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Question
Explain with reference to the context the following line.
The long day wanes: the slow moon climbs:
the deep Moans round with many voices.
Solution
- Reference: These lines are from the poem ‘Ulysses” written by Alfred Tennyson.
- Context and Explanation: The poet continues to discuss old age and the tantalizing call of the oceans to conquer. Ulysses hints at the probable end of the cycle of life in the words “The long clay wanes”. The symbol of darkness or night is mostly associated with death. The lure of the ocean to resume his voyages beyond the point of sunset is too tempting to resist. The dark unfathomable sea beckons him and his compatriots with mysterious voices.
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