The Techniques Used to Present Values in Ulysses and The Passionate

Sheepheard to His Love

I shall examine the different ways in which Ulysses1 by Lord Alfred Tennyson and The
Passionate Sheepheard To his Love2 by Christopher Marlowe are structured to express the values
of the narrator. Sheepheard is generally concerned more with materialistic, physical objects –
particularly those tied to nature - while Ulysses seems to focus on emotions and constructs.

The most salient distinction between the two poems is the form. Sheepheard is organised into
quatrains, themselves organised into rhyming couplets. The effect is one of a feeling of
conciseness – an effect strengthened by the use of iambic tetrameter, shorter than most English
metres – as well as simplicity and unity through the closed nature of the poem's sound, reflecting
the poem's content. The simple rhyming scheme emphasises this sense of straightforwardness
while giving the impression of consideration and thought by placing a definite, very audible and
consistent structure upon the poem. In contrast, Ulysses' long verses and lack of rhyming scheme
grant the poem a sense of grandness, painting the idea of a long saga or story. This effect is
heightened by enjambment – which suggests the notion of expansive thoughts and ideas,
somewhat free from the rigid form of Sheepheard - while an overarching rhythmic structure,
though limited, is still bestowed by iambic pentameter, adding a mild idea of such freedom being
tempered. This is another topic raised within the content of the poem , as Telemachus is left to
'subdue' a 'rugged people', that despite the sense of adventure throughout the poem the 'sphere' of
duty still exists, 'He works his work, I mine.' The lack of rhyming scheme is mitigated slightly by
the repetition of sounds in places – 'Souls that have toiled, and wrought, and fought with me,' a
small measure of added thoughtfulness and passion.

Both poems rely on repetition to strongly indicate the speaker's values. An entire line is repeated
in Sheepheard – 'come live with mee, and be my love', using rule of three (lines 1, 20 and
slightly altered in 24) to make the line a particularly memorable one which seems to weave
throughout the poem, the word change of 'come' to 'Then' giving a sense of finality to the last
line. This repetition occurs in some of the few couplets which avoid directly discussing nature
and reflects a sense of honest but confident request, reminding the listener that this proposal is
the very purpose of the poem and cutting through the poem's naturalistic imagery. Indeed,
Sheepheard, as something of a love poem, also stresses that the narrator will bestow all they can
upon their lover – 'we will all the pleasures prove,' and listing a large volume of things the
shepherd will do if 'all these pleasures may thee move'. By reiterating these ideas - by limiting
the scope of the poem so tightly and consistently to these themes of the shepherd's love for the
unnamed individual and of nature - it is shown how passionately the narrator feels these are
important over all else.

The narrator of Ulysses reiterates words and ideas which are central to the life of the titular
character – 'stars', 'Gods', 'free', 'life', 'hearts' – mostly metaphysical concepts, as opposed to the

1Ulysses, Lord Alfred Tennyson, The Penguin Book of English Verse (2004)

2The Passionate Sheepheard to His Love, Christopher Marlowe, The Penguin

Book of English Verse (2004)
physical, earthy nature of Sheepheard, showing the nature of Ulysses' concerns, hopes and
history.

This sense of metaphysics; of thought ranging to abstract concerns is strengthened by the use of
metaphor and similie. An instance of the latter is 'to follow knowledge like a sinking star',
showing the fundamental importance of stars for the nagivation of ships in the period, much like
how knowledge is used to guide one's actions. Metaphor is used when the narrator laments 'How
dull it is...to rust unburnished, not to shine in use!' comparing the lack of activity to rusting,
faded metal - the actual content of the metaphor as well as the effect referring to that which
would surround a sailor – oceanic imagery and superstition ('household gods', 'men that strove
with Gods',) is ubiquitous.

Metonymy is also employed: Telemachus is left 'the sceptre and the isle', or kinghood over the
island; a period of three days becomes 'three suns'. Again, this helps to give the poem a sense of
higher things; as objects and the notions of what they culturally mean to people are blended and
intertwined.

Sheepheard is relatively bereft of metaphor – the closest perhaps being 'Melodious byrds singing
Madrigalls' – a simple personification of birdsong - once against reflecting the humble pleasures
expressed throughout the poem and the lack of concern about the metaphysics and divinity which
underlies Ulysses.

Rather, the almost uniformly natural imagery of Sheepheard is crafted modestly and plainly, with
form reflecting content - 'beds of Roses...a thousand fragrant poesies/A cap of flowers, and a
kirtle'; the lexus choice is limited, and metaphor largely avoided, while flowers, 'Rocks' and
'Rivers' are discussed. An exception to the sense of humbleness which characterises Sheepheard
is found in the reference to 'buckles of the purest gold' – though it is perhaps not associated with
nature, it is certainly still a part of the material world, unlike much of the abstract and highbrow
thought abundant throughout Ulysses.

Both stress the importance of toil and hard work. As an incentive – one of the 'pleasures' offered
the shepherd's love – the Sheepheard refers to 'wooll' which 'from our pretty lambes we pull',
suggesting that the very act of taking the wool from the sheep was itself a worthy pleasure for the
shepherd's love. The same sentiment is expressed repeatedly and far more strongly throughout
Ulysses; often intrinsically tied to a sense of adventure and curiosity – 'vile it were...to store and
hoard thyself,' its importance being greater even than life emphasised by repetition – 'Life piled
on life/Were all too little.'