and basically make it back home again (Pfordresher et al. 573). This short poem is a great example of the idea of a quest.The poem by Robert Browning called “Prospice” is also a good example of a poem using the idea of a quest. The character in this poem, Prospice, is taking a journey that is basically about fighting death until the battle is absolutely lost. The character’s attitude is brave and optimistic even though the character’s death is inevitable. A quote that supports this is “No! let me taste the whole of [death], / fare like my peers, / The heroes of old,” (“Prospice” 17-18) (Pfordresher et al. 597). The character does not wish to cower from death; he wishes to fight until the end and feel every blow. The only goal that the character seeks is to fight death until the end and to die with honor. This is a great example of how a poem can be short and can still be considered a great poem about a quest.Clive Cussler’s novels are also great examples of quests. The journeys usually taken by Dirk Pitt, the main character in the novels, are almost always about overcoming evil and saving the world. A quote that supports this is “President Dean Cooper Wallace walked up to them. ‘Gentlemen, the nation, no, the world, owes you a debt of gratitude that can never be repaid. Unfortunately, only a select few will ever learn how close the world came to chaos and what you did to prevent it.’” (Cussler 520). Dirk Pitt’s attitude is always positive and optimistic even in the bleakest situations. Dirk Pitt’s main goal is to keep the world safe. These novels are usually long, but they still accurately portray the idea of a quest.Tennyson’s “Crossing the Bar”, Browning’s “Prospice”, and Cussler’s Atlantis Found all support the idea of a quest. The Victorians expressed the idea in a short form and used po...
