The SeafarerThe Seafarer

Translated by Burton RaffelTranslated by Burton Raffel

Composed by an unknown poetComposed by an unknown poet

Part of Part of The Exeter The Exeter BookBookThe Exeter BookThe Exeter Book was given to Exeter was given to Exeter Cathedral in the 11Cathedral in the 11thth century. It contained century. It contained a collection of Anglo-Saxon manuscripts.a collection of Anglo-Saxon manuscripts.

The Seafarer – the cold, The Seafarer – the cold, hard factshard facts

Can be considered an Can be considered an elegyelegy, or mournful, , or mournful, contemplative poem.contemplative poem.

Can also be considered a Can also be considered a planctusplanctus, or , or “complaint.” This would involve a “complaint.” This would involve a fictional speaker and a subject that may fictional speaker and a subject that may be loss other than death.be loss other than death.

Regardless, the expression of strong Regardless, the expression of strong emotion is the key.emotion is the key.

The Seafarer – the cold, The Seafarer – the cold, hard facts cont.hard facts cont.

What the poem has that most Anglo-What the poem has that most Anglo-Saxon poems also have:Saxon poems also have:

1.1. Caesuras – pause in a lineCaesuras – pause in a line

2.2. Alliteration joins the 2 parts of the lineAlliteration joins the 2 parts of the line

3.3. Kennings – metaphorical phrasesKennings – metaphorical phrases

The Seafarer – the cold, The Seafarer – the cold, hard factshard facts

Caesura and alliteration in actionCaesura and alliteration in action

““The only The only soundsound / was the roaring / was the roaring seasea””

KenningsKennings

““coldest seeds” = hailcoldest seeds” = hail

““givers of gold” = Anglo-Saxon kingsgivers of gold” = Anglo-Saxon kings

The Seafarer – the cold, The Seafarer – the cold, hard factshard facts

A wraecca tells his tale; he is at sea. (A A wraecca tells his tale; he is at sea. (A “wraecca“wraecca” was a person who had been ” was a person who had been exiled from his community.)exiled from his community.)

Poem highlights the balance between the Poem highlights the balance between the Anglo-Saxon belief in fate, where Anglo-Saxon belief in fate, where everything is grim and overpowering, and everything is grim and overpowering, and the Christian believer’s reliance on God. the Christian believer’s reliance on God.

The Seafarer – the cold, The Seafarer – the cold, hard factshard facts

The land represents safety and security.The land represents safety and security. The sea represents hardship and The sea represents hardship and

struggle, but the man is drawn to it struggle, but the man is drawn to it because it brings him closer to God. The because it brings him closer to God. The sea represents the power of God.sea represents the power of God.

““Home” represents heaven or being Home” represents heaven or being closer to God.closer to God.

The Seafarer – the cold, The Seafarer – the cold, hard factshard facts

The following lines you’ll want to be The following lines you’ll want to be able to define. (understand = test)able to define. (understand = test)

1.1. ““Nothing Golden shakes the Wrath of Nothing Golden shakes the Wrath of God.”God.”

2.2. ““Sweated in the cold of an anxious Sweated in the cold of an anxious watch”watch”

The Seafarer – literary The Seafarer – literary criticismcriticism

Some believe that the poem has 2 Some believe that the poem has 2 speakers. One who makes a personal speakers. One who makes a personal “complaint” and a second who comments “complaint” and a second who comments on the condition described by the first.on the condition described by the first.

The second speaker emphasizes man’s The second speaker emphasizes man’s relationship with the divine rather than relationship with the divine rather than one man’s personal plight.one man’s personal plight.

The Seafarer – literary The Seafarer – literary criticismcriticism

However, Michael Alexander, a literary However, Michael Alexander, a literary critic, believes it is not a dialogue.critic, believes it is not a dialogue.

““The poem is a soliloquy: a The poem is a soliloquy: a wraeccawraecca that that tells of the many winters [he] spent at tells of the many winters [he] spent at sea, and the hardship he has borne.”sea, and the hardship he has borne.”

The Seafarer – literary The Seafarer – literary criticismcriticism

Rosemary Woolf believes the following:Rosemary Woolf believes the following:

“”…“”…the man who lives a life on land is always the man who lives a life on land is always in a state of security and contentment: he is in a state of security and contentment: he is therefore mindless of the Christian image of therefore mindless of the Christian image of man as an exile; …The sea, however, is man as an exile; …The sea, however, is always a place of isolation and hardship: the always a place of isolation and hardship: the man, therefore, who chooses to be literally man, therefore, who chooses to be literally what in Christian terms he is figuratively, must what in Christian terms he is figuratively, must forsake the land and live upon the sea.”forsake the land and live upon the sea.”

Reading Poetry – in Reading Poetry – in generalgeneral

Don’t stop at the end of a line, stop at the Don’t stop at the end of a line, stop at the punctuation mark. The end of the line punctuation mark. The end of the line has to do with the “beat” of the line; it has has to do with the “beat” of the line; it has nothing to do with the “meaning” of the nothing to do with the “meaning” of the line. Reading to the punctuation mark is line. Reading to the punctuation mark is called called enjambment.enjambment.