Give an account of old English Christian Poetry.

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.