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
Wita sceal geþyldig,
ne sceal no to hatheort ne to hrædwyrde,
ne to wac wiga ne to wanhydig,
ne to forht ne to fægen, ne to feohgifre
ne næfre gielpes to georn, ær he geare cunne.
The wise man (1) should be (2) patient, (3)
should (5) be not (4+6) too (7) hot-headed, (8) nor (9) too (10) quick of speech, (11)
nor (12) too (13) weak (14) a warrior, (15) nor (16) too (17) reckless (fool-hardy), (18)
neither (19) too (20) fearful (21) nor (22) too (23) cheerful, (24) nor (25) too (26) wealth-greedy, (27)
nor (28) ever (29) of boasts (30) too (31) eager, (32) before (33) he (34) knows (36) enough. (35)
“hrædwyrde” - Hapax word
“wanhydig” - Hapax “reckless / fool-hardy” (poetic compound word)
“feohgrife” - Hapax legomenon: wealth greedy
–> 3 lines in a row ending with hapax words and all alliterate pairs of heroic tropes
Repetition of “ne” negation throughout extract accentuates the negativity displayed by the wanderer
Beorn sceal gebidan, þonne he beot spriceð,
oþþæt collenferð cunne gearwe
hwider hreþra gehygd hweorfan wille.
A man (1) must (2) wait, (3) when (4) he (5) speaks (7) a boast, (6)
until, (8) bold-spirited, (9) he knows (10) clearly (11)
to where (12) his mind’s (13) thought (14) will (16) turn. (15)
“beorn” - “Man”: poetic word
“beot” - “boast”: poetic word
“collenferð” - poetic compound: “bold hearted”
“hreþra” - “mind”: poetic word
“gehygd” - “thought”: poetic word
Specifying variation on “beorn” throughout
Ongietan sceal gleaw hæle hu gæstlic bið,
þonne ealre þisse worulde wela weste stondeð,
swa nu missenlice geond þisne middangeard
A wise (3) man (4) should (2) perceive (1) how (5) ghastly (6) it will be (7)
when (8) all (9) this (10) world’s (11) wealth (12) stands (14) waste, (13)
as (15) now (16) variously (17) throughout (18) this (19) Middle-Earth (20)
winde biwaune weallas stondaþ,
hrime bihrorene, hryðge þa ederas.
walls (3) blown (2) by wind (1) stand (4)
with frost (5) covered, (6) the (8) buildings (9) snow-swept (7)
“biwaune” - Hapax word “wind blown” (Pathetic fallacy)
“bihorene” - Hapax word - “frost covered” (Pathetic fallacy)
“hryðge” - Hapax word - “snow swept” (more pathetic fallacy)
Short lines here emphasise verse economy and mirrors the tightness of the stoic’s heart
Woriað þa winsalo, waldend licgað
dreame bidrorene, duguþ eal gecrong,
wlonc bi wealle. –>
The (2) wine-halls (3) crumble, (1) the rulers (4) lie down, (5)
deprived (7) of rejoicing, (6) the war-band (8) all (9) fallen, (10)
proud (11) by (12) the wall (13)
“Winsalo” - Hapax legomenon for “wine hall” - semantic field to do with heroic social code and their breakdown (Destruction of the ones superior to you (lord), the ones your equal (thanes) and the thing that facilitates the relationship - the hall)
Sume wig fornom,
ferede in forðwege, sumne fugel oþbær
ofer heanne holm,
War (2) took (3) some, (1)
carried (4) on (5) forth-way, (6) one (7) a bird (8) carried off (9)
over (10) the high (11) sea, (12)
“forðwege” - “journey forth” - litotes for death (poetic term)
“ferede in forðwege, sumne fugel oþbær”
–> Variation in this line
“holm” - a poetic term, implying that the sea is a metaphor? Ironically similar phonologically to “ham” (home)
sumne se hara wulf
deaðe gedælde, sumne dreorighleor
in eorðscræfe eorl gehydde.
one (1) the (2) grey (3) wolf (4)
dealt over (6) to death, (5) one (7) a sad-faced (8)
warrior (11) hid (12) in (9) an earth-cave. (10)
“dreorighleor” - Hapax legomenon (“sad faced”)
Yþde swa þisne eardgeard ælda scyppend
oþþæt burgwara breahtma lease
eald enta geweorc idlu stodon.
Thus (2) the Shaper (6) of men (5) destroyed (1) this (3) earth-yard, (4)
until, (7) lacking (10) the inhabitants’ (8) cries, (9)
the old (11) giants’ (12) works (13) stood (15) worthless (14)
“ælda” - poetic word - “men” genitive of “scyppend” (shaper of men) emphasising the holiness of man in this section
Se þonne þisne wealsteal wise geþohte
ond þis deorce lif deope geondþenceð,
frod in ferðe, feor oft gemon
wælsleahta worn, ond þas word acwið:
He (1) then, (2) with wise (5) thought, (6) this (3) wall-place (4)
and (7) this (8) dark (9) life (10) deeply (11) considers, (12)
wise (13) in (14) mind, (15) often (17) remembers (18) far ago (16)
many (20) battle-slaughters, (19) and (21) speaks (24) these (22) words: (23)
“wealsteal” - Hapax legomenon (“Wall foundation”)
–> part of the repeated imagery of walls (metaphor for stoic warrior) and the building blocks of civilisation
“geondþenceð” - Hapax legomenon meaning “think through” - emblematic of deep thought & meditation
“frod” - poetic word (“wise/experienced”)
“ferðe” - poetic word (spirit)
“Hwær cwom mearg? Hwær cwom mago? Hwær cwom maþþumgyfa?
Hwær cwom symbla gesetu? Hwær sindon seledreamas?
Eala beorht bune! Eala byrnwiga!
Eala þeodnes þrym!
“Where went the horse (3)? Where the young warrior (6)? Where the gift-giver (9)?
Where (10) went (11) the banquet (12) seats (13)? Where (14) be (15) the hall-joys? (16)
Alas, (17) bright (18) cup! (19) Alas, (20) mail-warrior! (21)
Alas, (22) princely (23) majesty! (24)
“mearg” (“horse”) poetic word
“mago” (young warrior) poetic word
“maþþumgyfa” - Hapax legomenon “treasure giver”
“bune” - poetic word (“goblet”)
“byrnwiga” - poetic word -
“armoured warrior”
Hu seo þrag gewat,
genap under nihthelm, swa heo no wære.
How (1) that (2) time (3) has departed, (4)
grows dark (5) under (6) night-cover, (7) as if (8) it (9) were (11) not. (10)
Stondeð nu on laste leofre duguþe
weal wundrum heah, wyrmlicum fah
Now (2) stands (1) outlasting (3-4) the beloved (5) war-band (6)
a wall (7) wondrously (8) high (9), with snake-shapes (10) adorned. (11)
Eorlas fornoman asca þryþe,
wæpen wælgifru, wyrd seo mære,
ond þas stanhleoþu stormas cnyssað,
Warriors (1) destroyed (2) by forces (4) of ash-spears (3)
weapons (5) greedy for slaughter (6), that (8) famed (9) fate (7)
and (10) storms (13) beat (14) this (11) stone-cliff, (12)
“waelgifru” - poetic word -
“slaughter hungry”
“stanhleoþu” - poetic word (“stony cliff”) adding to the wall imagery/metaphors
hrið hreosende hrusan bindeð,
wintres woma, þonne won cymeð,
nipeð nihtscua, norþan onsendeð
hreo hæglfare hæleþum on andan.
an attacking (2) snowstorm (1) binds (4) the earth, (3)
winter’s (5) tumult, (6) then (7) the dark (8) comes, (9)
the night-shadows (11) deepen, (10) from the north (12) sends (13)
a fierce (14) hailstorm (15) to (17) the anger (18) of men (16)
“hrið” - Hapax legomenon (“snowstorm”) - part of pathetic fallacy semantic field
“nihtscua” - Poetic word: “night shadow”
“þonne won cymeð,
nipeð nihtscua,” (“then the dark comes, the night-shadows deepen”) - Variation
“hæglfare” - Hapax legomenon - pathetic fallacy and broader metaphor for trauma
Eall is earfoðlic eorþan rice,
onwendeð wyrda gesceaft weoruld under heofonum.
All (1) is (2) difficult (3) in earth’s (4) kingdom (5)
the operation (6) of fated events (7) changes (8) the world (9) under (10) heaven (11)
Her bið feoh læne, her bið freond læne,
her bið mon læne, her bið mæg læne,
eal þis eorþan gesteal idel weorþeð!”
Here (1) is (2) wealth (3) transitory, (4) here (5) is (6) friend (7) transitory (8)
here (9) is (10) man (11) transitory, (12) here (13) kinsman (14) is (15) transitory, (16)
all (17) this (18) earth’s (19) foundation (20) turns (22) empty (21)!
Swa cwæð snottor on mode gesæt him sundor æt rune.
So (1) spoke (2) the one wise (3) in (4) mind (5), sat (6-7) apart (8) at (9) secret meditation. (10)
Til biþ se þe his treowe gehealdeþ,
ne sceal næfre his torn to rycene
beorn of his breostum acyþan,
nemþe he ær þa bote cunne,
eorl mid elne gefremman.
Good (1) is (2) he (3) who (4) keeps (7) his (5) faith (6)
nor (8) should (9) ever (10) his (11) anger (12) too (13) quickly (14)
the warrior (15) from (16) his (17) breast (18) make known (19)
unless (20) he (21) previously (22) knows (25) the (23) cure (24)
a warrior (26) fights on (29) with (27) courage (28)
Wel bið þam þe him are seceð,
frofre to fæder on heofonum,
þær us eal seo fæstnung stondeð.
Well (1) will it be (2) for him (3+5) that (4) seeks (7) grace (6)
comfort (8) from (9) the Father (10) in (11) heaven (12)
where (13) for us (14) all (15) security (16-7) stands (18)
