The Ulysses Theme and Conflict in Literature

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The Ulysses theme symbolizes the conflict between exploration, enterprise, war, and action on one side, and home, hearth, family, domestic peace, and social order on the other. This theme is deeply explored in W. B. Stanford's The Ulysses Theme, which delves into the concept of a literary paradigm that has been prevalent since the time of Homer. The presence of a Penelope figure in the book signifies a recurring theme in literature that the author frequently contemplates.

For many men, surviving the test of battle intensifies the joy of being alive. A provocative claim, perhaps, but to novelist Mark Helprin, simply a fact, and one that drives his new book about men who commit themselves fully both to service during wartime and to the women they love. Listen as Helprin tells EconTalk's Russ Roberts how his service in the Israeli and American militaries, his decades of journalism and outdoor adventure, and his long career in defense and foreign policy enabled him to write The Oceans and the Stars, a lyrical and thrilling look at leadership in the crucible of war--and at sea. They also discuss Helprin's writing routine and sources of inspiration, his analysis of Israel's real-life war against Iran and its proxies, and his thoughts on the state of American culture today.