Literary Journal #2
Parallel Structure: the repetition of certain forms of phrases that creates a rhythm and connect thoughts “How dull it is to pause, to make an end, To rust unburnished, not to shine in use! As thought to breathe were life.” -From Ulysses by Alfred, Lord Tennyson In the poem Ulysses, Alfred, Lord Tennyson utilizes parallel structure throughout his poem to create a reminiscent tone in Ulysses’ longing to escape the mundane everyday life and enter a realm of adventure. From line twenty-two until line twenty-four, Tennyson uses parallel structure in “to pause, to make an end, to rust unburnished, not to shine” and “to breathe” to illustrate Ulysses’ dissatisfaction with his current situation. After traveling far and wide into the unknown with his shipmates, Ulysses suffers from the lack of action and excitement in his home of Ithaca. The infinitive statements such as “to pause,” to make,” and “to rust” create an effect of a never-ending yearning for adventure and a constant complain towards aging and remaining stationary. In addition, the complex sentence structure with many independent clauses emphasizes the reminiscent tone because the long sentence mirrors Ulysses’ grieving. Tennyson reflects Ulysses’ constant burdens, some including his old age, immobile life, and piercing silence, in his parallel structure where the infinitives all create a somber and melancholic tone. Both “pause” and “rust” have negative connotations; pause symbolizing an end and rust signifying a decay of life. The parallel structure also helps to create a smooth rhythm in the poem, which contradicts with Tennyson’s word choices of “pause”, and “to make an end.” The repetitive structure of the infinitives establishes an effortless tone as if Tennyson were writing down his thoughts immediately as they appeared in his mind. By beginning each clause with “to”, the parallel structure creates an organization of thoughts that then helps