The Old Hero(A discussion of the hero Odysseus in his old age)Once upon a time there was a story written about a man in ancient Greece who deceived man and God. It was part of a famous war, the Trojan War, which of course had the famous Trojan Horse tactic, was a very important part of history. Both for historical and literary purposes. “While trying to enter Troy, the cunning Odysseus (some say with the help of Athena) ordered a great wooden horse to be built. Its internal parts had to be hollow so that soldiers could hide inside. "(Pompey) He created one of the best characters of all time. His name is Odysseus. There was an old book written by Homer about him, and then in the 19th century a great poem written by Alfred, Lord Tennyson. The new poem concerns the later parts of Odysseus's life. Three things can be gleaned from Tennyson's poem; his thoughts on age and his feelings towards life in general tells the purpose of his life. Since this poem focuses on the last years of this hero's life, it really describes his weaknesses as an old man Like failing to rule his country, Ithaca this poem is to pass the torch of his nation to his son Telemachus. “This is my son, my Telemachus, to whom I leave the scepter and the island” (Page 972, 33-34) Another purpose of Odysseus is to make up for lost time with his wife Penelope. He has been away from her for twenty years. And now he wants to reconcile with her. “Arthur Hallum, Tennyson's friend, had just died at sea. Tennyson must continue to do his duty, however. He also needed to find comfort in Hallum's death: he died as an active man engaged in meaningful activities... middle of paper... with the triumph of Odysseus, being able to walk away from power, love and his home. (Cooke) Works Cited Cooke, Charles. "Introduction." Eldritch Press. Np, nd Web. 7 April 2014. .Johnson, Rose. "Alfred, Lord Tennyson." Technology education in Los Angeles. Np, nd Web. 6 April 2014. .P., Samyuthka. "Ulysses - a dramatic monologue." All about poetry. Np, nd Web. 7 April 2014. .Peterson, Christain. "Theme of the old age of Ulysses". Shmoop. Np, nd Web. 6 April 2014. .Pompeo, Rita. "The Trojan War." Stanford Education. Np, nd Web. 6 April. 2014. .