes use of a different voice. The
poem is written as a dramatic
monologue, stanza 1 shows him ranting
to himself about his boredom of staying
in one place and his hatred of the tedium
of everyday life "Match'd with an aged
wife, I mete and dole". This reveals
aspects of his selfish character.
Destination
The story of the stanzas is uniform and follow
directly after each other. The future is
mentioned "It may be that the gulfs will wash us
down. It may be we shall touch the happy isles"
this shows where the narrative is going as his
spirit still yearns for new experiences and
challenges. This is reinforced byy his desire to
reach beyond the tedium of everyday life by the
mentions of "Not me" his goals are set and he is
ready to achieve them.
Additional narrative methods
The characterisation of Ulysses is revealed by how he
describes his people "I mete and dole unequal laws
unto a savage race" Showing his incompetence and
disinterest as a ruler. He rather values learning and new
experiences "To follow knowledge like a sinking star"
more than his own people. HE sees that there is little
point in staying home with people he loathes.