The Anglo-Saxon literature or old English Literature can be broadly divided into two groups-Pagan and Christian. The Anglo-Saxon settlers brought with them some poems which are of Pagan origin. Later on they were coloured by Christian doctrine and morality. Thus there was a blend of Pagan and Christian sentiment in them. Among the Pagan poems the most prominent is Beowulf. There were other poems like Widsith, The Fight of Finnibur, The Battle of Maldon. There were some elegies like The Wanderer, Deor, The Sea Farer, The Wife's Complained the Ruin etc. These poems came from Pagan tradition but some of them had Christian sentiment. They presented a bleak and somber world. As a result a sense of melancholia pervades all these poems.
Old English Christian Poetry:
Christianity produce
two great poets-Caedmon and Cynewylf. They were the representative poets of
old English Christian poetry. The origin of early religious poems has been
described by Bede in his Historia Ecclesitasica. He tells the
story how his lay brother Caedmon became divinely inspired and wrote poetry. He
glorified the creation-Exodus, the passion of Christ and many other Biblical
story. The other Anglo-Saxon poets known to us by name is Cynewylf. He was a
write of great influence and poet of genuine power. His name survived many
years even after his death. His important poems are Christ, Juliana, The
Fate of Apostles, The Fall of Angels, The Dream of Rood. Therefore,
from the Anglo-Saxon poetry it is not difficult to choose two great poems- Beowulf
and The Dream of Rood. Beowulf is written in the form of an
epic. It is a story of heroic deeds. However it also combines Christian
elements. On the other hand The Dream of Rood is undoubtedly the
first of old English religious poems. It is a story of crucification told by
the cross itself. In his dream the poet sees the miraculous tree by turns
shining in Jewels and bathed in blood. It related to him the story of its life
from the day when it was struck down on the verge of the forest to that on
which the young hero was lifted onto it. The dreamer in this poem sees at
midnight a glorious cross rise to fill the sky, worshiped by all creation. It
is covered with gold and Jewels but at other times covered with blood. It is
honoured by men as beacon light and a cure for all ills of life. This poem has
religious overtone. Its allegorical meaning influenced the later mediaeval
school of allegorical poetry. The poem also presents the warrior culture of the
past. In warrior culture it was the duty of a man to stand by his lord and die
in his defense. But the lord in the dream is an Anglo-Saxon hero who wants to
join battle with death. The cross is the uncomprehending but obedient
participant in its lord's death. The cross yields his lord's body to his human
followers who burry him. Three crosses are also buried. In a devotional
conclusion the cross explains that it is now honoured as a sign of salvation
and commands the dreamer to tell men the Christian news of the second coming
when those who live under the sign of cross will be saved. Therefore, we can
say the poem shows old English riddle tradition, the story of crucification. In
other words it fills the living culture with theology and redirecting the
heroic code of loyalty and sacrifice from an earthly to heavenly lord.
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