Anglo-Saxon Poetry What do these poems tell us about Anglo-Saxon culture? What do they tell us about Anglo-Saxon Christianity?

What do these poems tell us about Anglo-Saxon values and their world-view? After answering these questions for yourself, write a brief essay (2-3 pages) explaining your findings; be sure to support your arguments using citations and analysis of said citations.

The Wanderer Oft him anhaga are gebide, metudes miltse, eah e he modcearig geond lagulade longe sceolde hreran mid hondum hrimcealde s wadan wrclastas. Wyrd bi ful ard! Swa cw eardstapa, earfea gemyndig, wrara wlsleahta, winemga hryre: 8a Oft ic sceolde ana uhtna gehwylce mine ceare cwian. Nis nu cwicra nan e ic him modsefan minne durre sweotule asecgan. Ic to soe wat t bi in eorle indryhten eaw, t he his ferlocan fste binde, healde his hordcofan, hycge swa he wille. Ne mg werig mod wyrde wistondan, ne se hreo hyge Often the solitary one finds grace for himself the mercy of the Lord, Although he, sorry-hearted, must for a long time move by hand [in context = row] along the waterways, (along) the ice-cold sea, tread the paths of exile. Events always go as they must! So spoke the wanderer, mindful of hardships, of fierce slaughters and the downfall of kinsmen: Often (or always) I had alone to speak of my trouble each morning before dawn. There is none now living to whom I dare clearly speak of my innermost thoughts. I know it truly, that it is in men a noble custom, that one should keep secure his spirit-chest (mind), guard his treasure-chamber (thoughts), think as he wishes. The weary spirit cannot withstand fate (the turn of events), nor does a rough or sorrowful mind

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helpe gefremman. Foron domgeorne dreorigne oft in hyra breostcofan binda fste; swa ic modsefan minne sceolde, oft earmcearig, ele bidled, freomgum feor feterum slan, sian geara iu goldwine minne hrusan heolstre biwrah, ond ic hean onan wod wintercearig ofer waema gebind, sohte seledreorig sinces bryttan, hwr ic feor oe neah findan meahte one e in meoduhealle mine wisse, oe mec freondleasne frefran wolde, wenian mid wynnum. Wat se e cunna hu slien bi sorg to geferan am e him lyt hafa leofra geholena: wara hine wrclast, nales wunden gold, ferloca freorig, nals foldan bld. Gemon he selesecgas ond sincege, hu hine on geogue his goldwine wenede to wiste. Wyn eal gedreas!

do any good (perform anything helpful). Thus those eager for glory often keep secure dreary thoughts in their breast; So I, often wretched and sorrowful, bereft of my homeland, far from noble kinsmen, have had to bind in fetters my inmost thoughts, Since long years ago I hid my lord in the darkness of the earth, and I, wretched, from there travelled most sorrowfully over the frozen waves, sought, sad at the lack of a hall, a giver of treasure, where I, far or near, might find one in the meadhall who knew my people, or wished to console the friendless one, me, entertain (me) with delights. He who has tried it knows how cruel is sorrow as a companion to the one who has few beloved friends: the path of exile (wrclast) holds him, not at all twisted gold, a frozen spirit, not the bounty of the earth. He remembers hall-warriors and the giving of treasure How in youth his lord (gold-friend) accustomed him to the feasting. All the joy has died!

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Foron wat se e sceal his winedryhtnes leofes larcwidum longe forolian: onne sorg ond sl somod tgdre earmne anhogan oft gebinda. ince him on mode t he his mondryhten clyppe ond cysse, ond on cneo lecge honda ond heafod, swa he hwilum r in geardagum giefstolas breac. onne onwcne eft wineleas guma, gesih him biforan fealwe wegas, baian brimfuglas, brdan fera, hreosan hrim ond snaw hagle gemenged. onne beo y hefigran heortan benne, sare fter swsne. Sorg bi geniwad onne maga gemynd mod geondhweorfe; grete gliwstafum, georne geondsceawa secga geseldan; swimma oft on weg fleotendra fer no r fela bringe cura cwidegiedda. Cearo bi geniwad am e sendan sceal swie geneahhe

And so he knows it, he who must forgo for a long time the counsels of his beloved lord: Then sorrow and sleep both together often tie up the wretched solitary one. He thinks in his mind that he embraces and kisses his lord, and on his (the lord's) knees lays his hands and his head, Just as, at times (hwilum), before, in days gone by, he enjoyed the gift-seat (throne). Then the friendless man wakes up again, He sees before him fallow waves Sea birds bathe, preening their feathers, Frost and snow fall, mixed with hail. Then are the heavier the wounds of the heart, grievous (sare) with longing for (fter) the lord. Sorrow is renewed when the mind (mod) surveys the memory of kinsmen; He greets them joyfully, eagerly scans the companions of men; they always swim away. The spirits of seafarers never bring back there much in the way of known speech. Care is renewed for the one who must send very often

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ofer waema gebind werigne sefan. Foron ic geencan ne mg geond as woruld for hwan modsefa min ne gesweorce onne ic eorla lif eal geondence, hu hi frlice flet ofgeafon, modge maguegnas. Swa es middangeard ealra dogra gehwam dreose ond fealle; foron ne mg weoran wis wer, r he age wintra dl in woruldrice. Wita sceal geyldig, ne sceal no to hatheort ne to hrdwyrde, ne to wac wiga ne to wanhydig, ne to forht ne to fgen, ne to feohgifre ne nfre gielpes to georn, r he geare cunne. Beorn sceal gebidan, onne he beot sprice, ot collenfer cunne gearwe hwider hrera gehygd hweorfan wille. Ongietan sceal gleaw hle hu gstlic bi, onne ealre isse worulde wela weste stonde, swa nu missenlice geond isne middangeard winde biwaune weallas stonda, hrime bihrorene,

over the binding of the waves a weary heart. Indeed I cannot think why my spirit does not darken when I ponder on the whole life of men throughout the world, How they suddenly left the floor (hall), the proud thanes. So this middle-earth, a bit each day, droops and decays Therefore man (wer) cannot call himself wise, before he has a share of years in the world. A wise man must be patient, He must never be too impulsive nor too hasty of speech, nor too weak a warrior nor too reckless, nor too fearful, nor too cheerful, nor too greedy for goods, nor ever too eager for boasts, before he sees clearly. A man must wait when he speaks oaths, until the proud-hearted one sees clearly whither the intent of his heart will turn. A wise hero must realize how terrible it will be, when all the wealth of this world lies waste, as now in various places throughout this middle-earth walls stand, blown by the wind, covered with frost,

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hryge a ederas. Woria a winsalo, waldend licga dreame bidrorene, dugu eal gecrong, wlonc bi wealle. Sume wig fornom, ferede in forwege, sumne fugel obr ofer heanne holm, sumne se hara wulf deae gedlde, sumne dreorighleor in eorscrfe eorl gehydde. Yde swa isne eardgeard lda scyppend ot burgwara breahtma lease eald enta geweorc idlu stodon. Se onne isne wealsteal wise geohte ond is deorce lif deope geondence, frod in fere, feor oft gemon wlsleahta worn, ond as word acwi: Hwr cwom mearg? Hwr cwom mago? [#] Hwr cwom maumgyfa? Hwr cwom symbla gesetu? Hwr sindon seledreamas? Eala beorht bune! Eala byrnwiga! Eala eodnes rym! Hu seo rag gewat, genap under nihthelm, swa heo no wre. Stonde nu on laste

storm-swept the buildings. The halls decay, their lords lie deprived of joy, the whole troop has fallen, the proud ones, by the wall. War took off some, carried them on their way, one, the bird took off across the deep sea, one, the gray wolf shared one with death, one, the dreary-faced man buried in a grave. And so He destroyed this city, He, the Creator of Men, until deprived of the noise of the citizens, the ancient work of giants stood empty. He who thought wisely on this foundation, and pondered deeply on this dark life, wise in spirit, remembered often from afar many conflicts, and spoke these words: Where is the horse gone? Where the rider? Where the giver of treasure? Where are the seats at the feast? Where are the revels in the hall? Alas for the bright cup! Alas for the mailed warrior! Alas for the splendour of the prince! How that time has passed away, dark under the cover of night, as if it had never been! Now there stands in the trace

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leofre dugue weal wundrum heah, wyrmlicum fah. Eorlas fornoman asca rye, wpen wlgifru, wyrd seo mre, ond as stanhleou stormas cnyssa, hri hreosende hrusan binde, wintres woma, onne won cyme, nipe nihtscua, noran onsende hreo hglfare hleum on andan. Eall is earfolic eoran rice, onwende wyrda gesceaft weoruld under heofonum. Her bi feoh lne, her bi freond lne, her bi mon lne, her bi mg lne, eal is eoran gesteal idel weore! Swa cw snottor on mode, gest him sundor t rune. Til bi se e his treowe gehealde, ne sceal nfre his torn to rycene beorn of his breostum acyan, neme he r a bote cunne, eorl mid elne gefremman. Wel bi am e him are sece, frofre to Fder on heofonum, r us eal seo fstnung stonde.

of the beloved troop a wall, wondrously high, wound round with serpents. The warriors taken off by the glory of spears, the weapons greedy for slaughter, the famous fate (turn of events), and storms beat these rocky cliffs, falling frost fetters the earth, the harbinger of winter; Then dark comes, nightshadows deepen, from the north there comes a rough hailstorm in malice against men. All is troublesome in this earthly kingdom, the turn of events changes the world under the heavens. Here money is fleeting, here friend is fleeting, here man is fleeting, here kinsman is fleeting, all the foundation of this world turns to waste! So spake the wise man in his mind, where he sat apart in counsel. Good is he who keeps his faith, And a warrior must never speak his grief of his breast too quickly, unless he already knows the remedy a hero must act with courage. It is better for the one that seeks mercy, consolation from the father in the heavens, where, for us, all permanence rests.

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line 92a: In J. R. R. Tolkien's The Lord of the Rings, in chapter six of The Two Towers, Aragorn sings a song of Rohan (itself a version of Anglo-Saxon England), beginning "Where now the horse and the rider? Where is the horn that was blowing?". The song clearly comes from this section of The Wanderer. (A more strictly literal translation of "mago" would be "youth", hence "Where is the horse gone? Where the young man?" -- but since the horse and the youth appear in the same half-line, Tolkien's rendering "rider" is very hard to resist.)

The Dream of the Rood

Manuscript: The Vercelli Book (chapter library of the cathedral at Vercelli, Codex CXVII). Editions: Krapp, George Philip, ed. The Vercelli Book. ASPR 2. New York: Columbia UP, 1932; Dickens, Bruce, and Alan S. C. Ross, eds. The Dream of the Rood. Methuen's Old English Library. New York: Appleton, 1966; Swanton, Michael, ed. The Dream of the Rood. Manchester Old and Middle English Texts. New York: Barnes (for Manchester UP), 1970. Pope, John C., ed. Seven Old English Poems. 2nd ed. New York: Norton, 1981. It will be obvious that I have relied heavily on Swanton's edition in my notes (click on the hyperlinked superscripts in the text to go to the notes). A general observation should be made here: this poem is remarkable for its extensive use of hypermetric lines, "used contrapuntally to accommodate significantly more complex thematic material" (Swanton 61). Hyperlinks to annotations are added in-line in the text, in bolded brackets. See also my notes on The Dream of the Rood. Text Listen! The choicest of visions I wish to tell, which came as a dream in middle-night, after voice-bearers lay at rest. It seemed that I saw a most wondrous tree born aloft, wound round by light,5 brightest of beams. All was that beacon sprinkled with gold. Gems stood fair at earth's corners; there likewise five shone on the shoulder-span [ 1 ]. All there beheld the Angel of God [ 2 ], fair through predestiny [ 3 ]. Indeed, that was no wicked one's gallows,10 but holy souls beheld it there, men over earth, and all this great creation. Wondrous that victory-beam--and I stained with sins, with wounds of disgrace. I saw glory's tree

honored with trappings, shining with joys,15 decked with gold; gems had wrapped that forest tree worthily round. Yet through that gold I clearly perceived old strife of wretches [ 4 ], when first it began to bleed on its right side. With sorrows most troubled,20 I feared that fair sight. I saw that doom-beacon [ 5 ] turn trappings and hews: sometimes with water wet, drenched with blood's going; sometimes with jewels decked. But lying there long while, I, troubled, beheld the Healer's tree,25 until I heard its fair voice. Then best wood spoke these words: "It was long since--I yet remember it-that I was hewn at holt's end, moved from my stem. Strong fiends seized me there,30 worked me for spectacle; cursd ones lifted me [ 6 ]. On shoulders men bore me there, then fixed me on hill; fiends enough fastened me. Then saw I mankind's Lord come with great courage when he would mount on me. Then dared I not against the Lord's word35 bend or break, when I saw earth's fields shake. All fiends I could have felled, but I stood fast. The young hero stripped himself--he, God Almighty-strong and stout-minded. He mounted high gallows,40 bold before many, when he would loose mankind. I shook when that Man clasped me. I dared, still, not bow to earth, fall to earth's fields, but had to stand fast. Rood was I reared. I lifted a mighty King, Lord of the heavens, dared not to bend.45 With dark nails they drove me through: on me those sores are seen, open malice-wounds. I dared not scathe anyone. They mocked us both, we two together [ 7 ]. All wet with blood I was, poured out from that Man's side, after ghost he gave up. Much have I born on that hill50 of fierce fate. I saw the God of hosts harshly stretched out. Darknesses had

wound round with clouds the corpse of the Wielder, bright radiance; a shadow went forth, dark under heaven. All creation wept,55 King's fall lamented. Christ was on rood. But there eager ones came from afar to that noble one. I beheld all that. Sore was I with sorrows distressed, yet I bent to men's hands, with great zeal willing. They took there Almighty God,60 lifted him from that grim torment. Those warriors abandoned me standing all blood-drenched, all wounded with arrows. They laid there the limb-weary one, stood at his body's head; beheld they there heaven's Lord, and he himself rested there, worn from that great strife. Then they worked him an earth-house,65 men in the slayer's sight carved it from bright stone, set in it the Wielder of Victories. Then they sang him a sorrow-song, sad in the eventide, when they would go again with grief from that great Lord. He rested there, with small company. But we there lamenting a good while70 stood in our places after the warrior's cry went up. Corpse grew cold, fair life-dwelling. Then someone felled us all to the earth. That was a dreadful fate! Deep in a pit one delved us. Yet there Lord's thanes,75 friends, learned of me,. . . . . . . . . . . adorned me with silver and gold. Now you may know, loved man of mine, what I, work of baleful ones, have endured of sore sorrows. Now has the time come80 when they will honor me far and wide, men over earth, and all this great creation, will pray for themselves to this beacon. On me God's son suffered awhile. Therefore I, glorious now, rise under heaven, and I may heal85 any of those who will reverence me. Once I became hardest of torments, most loathly to men, before I for them, voice-bearers, life's right way opened. Indeed, Glory's Prince, Heaven's Protector,90

honored me, then, over holm-wood [ 8 ]. Thus he his mother, Mary herself, Almighty God, for all men, also has honored over all woman-kind. Now I command you, loved man of mine,95 that you this seeing [ 9 ] tell unto men; discover with words that it is glory's beam which Almighty God suffered upon for all mankind's manifold sins and for the ancient ill-deeds of Adam.100 Death he tasted there, yet God rose again by his great might, a help unto men. He then rose to heaven. Again sets out hither into this Middle-Earth, seeking mankind on Doomsday, the Lord himself,105 Almighty God, and with him his angels, when he will deem--he holds power of doom-everyone here as he will have earned for himself earlier in this brief life. Nor may there be any unafraid110 for the words that the Wielder speaks. He asks before multitudes where that one is who for God's name would gladly taste bitter death, as before he on beam did. And they then are afraid, and few think115 what they can to Christ's question answer [ 10 ]. Nor need there then any be most afraid [ 11 ] who ere in his breast bears finest of beacons; but through that rood shall each soul from the earth-way enter the kingdom,120 who with the Wielder thinks yet to dwell." I prayed then to that beam with blithe mind, great zeal, where I alone was with small company [ 12 ]. My heart was impelled on the forth-way, waited for in each125 longing-while. For me now life's hope: that I may seek that victory-beam alone more often than all men,

honor it well. My desire for that is much in mind, and my hope of protection130 reverts to the rood. I have not now many strong friends on this earth; they forth hence have departed from world's joys, have sought themselves glory's King; they live now in heaven with the High-Father, dwell still in glory, and I for myself expect135 each of my days the time when the Lord's rood, which I here on earth formerly saw, from this loaned life will fetch me away and bring me then where is much bliss, joy in the heavens, where the Lord's folk140 is seated at feast, where is bliss everlasting; and set me then where I after may dwell in glory, well with those saints delights to enjoy. May he be friend to me who here on earth earlier died145 on that gallows-tree for mankind's sins. He loosed us and life gave, a heavenly home. Hope was renewed with glory and gladness to those who there burning endured. That Son was victory-fast [ 13 ] in that great venture,150 with might and good-speed [ 14 ], when he with many, vast host of souls, came to God's kingdom, One-Wielder Almighty: bliss to the angels and all the saints--those who in heaven dwelt long in glory--when their Wielder came,155 Almighty God, where his homeland was. Translation copyright 1982, Jonathan A. Glenn. All rights reserved. Annotations [ 1 ] shoulder-span. OE eaxlegespanne. Of this hapax legomenon, Swanton writes: "It would be tempting to identify this with the 'axle-tree' or centre-piece of the cross, although 'axle' in this sense of wheel-centre is not otherwise recorded before the thirteenth century. . . . It might . . . simply refer to the beam of the gallows along which Christ's arms were stretched, although the 'crux gemmata' normally has jewels along all four arms."

[ 2 ] All . . . God. Most editors assume that engel 'angel' is the subject of the sentence, but I follow Swanton in treating ealle 'all' as subject and engel as object. Swanton considers this to cause difficulties about identifying the engel, but the OE word can carry the sense 'messenger,' which obviously suggests that the Cross itself is the engel dryhtnes 'angel/messenger of God. [ 3 ] fair . . . predestiny. OE fgere urh forgesceaft, an ambiguous phrase, forgesceaft being used elsewhere to mean both 'creation' and 'future destiny.' See Swanton for a discussion of the possibilities. My translation indicates that I take it to mean 'what is preordained.' Thus the Rood is part of an eternal plan, like "the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world" (Rev. 13:8). [ 4 ] old strife of wretches. OE earmra rgewin, lit. 'of wretches ere-strife.' The phrase, in this context, appears to refer to the whole battle between Christ and Satan, Good and Evil; more immediately, of course, it refers to Christ's Passion, viewed as battle. [ 5 ] doom-beacon. OE fuse beacen. Considering that "the word fus is commonly associated with death," Swanton notes: "Clearly, within the poet's vision we must recognize not simply the church year hastening to its sacrificial end, but a concrete symbol of death and the doom to come. This beacen is at once an emblem of death (Christ's) and of doom (that of the dreamer and world). At Judgement Day it is this symbol that will be seen again in the heavens. . . ." [ 6 ] cursd . . . me. As Swanton observes, the syntax could conceivably support the rendering "made me lift cursd ones." [ 7 ] both . . . together. OE unc butu tgdere 'we two both together.' Unc is dual in number, underscoring the close relationship--the near identification--of Cross and Christ in the poem. [ 8 ] holm-wood. OE holmwudu, a hapax legomenon and obscure. Swanton notes three possible ways to find meaning in the term: (1) interpret it as 'sea-wood' (either 'ship' or--more understandably--lignum vitae 'tree of life,' which grows by the waters of Paradise); (2) emend to holtwudu 'forest wood'; or (3) take holm in the OS sense 'hill,' providing a "powerful oblique reference to the gallows of Golgotha." [ 9 ] seeing. OE gesyh 'thing seen, vision' (> NE sight), clearly referring to the dreamer's vision of the Cross. B. Hupp, Web of Words, entitles this poem "Gesyh rodes." [ 10 ] Christ's . . . answer. More literally: "what they may begin to say to Christ." [ 11 ] most afraid. OE unforht, usually emended to anforht 'fearful'; Swanton retains the MS reading unas an intensive: 'very afraid.' [ 12 ] small company. See line 69. This is one of the numerous echoes set up to link Christ, Cross, and Dreamer. [ 13 ] victory-fast. I.e., secure in or sure of victory.

[ 14 ] with . . . good-speed. OE mihtig ond spedig 'mighty and successful' (the latter being the original meaning of speedy).