WANDERER COMMENTARY

Key Elements: 

First Line: Oft him anhaga  are gebide(th),

Last Line: Oft earmcearig,  e(th)le bid(ae)led

• Hapax Legomena: modcearig, hrimcealde, eardstapa
• Binding imagery
• Variation/Apposition
• Uncertain perspective/narrator
• Proverbial elements
• L11-13: Increased complexity of Syntax
• L15 and 16 : Parallels across lines, BA BA metre, noun/noun/verb structure

Key Elements: 

First Line: freom(ae)gum feor                    feterum s(ae)lan,

Last Line: (Th)ince(th) him on mode          (th)(ae)t he his mondryhten

• 'Zooming out', big picture outlook as the proverbial reappears, 3RD PERSON (L29-33)
• Litotes (L31)
• Line Pair (L32-33)
• Envelope Pattern (L37-44) of Dream Sequence
• L41 increased clarity of syntax in memory
• Importance of Memory/Dreams

Key Elements: 

First Line: clyppe ond cysse,           ond on cneo lecge 

Last Line: modge magu(th)egnas.  Swa (th)es middangeard

• Comitatus: Paternal relationship between speaker and Lord
• Clipped, harsh lexis: L42
• End of Envelope Pattern, shift in narrative from dream to reality (L45)
• L49-L51: When--> Then formula,

                 formulaic diction in L50 (sorg bi(th) geniwad)

                 Idiomatic presentation of memory (L51)

• GEOND: compounds of thinking/rumination
• Conflation of internal/mental state w/ external imagery (l53)
• L58: language of logic, L58b Type C Metre, deictic language
• L61- synecdoche, floor for the hall, metaphor for death
• Ends with DEICTIC QUALIFICATION

Key Elements: 

First Line: ealra dogra gehwam  dreose(th) ond fealle(th),

Last Line: dea(th)e ged(ae)lde,   sumne dreorighleor

• Homiletic: movement to Doomsday (L63)/ Maxims: No wisdom before his share of winters
• L65 Hypermetric (WISDOM poetry)
• Anaphora--> sense of moderation via THOUGHT/WORD/DEED progression
• L71 an inversion of L69
• Deixis: L74, '(th)isse worulde'
• L77 instrumental dative
• L76-78 Heavy use of Hapax Legomena
• Mini Envelope: Building-People-Building (ARCHITECTURAL METONYM L79)
• Lack of agency for warriors/men (L80)
• Beasts of Battle Motif L81-2: eagle, raven and wolf
• L81-83: INTERLOCKING STRUCTURES; Similar to the Dream of the Rood

Key Elements: 

First Line: in eor(th)scr(ae)fe   eorl gehydde.

Last Line: nipe(th) nihtscua,    nor(th)an onsende(th)

• L85-87: Deictic structure, metonym for the world with dramatic undercutting by L87
• Mythical/metaphorical references to buildings of the past
• Incremental repetition to narrow the view back down L88
• UBI SUNT: L92; Crescendo of importance between L92-93
• Homiletic 'Eala'
• L96--> C Type Metre: emphasis on the negative
• Motif of monuments/memory
• Lack of agency from the men: weapons rule them, not vice versa
• L100, Assonance
• L102 Binding Imagery

Key Elements: 

First Line: hreo h(ae)glfare                            h(ae)le(th)um on andan.

Last Line: frofre to f(ae)der on heofonum,    (th)(ae)r us eal seo f(ae)stnung stonde(th).

• Final resolution of 'this', removal of deictic qualification as a necessity
• L107: Ambiguity
• L108: Rhetorical set piece--> Her bi(th) mon l(ae)ne,  her bi(th) m(ae)g l(ae)ne,
• Broadening back out of perspective
• Body imagery
• L114: Shift from the first line
• Final permanence within the last line, contrast to transient tone throughout

bihreosan                                                                  hr(ae)dwyrde

biwawan                                                                    hrimceald

brimfugol                                                                   hri(th)

cwidegiedd                                                                hry(th)ig

dreorighleor                                                               ma(th)(th)umgyfa

eardstapa                                                                  modcearig

feohgifre                                                                    seledreorig

for(th)olian                                                                 selesecg

geond(th)encan                                                         wealsteal

gliwst(ae)fum                                                             wintercearig

h(ae)glfaru