Throughout Ulysses, Tennyson portrays through his hero, a sense that life is a whole lot more than just a preparation for death; it is necessary, in order to have a life to be satisfied with, you mustn’t "rust unburnish'd, not to shine in use” When Ulysses says this, he means that your whole life, you need to be making progress, doing miraculous things. Not just living, “[a]s tho’ to breathe were life!” I, …showed first 75 words of 659 total…

…showed last 75 words of 659 total…could die at any time. And he needed to make something of his life. That was exactly what happened to me. I made that realization, because I realized I could die as soon as tomorrow, so I must begin a journey. A journey that will go to my grave!” I, like Ulysses have had experiences that have led me to believe that throughout life, you must always be making progress, and striving for better things.