Spirit of Nationalism– The powerful enthusiastic spirit of nationalism is filled and embodied throughout the poem. The poem opens with a famous lines ” We are the music makers” where the constant use of the collective word “We” emphasizes a group of people with a spirit of nationalism. The Victorians were filled with nationalist feelings of emphasizing the force of dreams and conquest and discovering new lands. The strong unity is also reflected in the poem where the poet states that “The soldier, the king, and the peasant/Are working together in one” which reflects the growth of nationalism and the working of union and coming together of a nation to build a strong mighty empire. The “music” is a dimensional layer of not only progress in music and art but also in the field of science, physiology, archaeology , politics and geography. The poet has consistently made the feelings of love and oneness towards a nation steady throughout the entire poem.
Spirit of Colonialism– The spirit of colonialism is clearly evident in the poem where the poet embraces the Victorians for their enthusiasm who goes on a lonely journey to discover new lands and “desolate dreams”. The lines of “movers and shakers” gives a strong implications of colonial power of strong powerful people. The Victorian mindset is clearly seen in the poem where the man is filled with a dream to discover a new journey and will go forth and “conquer a dream” reflecting the colonial spirit which is heightened where the music of the Victorian knowledge’s will be trampling the newly discover lands “And three with a new song’s measure/Can trample a kingdom down”. The colonial spirit is vividly portrayed where the poet addresses that the Victorians are working and pursuing their everlasting dreams which they want the present generation to feel their dreams and they have no “vision” and “divine foreshowing” to the “land to which they are going” reflects the conquest and odyssey of the Victorians who are embarking on a new journey to discover new lands and colonize the lands.
The Dynamism of Victorian Era– The dynamism of Victorian spirit is captured in the poem. The poem weaves the dynamism of progress and development, pursuit of dreams, endless journey and optimistic search for knowledge and truth. The poem weaves these Victorian traits and spirit in the poem where the poet states the progression of the Victorians where the past needs to be buried tracing from “Nineveh” to the fall of “Babel” and becomes clearly optimistic of the dreams that is going to give birth to a new nation that is developing. The optimism of achieving the dreams is heightened and the ability to inspire the people with their dreams is also a reflection of the dynamic state of Victorian era for the poet states that “A breath of our inspiration/ Is the life of each generation”. It seems that they will do anything to achieve their dreams and calls for the coming of together where each and every person in the society is working and tilling hard to fulfill the dreams of each Victorians.
The Spirit of Leadership and Power– The spirit of leadership and power is established in the poem as well. Tennyson’s Ulysses also reflects the character of Ulysses character having the trait of leadership skills and the ability to influence people. Similarly the poet also highlights the similar traits of leadership skills and power in the Victorians. The poet states that one man who has a dream is infuriated with flames and the flames does not end within a person but is able to influence and “Wrought flame in another man’s heart”. This reflects the spirit of leadership qualities that the poet is talking about in the poem. The power is continuously a spirit imbued by the individuals in their passions and pursuit of dreams and the coming of together as one to fulfill their dreams. The words of the poetry are selectively optimistic and gives a tone of pride in one’s nation and showing to the world the power of the rising British Empire.
Spirit of the British Empire– The poem also talks about the spirit of the Empire where the people with a nationalistic feelings tries to build their own nation upon their dreams and passions. They want to build great cities and skyscrapers by replenishing it with beautiful stories to erect the glory of a powerful nation which is clearly imbued in the lines “With wonderful deathless ditties/We build up the world’s great cities,/And out of a fabulous story/We fashion an empire’s glory”. However, politically Victorians believed that the British Empire is the Empire where the sun never sets is clearly captured in the poem where the poet states the Victorian power and spirit of progression that will be a noise to the world. The ” infinite morning” is the power of the Empire where the sun never sets for the poet highlights that they are “afar” from the morning dawn as well as the “suns that are not yet high” implying the glorious nation of continuous progression and dynamism that never sets and ends. The lines clearly captures such sentiments:
“For we are afar with the dawning
And the suns that are not yet high,
And out of the infinite morning
Intrepid you hear us cry”.
