Abstract In the poem Ulysses, Alfred Lord Tennyson used a classical figure, Ulysses, known as Odysseus in Homer’s Epic, to advocate the spirit of striving onward. However, Ulysses’ last voyage is not mentioned in Homer’s Epic. Some said the origin is from the Divine Comedy. Actually Ulysses is a very contradictory figure in western literature. It’s another essential clue that the time the poem was written was after Tennyson’s best friend, Hallam, died. This article is going to analyze the use of this classical figure in different aspects, and present various thoughts on the last voyage. Literary Background Ulysses is the Latin name of Odysseus, the Greek hero in the Trojan War, and the main character of Homer’s Odyssey, which is about Odysseus’ voyage back home, going through lots of adventures. Despite the determination shown in his adventures, in Homer’s Epic, Ulysses is best known for his wisdom. Such a feature then led to the division of Ulysses’ character. I think it’s because while the Greeks regard both strength and wisdom, Romans prefer the previous one. So Ulysses was then portrayed as a cunning rogue rather than a hero. This also influenced Dante’s the Divine Comedy, where Ulysses is mentioned in the Inferno. It is said that Ulysses made a voyage just for exploration and was drowned in the sea. This is also widely accepted as the prototype of the last voyage planned in this poem. Image in the Poem Despite the contradiction of Ulysses theme in literary history, this poem inherits the common point in Odyssey and the Inferno, that is, the faith of adventure. The poem uses dramatic monologue to show the adventurous spirit. Ulysses first recalled his glorious expedition. This determines his heroic image in this poem. Then he expressed his strong will of continuing the journey to seek the unknown world. The last sentence best conveys the idea of the adventurous life, “To strive, to seek, to find, and not to