The background of Ulysses was a revolutionary change in the history of British literature in the 19th century. At that time, novels had existed as a literary form for hundreds of years, but in the 19th century, with the rise of the Enlightenment, literature began to develop in a more rational and objective direction. Charles Dickens, the author of Ulysses, was one of the representatives of this change. When he wrote Ulysses, he tried to explore the nature of human existence and the relationship between reason and emotion through the form of novels. Ulysses, the protagonist of the novel, was an experientialist. He believed that everything in the world could be learned through experience, and there was no need to believe in religion and myths. In addition, Dickens also used a comparison technique in the novel to explore the nature and development trend of society by comparing characters from different cultures and social classes. These techniques made Ulysses a novel with a high degree of ideology and cultural significance. The background of Ulysses was a revolutionary change in the history of English literature. It attempted to explore the nature of human existence and the relationship between rationality and sensibility through the form of novels, reflecting the development direction of 19th century literature.