Treatment of Nature in Old English Poetry:
Nature has always been a significant issue in the study of English poetry. The emotional responses of the poets have always been reflected in their poet's description of nature. The literature of old English period bears a testimony to the fact that Old English life was closely influenced by the natural phenomenon the hostility of the sea influenced the life of the Old English people. People struggled for their survival. Therefore, adoration of nature is reflected in the works of Old English literature.
In other words, the tempest, the thunder the vast sea, the setting Sun, the landscape etc. have been realistically portrayed in the works of Old English poetry. The bleak and sinister aspects of nature are apparent in Anglo-sexton poetry.
In Beowulf, the bleak and ugly aspect of nature is predominant. The sea that Beowulf crosses is a stormy sea. Beowulf follows to find out grendel's mother in the bottom of the sea which is death chill or fire in water. In Beowulf we find a pessimistic, hard and realistic picture of nature. Man was helpless against the atrocity of nature. Beowulf alone gives us a hard and realistic picture of nature.
In the poem 'Wanderer', we also find a gloomy description of nature. In the poem 'Husbands Message' the lover asks his wife to sail immediately in the spring when the cuckoo bird sings sorrowful song from the lofty cliff. In the poem, 'Wife's Complaint' the wife laments for her isolation from the husband. The description of nature creates a background. The darkness of nature reflects the mood of the wife.
Another poem 'The Sea Farer' portrays a vivid picture of the sea. The sailor watches the charming beauty of the sea. He also sees the wild and savage aspect of the sea. In fact, the early English poetry was basically Christian poetry. Christian religious love is also evident in their treatment of nature.
In Old English poetry we find the use of various birds, flowers, the beauty of the moon, the horror of the sea and other natural phenomenon therefore we can say nature in her diverse aspect have been portrayed in Old English poetry. We can say that treatment of nature in Old English poetry adds an extra beauty to Old English poetry. Moreover, treatment of nature in Old English poetry seems to inspire the romantic poets who romanticized nature and described natural beauty emotionally by throwing a colouring of imagination on the ordinary phenomenon of nature.
Treatment of Nature in Old English Poetry:
Nature has always been a significant issue in the study of English poetry. The emotional responses of the poets have always been reflected in their poet's description of nature. The literature of old English period bears a testimony to the fact that Old English life was closely influenced by the natural phenomenon the hostility of the sea influenced the life of the Old English people. People struggled for their survival. Therefore, adoration of nature is reflected in the works of Old English literature.
In other words, the tempest, the thunder the vast sea, the setting Sun, the landscape etc. have been realistically portrayed in the works of Old English poetry. The bleak and sinister aspects of nature are apparent in Anglo-sexton poetry.
In Beowulf, the bleak and ugly aspect of nature is predominant. The sea that Beowulf crosses is a stormy sea. Beowulf follows to find out grendel's mother in the bottom of the sea which is death chill or fire in water. In Beowulf we find a pessimistic, hard and realistic picture of nature. Man was helpless against the atrocity of nature. Beowulf alone gives us a hard and realistic picture of nature.
In the poem 'Wanderer', we also find a gloomy description of nature. In the poem 'Husbands Message' the lover asks his wife to sail immediately in the spring when the cuckoo bird sings sorrowful song from the lofty cliff. In the poem, 'Wife's Complaint' the wife laments for her isolation from the husband. The description of nature creates a background. The darkness of nature reflects the mood of the wife.
Another poem 'The Sea Farer' portrays a vivid picture of the sea. The sailor watches the charming beauty of the sea. He also sees the wild and savage aspect of the sea. In fact, the early English poetry was basically Christian poetry. Christian religious love is also evident in their treatment of nature.
In Old English poetry we find the use of various birds, flowers, the beauty of the moon, the horror of the sea and other natural phenomenon therefore we can say nature in her diverse aspect have been portrayed in Old English poetry. We can say that treatment of nature in Old English poetry adds an extra beauty to Old English poetry. Moreover, treatment of nature in Old English poetry seems to inspire the romantic poets who romanticized nature and described natural beauty emotionally by throwing a colouring of imagination on the ordinary phenomenon of nature.
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