How is Ulysses by Alfred Lord Tennyson a dramatic monologue?

The poem Ulysses is a perfect example of a dramatic monologue. A Dramatic monologue is a form of poem characterized by a silent listener, implied action and the revelation of the speaker's characters by his own speech.

In Ulysses, the speaker is the king of Ithaca who is dissatisfied with the tedium of life staying in his kingdom which "little profits" him. He wishes to travel and explore the unknown truths and knowledge of this world. He wants to soar above the sky and beyond the sunset in the pursuit of knowledge.

By his own speech, the speaker unconsciously reveals his quality of ambition. He also gives an effect to the readers about his inefficiency as a ruler, for, his pursuit for knowledge is more important than his responsibilities or duties. The same quality is displayed in his passing on of his throne to his son Telemaches. The feature of implied action such as when he asks his mariners to come to the port also play significant role in confirming the poem's form as a dramatic monologue.

The character of 'brevity' - the deliberate shortness in certain sentences to increase the effect - in sentences such as "he works his work, I mine" also is a feature of dramatic monologue which is present in this poem.