The Wanderer Flashcards
Oft him anhaga are gebideð, metudes miltse, þeah þe he modcearig geond lagulade longe sceolde hreran mid hondum hrimcealde sæ, adan wræclastas. Wyrd bið ful aræd!
Often [he] the solitary one waits for favour,
the Measurer’s mercy, although he, anxious in spirit,
across the sea-paths for a long time must
stir with his hands the frost-cold sea,
to tread the exile-tracks. Fate is wholly inexorable!
“Anhaga”: A poetic word, epithet for the wanderer - emphasises his sense of personal dislocation and loss of identity.
“metudes miltse” variation with “are”
“Modcearig” (Anxious in spirit) is Hapax and compound word
“Mod” repeated 10x throughout poem, meaning mind/heart/spirit
“lagulade” - kenning
“hrimcealde” is hapax compound word
“wraeclast” = compound
“wyrd bid ful araed” - envelope pattern introduces the key idea of “wyrd” (fate)
Swa cwæð eardstapa, earfeþa gemyndig,
wraþra wælsleahta, winemæga hryre:
So (1) spoke (2) the wanderer, (3) mindful (5) of hardships, (4)
of fierce (6) slaughter, (7) the fall (9) of beloved kinsman: (8)
“Eardstapa” - Hapax compound word “Earth stepper”
- -> Contrasts with water imagery, highlighting his selfhood on Earth or his desire to be on Earth whilst on water
- -> “Stapa” suggests wandering/uncertainty
- -> Epithet like “anhaga” (solitary one) highlights dislocation
“Winemaega” - poetic compound: “beloved kinsmen”
Oft ic sceolde ana uhtna gehwylce
mine ceare cwiþan
Often (1) I (2) must (3) alone, (4) each (6) dawn (5)
bewail (9) my (7) sorrows. (8)
Nis nu cwicra nan
þe ic him modsefan minne durre
sweotule asecgan.
There is not (1) now (2) any[one] (4) living (3)
to (5) whom (7) I (6) dare (10) speak (12)
my (9) mind (8) openly. (11)
“Nis nan” double negative for emphasis
“modsefan” poetic and repeated throughout the poem
Ic to soþe wat
þæt biþ in eorle indryhten þeaw,
þæt he his ferðlocan fæste binde,
healde his hordcofan, hycge swa he wille
I (1) know (4) it for (2) truth (3)
that (5) it is (6) in (7) a warrior (8) a lordly (9) custom, (10)
that (11) he (12) should bind (16) fast (15) his (13) mind, (14)
guard (17) his (18) wealth-chamber, (19) think (20) what (21) he (22) will. (23)
“ferdlocan” - kenning: “spirit locker”
–> Semantic field of binding: Wanderer’s constriction evident in early part of poem
Envelope pattern between “ferdlocan” and “hordcofan”
“hordcofan” - Kenning
Variation on what the lordly custom is
Ne mæg werig mod wyrde wiðstondan,
ne se hreo hyge helpe gefremman.
Neither (1) can (2) a weary (3) mind (4) withstand (6) fate, (5)
nor (7) does (8) troubled (9) thought (10) bring (12) help. (11)
“hreo hyge” - transferred epithet
–> troubled mind/thought speaking of himself
Forðon domgeorne dreorigne oft
in hyra breostcofan bindað fæste
Therefore, (1) ones eager for renown (2) often (4)
bind (8) fast (9) in (5) their (6) breast-chambers (7) a dreary mind (3)
Internal rhyme of “domgeorne” and “dreorigne” emphasises juxtaposition between “ones eager for renown” and a “dreary mind”
“breostcofan” - kenning for body
“hyra” - repeated use of 3rd person despite no 3rd person being present: emphasising wanderer’s dislocation from society
swa ic modsefan minne sceolde,
oft earmcearig, eðle bidæled,
freomægum feor feterum sælan
so (1) I (2) must (5) my (4) heart, (3)
often (6) wretched with cares, (7) deprived (9) of homeland, (8)
far (11) from kin, (10) fasten (13) with fetters, (12)
“modsefan” poetic and repeated throughout poem
Tautological reference to personal pronouns “ic” and “minne” but still bound by heroic code / fate (“sceolde”) ?
“edle” (“homeland”) - key word as is constantly elusive throughout the poem - homeland is only available with God
“freomaegum” - poetic compound (“noble men” / kin)
“feterum saelan” - repetition & variation of previous pain
siþþan geara iu goldwine minne
hrusan heolstre biwrah, ond ic hean þonan
wod wintercearig ofer waþema gebind,
sohte sele-dreorig sinces bryttan,
since (1) long ago (2-3) earth (6) covered (8)
my (5) gold-friend (4) in darkness, (7) and (9) I, (10) wretched, (11) from there (12)
went (13) desolate as winter (14) over (15) the waves’ (16) binding, (17)
sought, (18) hall-dreary, (19-20) a giver (22) of treasure, (21)
“wintercearig” - Hapax legomenon (Literally winter-sorrowful)
“Sele-dreorig” - Hapax legomenon (Hall-dreary)
“goldwine” - poetic compound (gold-friend): The two key aspects of the hall - fiscal and social
“Sinces” - poetic word, whole line focused on heroic culture and society
“bryttan” - poetic word - 2 next to eachother! Emphasis upon poetical at this point
hwær ic feor oþþe neah findan meahte
þone þe in meoduhealle min mine wisse,
oþþe mec freondleasne frefran wolde,
weman mid wynnum –>
Where (1) I (2) far (3) or (4) near (5) might (7) find (6)
one (8) who (9) in (10) a mead-hall (11) might know (14) my (12) affection (13)
or (15) wish (19) to console (18) me (16), the friendless one (17)
entertain (20) me with (21) pleasures (22)
“meoduhealle” - poetic word (meadhall)
“feor oþþe neah” - liminal space
–> Wat se þe cunnað
hu sliþen bið sorg to geferan
þam þe him lyt hafað leofra geholena:
He (2) who (3) experiences it (4) knows (1)
How (5) cruel (6) is (7) sorrow (8) as (9) a companion (10)
He (11) who (12) has (15) few (14) beloved (16) friends (17) for himself (13)
warað hine wræclast nales wunden gold,
ferðloca freorig, nalæs foldan blæd.
The path of exile (3) attends (1) him (2), not (4) twisted (5) gold (6),
His soul chamber (7) frozen (8), not (9) earthly (10) prosperity (11)
Wraeclast - poetic compound word: “Exile path”
ferðloca - poetic compound “soul chamber”
Gemon he selesecgas ond sincþege,
hu hine on geoguðe his goldwine
wenede to wiste. Wyn eal gedreas!
He (2) remembers (1) hall-warriors (3) and (4) treasure-taking (5)
how (6) in (8) his (7) youth (9) his (10) gold-friend (11)
entertained (12) at (13) the feast (14). Joy (15) has all (16) perished! (17)
“selescgas” - Hapax word (Hall warriors / Hall man) - epithet defining men by their hall
“goldwine” - poetic compound (gold-friend): The two key aspects of the hall - fiscal and social
Forþon wat se þe sceal his winedryhtnes
leofes larcwidum longe forþolian:
So (1) knows (2) he (3) who (4) must (5) do without (11) his (6) beloved (8) lord’s (7)
instructive speeches (9) for a long time (10)
“forþolian” - Hapax legomenon (do without) emphasises absence and loneliness
“winedryhtnes” - compound “hall friend”
“leofes larcwidum longe forþolian” - maximum alliteration and assonance - sounds like a lament
ðonne sorg ond slæð somod ætgædre
earmne anhogan oft gebindað.
When (1) sorrow (2) and (3) sleep (4) together (5-6)
Often (9) bind (10) the wretched (7) solitary one (8)
“anhogan” - poetic compound “solitary one/ solitary dweller” emphasises loneliness
þinceð him on mode þæt he his mondryhten
clyppe ond cysse, ond on cneo lecge
honda ond heafod, swa he hwilum ær
in geardagum giefstolas breac.
It seems (1) to him (2) in (3) his mind (4) that (5) he (6) his (7) man-lord (8)
Clasps (9) and (10) kisses (11) and (12) on (13) his knee (14) lays (15)
hands (16) and (17) head (18), as when (19) he (20) at times (21) formerly (22)
in (23) the days of yore (24) enjoyed (26) the gift seat/throne(25)
“mondryhten” - poetic compound (“man-lord”)
“clyppe ond cysse, ond on cneo lecge
honda ond heafod” - polysyndeton emphasises the two coming together
“giefstolas” - kenning (gift seat) meaning throne
ðonne onwæcneð eft wineleas guma,
gesihð him biforan fealwe wegas,
baþian brimfuglas, brædan feþra,
hreosan hrim ond snaw, hagle gemenged.
When (1) the friendless (4) man (5) awakens (2) again, (3)
sees (6) before (8) him (7) the dark (9) waves, (10)
bathing (11) sea-birds, (12) spreading (13) wings, (14)
falling (15) hoar-frost (16) and (17) snow, (18) mingled (20) with hail. (19)
“ðonne onwæcneð eft wineleas guma” - no alliteration in this line exemplifies the confusion at awaking
“wineleas” - compound word: “friend-less”
contrasts with other compound uses of “wine” eg. “winedrythnes” (lord-friend)
–> Also an epithet for the Wanderer
“brimfuglas” - Hapax legomenon (sea birds) emphasises semantic ambiguity: Are they really birds or epithets for absent men?
þonne beoð þy hefigran heortan benne,
sare æfter swæsne. Sorg bið geniwad,
þonne maga gemynd mod geondhweorfeð;
Then (1) are (2) the (3) heart’s (5) wounds (6) ever more severe, (4)
sore (7) after (8) sweet. (9) Sorrow (10) is (11) renewed (12)
when (13) memory (15) of kinsmen (14) passes through (17) the mind; (16)
greteð gliwstafum, georne geondsceawað
secga geseldan. Swimmað eft on weg!
he greets (1) them joyfully, (2) eagerly (3) regards (4)
companions (6) of men (5). They swim (7) away (9-10) again! (8)
“greteð gliwstafum, georne geondsceawað” - maximum, double alliteration on the “g” sounds
“gliwstafum” - Hapax legomenon (Joyfully): incongruous with other hapax (all to do with isolation and sadness); significant that joy is imagined whilst sadness is real
“Swimmað eft on weg!” - litotes for death?
fleotendra ferð no þær fela bringeð
cuðra cwidegiedda. .
Floating (1) spirits (2) do not (3) bring (6) there (4) many (5)
known (7) spoken-songs (8).
“ferð” - poetic word
“cwidegiedda” - hapax and tautology emphasises the lack of speech received and thus the breakdown of social relations
Cearo bið geniwad
þam þe sendan sceal swiþe geneahhe
ofer waþema gebind werigne sefan.
Care (1) is (2) renewed (3)
to he who (4-5) must (7) send (6) frequently (8-9)
Over (10) the waves (11) binding (12), weary (13), his spirit (14)
Cearo bið geniwad - repeated
Forþon ic geþencan ne mæg geond þas woruld
for hwan modsefa min ne gesweorce
Therefore (1) I (2) can (5) not (4) think (3), throughout (6) this (7) world (8)
for (9) why (10) my (12) mind (11) does not (13) grow dark (14)
“modsefa” poetic and repeated throughout the poemf
þonne ic eorla lif eal geondþence,
hu hi færlice flet ofgeafon,
modge maguþegnas. –>
When (1) I (2) entirely (5) consider (6) men’s (3) lives (4)
How (7) they (8) suddenly (9) abandon (11) the hall (10),
headstrong (12) young-retainers (13)
“geondþence” - Hapax word highlighting the beginning of the wisdom part of the poem
–> “Geond” prefix repeated throughout this section to emphasise wisdom of thought
“færlice flet ofgeafon” - litotes for death; emphasises how the hall becomes the entirety of the world (compare to the falling apart of real middle earth)
“maguþegnas” poetic compound word “young retainers”
Swa þes middangeard
ealra dogra gehwam dreoseð ond fealleþ,
forþon ne mæg weorþan wis wer, ær he age
wintra dæl in woruldrice.
So (1) this (2) Middle-Earth (3)
each (4) of all (6) days (5) fails (7) and (8) falls, (9)
so (10) a man (15) can (12) become (13) no (11) wiser, (14) before (16) he (17) owns (18)
his winters’ (19) portion (20) in (21) the world. (22)
“weorþan wis wer, ær he age
wintra dæl in woruldrice.”
–> Alliterations of “W” associates wisdom with age and pain
