 Tennyson 's character , however , is not the lover of public affairs seen in Homer 's poems . Rather , " Ulisse " from Dante 's Inferno is Tennyson 's main source for the character , which has an important effect on the poem 's interpretation . Ulisse recalls his voyage in the Inferno 's 26th <unk> , in which he is condemned to the Eighth Circle of false <unk> for <unk> his gift of reason . Dante treats Ulisse , with his " zeal … / T <unk> the world " , as an evil <unk> who lusts for adventure at the expense of his family and his duties in Ithaca . Tennyson projects this zeal into Ulysses ' <unk> desire for knowledge : 
