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 have an important effect on the poem 's interpretation . Ulisse recall his voyage in the Inferno 's 26th canto , in which he is condemned to the Eighth Circle of false counsellors for misusing his gift of reason . Dante treat Ulisse , with his " zeal … / T 'explore the world " , as an evil counsellor who lust for adventure at the expense of his family and his duties in Ithaca . Tennyson project this zeal into Ulysses ' unquenched desire for knowledge :