The Seafarer Flashcards
discuss the seafarer as an elegy
disputed term but oblique description where narrative and poetic thought is being captured
what does the oppressive nightwatch mean in ‘the oppressive nightwatch that often came upon me’
psychological concept revealing his dark state of mind
conceived intention
theological undercurrent
it is a devotional/spiritual poem where secular origins have been made religious to make its message accessible for a contemporary audience
ends with ‘Amen’
style
written as prose with little punctuation in manu - ed problem
‘at times, I took the swan’s song for my entertainment, the gannet’s cry and curlew’s sound, for the laughter of men, seagull’s singing for mead-drinking’
imagery suggestive of psychological experience
compelling even if it becomes a metaphor
what is the turning point of the poem
‘therefore, he, who had experienced the pleasure of life in cities, few bitter experiences, proud and merry with wine, little believes how I often weary, had to remain in the ocean-path’
tone becomes more like a wisdom poem rather than focusing on the I
celestial city influence - allegorical contrast between cities/surrounding lands
‘therefore, now the thoughts of my heart press that I myself experience deep currents, the salt-waves tumult’
interplay between physical conditions versus the mental thoughts being experienced
‘nor is his thought for the harp-pride, nor for ring-receiving.’
biblical connotations of the kinship with people of God but the heroic is given a negative frame here
‘that after they, children of men, may praise him and then his glory may live with angels always in eternity’
‘the days are departed of all the pomp of the kingdom of the earth; kings nor emperors nor gold-givers are not such as they once were when they performed among themselves the greatest of glorious deeds and lived in most noble renown’
elegy
lamenting the past
sorrow in spiritual assessment between divine and ordinary life
‘though a brother may wish to strew the grave with gold for his brother, bury it beside the dead, gold cannot be of help to the soul full of sins’
criticism of this burial practice reveals the historical framework
Patrick Connor suggested it led to monks reading it encouraging community to give goods to the church instead of burying them
what begins the didactic section of the poem that gives it an explicitly religious point of view
‘Foolish is he who does not fear the Lord, unexpected death comes to him.’
‘Blessed is he who lives humbly; the grace of the heavens comes to him’
‘a man should restrain with a strong mind’
‘let us consider where we may have our home’
‘malice against friend and against enemy’
reflects the cycle of violence/feud
‘the seafarer makes us long for the hardships of the sea, so much so that the consolations of heaven pale beside the pleasures of discomfort’ - do you agree
AGREE:
story literally to tell ‘days of toil’
‘no protecting kinsman could comfort the desolate spirit’
DISAGREE:
‘my heart’s desire urges that I seek out the land of foreigners far from here’
talks about how the favour blessed do not understand suffering
isolation
‘there I did not hear anything except the sea resounding’
is the seafarer allegorical
yes
‘because there is not anyone on earth so proud of heart… he never has sorrow about his sea voyage, as to how the Lord will treat him’
(about the beautiful landscape)
‘all these things urge the heart in the one eager of spirit to journey’
‘he must bring about good actions on earth, brave deeds against the devil’
‘we may strive that we may arrive there in eternal blessedness. Thanks be to the Holy one for this.’
‘Amen’
