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THE WANDERER

1 Exeter Book Summary to himself. He should also trust God and fear Him, because
He is the only one with the power to save a man's soul.
The Theme of Overcoming Hardships in “Deor”
In the elegy “Deor,” the narrator provides several examples The Exeter Book Riddles
from history and legend of men and women who overcame There are nearly 100 riddles in Exeter Book. Scholars often
mental or physical hardships. Weyland was imprisoned and refer to Riddles 1, 2, and 3 as the “storm riddles” because
hamstrung by his enemy, but he survived. Beadohild was they depict natural phenomena like thunderstorms, wind,
impregnated by her brothers' murderer and felt much and other atmospheric occurrences. Riddles 25, 44, and 45
emotional turmoil, but the pain eventually passed. Geat and are classified as double entendres, for they seem to be
Maethild's love was tormented, but that passed. Theodric's depicting sexual images but are actually referring to regular
difficult reign lasted thirty years, but the struggle passed. household items such as, respectively, an onion, a key, and
Ermanaric was a cruel ruler who did not treat his warriors dough. Riddle 72 possibly refers to the sun, but has been the
with respect, but that passed. Deor himself suffered subject of much speculation and scrutiny over the years.
because he was once a loyal court scop to a lord, but was
replaced by another poet. His suffering also passed. The
message of “Deor”, reiterated by the poet many times, is
that all types of grief eventually fade away with time.

Separation and Longing in “The Wife’s Lament”

In “The Wife’s Lament”, the protagonist is in a foreign land,
far away from her husband. While her husband was away,
his kinsmen turned him against her, so she is now in hiding
(or her husband turned out to be dishonest and sent her
away). She is imprisoned under an oak tree and mourns her
marriage. She is devastated by their separation and thinks
longingly about happy lovers.

Exile and Wisdom in “The Wanderer”

In “The Wanderer”, the narrator is traveling at sea after his
lord has died and he was unable to find another one. Exile is
torture for him, and he suffers on his lonely journey on the
icy, wintry seas. He remembers the comfort of the kinsmen
in his hall and his relationship with his kind lord. However, he
understands the grander scope of life. He urges readers to
be wise and avoid being anxious, brash, proud, or grasping.
Earthly life is short, and men pass away. A man should
remain courageous and stout-hearted, keeping his emotions

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 Comentario de Textos Literarios en Lengua Inglesa
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2 What’s Up with the Title?

The Absence of an Original Title in “The Wanderer”

The poem we know as “The Wanderer” actually doesn't
have a title as it appears in the manuscript; it's just
separated from the poem before it by a larger first letter to
mark its first word. Anglo-Saxon poets and scribes didn't
seem to think it was necessary to give their poems titles.
That didn't work for modern translators and editors, though,
who took it upon themselves to name the poem after its
speaker, the eardstapa, or earth-stepper, of line 6. But they
translated “earth-stepper” as “wanderer,” probably so that
the word would be more immediately meaningful for readers
not accustomed to the highly figurative compound nouns of
Anglo-Saxon poetry.

The Impact of the Title “The Wanderer”

It's worth considering for a moment how the title “The
Wanderer” changes the way we read the poem. After all, if
the editors wanted to name this poem after its speaker, they
could also have called it the “lone-dweller” or the “wise
man” – other descriptions of him in the poem. Calling the
poem “The Wanderer” signals that the most memorable or
important thing about the poem is the speaker's travels, his
aimless wandering, rather than, for example, his loneliness
or the wisdom that he shares. But that may or may not be
true. Keep that in mind as you read the poem, and consider:
if you had to name this poem, what would you call it? Or
should we give it a name at all?

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3 Introduction @shmoop traces of both traditional Germanic warrior culture and of a

Christian value system. The speaker for much of the poem is
The Evolution of the English Language and “The a warrior who has had to go into exile after the slaughter of
Wanderer” his lord and relatives in battle. Now, he contemplates what
“The Wanderer” is a poem written in Old English, the the experience of the exile teaches him about life.
language that the people living in England spoke before the
Norman Conquest of 1066. After the Conquest, the Latin- The Fusion of Pagan and Christian Elements
based language of the French-speaking conquerors mixed For most of the poem, the speaker expresses traditional
with the Germanic Old English, eventually leading to the Germanic beliefs about how a wise man should act, the
weird, wonderful soup of Latin and Germanic features that inevitability of death, and mankind's inability to change his
makes up modern English. What this means for “The fate. The poem is bookended, though, by the Christian idea
Wanderer” is that even though it's technically written in of the possibility of God's favour and grace, which the
English, it doesn't look anything like the English we speak speaker holds up as the only possible refuge from all the
today. In fact, most people don't even read it in the original; misery he witnesses. The relationship between fate – in Old
they have to use a translation. English, wyrd – and God's grace is not clear in the poem; the
presence of both might be evidence of “The Wanderer's”
The Preservation of “The Wanderer” in the Exeter Book position at the meeting point of Christianity and Paganism.
“The Wanderer” has been preserved in the Exeter Book, the
biggest manuscript collection of Old English poetry in Lamentation and Wisdom in “The Wanderer”
existence. Scribes copied poems into the Exeter Book some “The Wanderer” is both a lament for all the things the
time during the 10th century. That doesn't mean, however, speaker – and people more generally – have lost, and also a
that “The Wanderer” was written in the 10th century. It's reflection on what wise men learn from their life
more likely that the poem was passed down orally from experiences. With this dynamic duo, “The Wanderer”
generation to generation. Bards might have sung or recited it combines parts of two traditional genres of Old English
to crowds of warriors as they ate and drank, or gathered for poetry: the elegy, or lament, and the wisdom poem. These
other social occasions. To your average Anglo-Saxon, two genres aren't unrelated, since Anglo-Saxon poets
nothing said “party” like the recitation of a poem like “The believed that no one could be truly wise until they had
Wanderer.” Some say you can find traces of the poem's oral experienced a whole lot of life – including pain and suffering.
composition in the text, like repeated language patterns and “The Wanderer” is a variation on the “what doesn't kill you
themes that might have helped a bard to remember it, or makes you stronger” theme, the idea your grandfather is
even compose one on the spot. trying to get across when he tells you about how he walked
to school in four feet of snow as a kid. Even a thousand years
Historical and Cultural Context of the Poem ago, people – and particularly our poet – believed in “no
Most scholars think “The Wanderer” first appeared as a pain, no gain”!
piece of oral poetry during the 5th or 6th century, a time
when the Germanic Pagan culture of Anglo-Saxon England A Journey Through Despair: The Wanderer's Reflection on
was undergoing a conversion to Christianity. It contains Suffering

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By now you've probably figured out that “The Wanderer” is

no day at the beach. Instead, it's a day at the wind-wracked,
miserably cold and dark precipice overlooking a beach – a
rocky one while a storm is raging, where you definitely
wouldn't want to lay out your towel. Why the heck would
anyone want to spend time here? What's the point of all this
misery and complaining?

Finding Meaning in Suffering

That's actually the question the speaker of “The Wanderer”
tries to answer – the poem's whole reason for being. See,
even though he's pretty convinced that it doesn't do any
good to whine about his sorrows, he just can't seem to stop
himself. But, almost like he's trying to redeem himself from
being just a complainer, he steps back to reflect upon what
his sad existence – the experience of the exile – teaches him
about life more generally.

The Poet's Conclusion: Wisdom Through Pain

His conclusions, unfortunately, are just as depressing as his
situation… but that's not the point. The point is, he's made
the move. He's tried to find meaning in his suffering. With this
move, his suffering becomes bigger than just his personal
experience to become part of the collective experience of
mankind. Big, abstract idea, but bear with us. Because,
actually, this kind of move is one that most people make
every day.

Relating “The Wanderer” to Everyday Experiences

Haven't you ever wondered why bad things happen to good
people? Why innocent people suffer? If you have, then you,
too, are trying to find meaning in suffering, and you can
probably relate to the speaker of “The Wanderer.” We just
hope, for your own psychological well-being, that the
conclusions you reach are more uplifting than this guy's!

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4 Summary @shmoop waves and sea-birds bathing. When he remembers the good
old days, his exile on the sea only seems sadder. Therefore,
Introduction of the Lone-Dweller and Earth-Stepper says the earth-stepper, he isn't sure why he doesn't despair
The first speaker in the poem introduces us to a “lone- when he thinks deeply about the life of men – how warriors
dweller,” whom he says is hoping for God's mercy and abandoned their hall very suddenly, how this earth continues
favour despite being condemned to travel alone over an ice- to decline.
cold sea. He says the lines that follow as the speech of an
“earth-stepper,” who is probably this same “lone-dweller” The Wisdom of Age
we've just met. A man cannot be wise until he is very old, says the earth-
stepper. A wise man must be patient, emotionally stable,
The Earth-Stepper's Reflection on Loneliness and careful about what he says. A warrior must not be weak,
The earth-stepper now steps in. He remembers the foolish, or cowardly. He must think carefully before boasting
hardships he has faced, including the slaughter of his or making a promise. A wise man knows how awful it will be
relatives. He says that no one remains alive to whom he when the earth is abandoned, that it will be just like an
dares speak his mind. This reflection that prompts him to abandoned building beaten down by wintry weather. In front
share with us a “truth” – that it's good for a person to lock of this abandoned building lie the bodies of warriors, picked
his thoughts within himself. A sad and weary mind never at by birds and wolves or hidden in caves by friends. In this
does anyone any good, so he counsels “glory-seekers” to way God destroyed the world, until the work of giants, empty
bind their thoughts within, just as he has had to do ever since of the sounds of men, were worthless.
his lord was killed. Now, says the earth-stepper, he's looking
for a new lord (as in, a big-time landowner who rules an Reflections on Life's Transience
area), someone to hang out with him and give him treasure. When the wise man contemplates this building and thinks
carefully about life, he speaks as follows: He laments the
The Friendless Exile's Misery passing of life's pleasures and the people who once enjoyed
The earth-stepper says that everyone who has been a them. He remarks how the time passes away into
friendless exile knows how miserable it is when sorrow is nothingness, as though it had never been.
your only friend. Instead of receiving gold or fame, this
person experiences only the path of exile and a frozen body. The Ravages of Time
The friendless exile remembers better times – partying in the Behind the high wall, adorned with serpent-carvings, lie the
mead-hall, feasting among friends and with his lord. But now bodies of men, killed by ash-spears. Storms wrack the stone
the good times are over. structure as snow covers the ground, sent by shadowy
forces in the north in anger towards men. The earth is filled
Dreams of the Past with hardship, and fate governs events within it. Gold,
When the friendless exile sleeps, says the earth-stepper, he friends, kinsmen, and mankind are all fleeting. It's good for a
dreams about being back in the hall, embracing and kissing person to keep his promises, and to keep his grief to himself
his lord just as he did in the times when he received treasure until he knows how to make his situation better. Things will
from his old boss. When he awakes, though, all he sees are

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be well for the person who seeks favour and comfort from
God, in whom all stability rests.

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5 Summary: The Wanderer Written in unrhymed Old English alliterative verse, the poem
is most readily accessible in modern prose translations.
The Structure and Content of the Poem
Essentially a monologue set within a frame, this poem of 115
lines creates two personae—the anonymous author who
gives a brief introduction and conclusion, and the Wanderer,
an aging warrior who roams the world seeking shelter and
aid. The Wanderer’s monologue divides into two distinct
parts, the first being a lament for his exile and the loss of kin,
friends, home, and the generosity of his king. In nature he
finds no comfort, for he has set sail on the wintry sea.
Poignantly the speaker dreams that he is among his
companions and embracing his king, only to awaken facing
the grey winter sea and snowfall mingled with hail.

The Wanderer's Reflections on Man's Fate

In the monologue’s second portion, the Wanderer reflects
more generally on man’s fate, urging resignation and control
of emotion as ways of meeting adversity. From the ruined
walls and cities he encounters on his travels, he witnesses
the destruction that has befallen societies other than his
own. This portion of the poem introduces the ubi sunt theme,
as the Wanderer questions what has become of the things
he has known and realizes that many have vanished and all
else is fleeting.

Pagan and Christian Values in the Poem

The poem, like much other Anglo-Saxon poetry, links pagan
and Christian values in an uneasy combination. The authorial
voice begins and concludes the poem, referring to God and
stressing the importance of faith, themes absent from the
Wanderer’s speech. The Wanderer’s lament, even in the
voice of an outcast, upholds Anglo-Saxon tribal values,
notably loyalty, generosity, courage, and physical strength. It
reflects an overriding concern with the grim and sombre
aspects of nature and with the power of fate, against which
an aged man can pit only resignation and inner restraint.

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6 Summary “The Wanderer” @gradesaver dreams of happier days when he could lay his hands and
head upon his lord's knees. When he awakens, the lonely
Seeking Understanding in Exile man will be forced to face his friendless reality, surrounded
The poem begins with the Wanderer asking the Lord for by the dark waves, frost, and snow. The rich happiness of a
understanding and compassion during his exile at sea. He man's dreams make his solitude even more miserable. He
cannot avoid going to sea, however, because this life is his will imagine the faces of his kinsmen and greet them joyfully
fate. with song, but alas, the memories are transient. A seaman's
spirit goes through these bouts of agony every time he finds
Reflections on Hardships himself alone, which makes his overall sorrow more acute.
The Wanderer goes on to recall the hardships he has faced in
his life, like watching his kinsmen be ruined and even Contemplating the Nature of Fate
slaughtered. He knows that while he is lonely and isolated, The Wanderer then goes on to contemplate how lords are
he will think about these things constantly. There is no living frequently forced out of their halls and away from their
person with whom the Wanderer can share what is in his kingdoms. He questions why he feels so unhappy when
heart. He knows that it is dignified for a man to keep his comparatively, the tribulations lords face are usually much
feelings to himself. He then argues that no matter how hard a more severe. He then realizes that the world is constantly
man tries to contain his emotions, he can never avoid his fluctuating and a man's life experiences, good and bad, are
fate. An ambitious man can conceal his sorrowful heart, but ultimately what make him wise. The Wanderer lists the
he cannot escape it. lessons that he has learned; that a wise man must not be
hasty in speech, rash or fickle in battle, and he must not be
Personal Loss and Exile nervous, greedy, or boastful. A wise man must not boast
The Wanderer returns to his own example. His kind lord died until he is free of doubt. A wise man must accept that riches
of old age and as a result, the Wanderer has been exiled fade, buildings fall, lords die, and their followers die or
from his country. He left home with the coldness of winter in disperse. The Wanderer offers a few examples of the latter,
his heart and sailed the rough waves in search of a new lord. citing men who died in battle, men who drowned, one man
He was friendless, yearning for the comforts and pleasures who was carried off by a bird, and another who was killed by
of a new mead-hall, but found none. a wolf.

The Pain of Loneliness Meditations on the Supernatural

The Wanderer relates his tale to his readers, claiming that The Wanderer now expands his ruminations towards the
those who have experienced exile will understand how cruel supernatural. He says that the Creator of Men has made the
loneliness can feel. The Wanderer is freezing cold, world unpredictable, and that hardships can happen to
remembering the grand halls where he rejoiced, the treasure anyone at any time. Things can go from bad to good in a
he was given, and the graciousness of his lord. All of these moment. The Wanderer hypothesizes that the Creator of
joys have now disappeared. He claims that any man who Men, who created human civilization and conflict, is also
stops receiving the wisdom of his lord will be filled with a wise. Even He has memories of battles, remembering one
similar sadness. Even when he sleeps, this lord-less man certain horse or man. He, like the Wanderer, also must

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lament the loss of treasure, festivities, and glorious leaders.

The Wanderer contemplates the way that all these things
disappear in time, leaving behind nothing but darkness.

The Ruin of Kingdoms

The Wanderer's former kingdom rots behind a wall covered
in the carcasses of serpents. There is no longer any music, or
powerful weaponry. Winter brings violent snowstorms and
longer nightfall, leaving men frightened and helpless.
However, the Wanderer concludes, life is difficult at times.
Everything is subject to fate. Wealth fades, friends leave, and
kingdoms fall.

Wisdom and Faith in Adversity

The Wanderer now ascribes these words to a wise man, or a
sage, in meditation. He describes this man as someone who
is steady in his faith and, when something bad happens, he
does not panic, but rather, stays calm until he can figure out
a solution. In conclusion, the Wanderer advises all men to
look to God for comfort, since He is the one who is
responsible for the fate of mankind.

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7 Analysis wise man should not possess anxiety, braggadocio, or

irresoluteness. At the end of the poem, The Wanderer
The Significance of “The Wanderer” explains that he has gained wisdom from the experience of
“The Wanderer” is arguably the most famous and critically- living through many winters. Finally, he exhorts his readers to
debated Anglo-Saxon poem, and there are multiple look to God for security on this journey of life.
interpretations of it. The poem is admittedly difficult to
decipher for several reasons. First of all, there could be more Selzer's Meditative Interpretation
than one narrator, as the poem fluctuates between personal Scholars disagree about the number of speakers
experience and general advice. Additionally, there is a represented in the poem, with some contending that there is
hidden layer of metaphor alluding to the relationship only one and others believing that in the shift from personal
between Pagan and Christian themes. “The Wanderer” is tales to general advice, a new narrator has taken over the
an elegy composed of alliterative metre that focuses on the poem. Scholars commonly claim that the first seven lines of
Wanderer's loss of his lord, his subsequent grief, and his the poem are an introduction, the Wanderer's monologue
search for wisdom. “The Wanderer” is often coupled with begins in line 8, and a new monologue begins in line 92. The
“The Seafarer” in academic settings, and many critical second monologue could either be a wise man delivering a
studies focus on these poems as a pair. This is likely new speech by a second speech by the Wanderer himself,
because the two pieces have a lot in common, like their who has evolved into a wise man.
solitary speakers, the theme of the decaying material world,
a melancholy tone, and idea of finding security through Shifts in Narrative Tense
religious faith. “The Wanderer” is also commonly read in In his article on “The Wanderer”, John L. Selzer examines
conjunction with the poetry of Boethius. the elegy through the lens of the meditative tradition
stemming from the work of St. Augustine, which the Anglo-
Debate on Narrative Perspective Saxon audience would have been very familiar with. Selzer
The narrative arc of the poem follows the Wanderer, a observes that the Wanderer begins his tale with an evocation
former warrior whose lord has recently died. He remembers of memory by recalling his past actions, lost friends, and an
the fealty he paid to his lord, the revelry of his hall, and his older way of life. His description of how he looked for
relationships with his kinsmen. He endeavoured to find a another lord is also in the past tense, signifying that he is no
new lord but was unsuccessful, and now he wanders alone, longer looking for one. Instead, the Wanderer is now
trying to gain wisdom from his melancholy thoughts. He suffering at sea and dreaming of happier times. Sadly, “in
describes his solitary journey through a wintry world as a the midst of physical and mental exhaustion, he lapse[s]
stark contrast to the warmth and comfort of his lord's hall. into deeper memories, even hallucinations, in his interior
He identifies with all lonely wanderers. In the second part of quest for his lord, so that the memory of his kinsmen

the poem, he starts contemplating more general themes mingle[s] with the real seabirds to produce the illusion

about humanity. He ponders the impermanence of things that the birds [are] his kinsmen.”

while describing ruins and the destruction of other manmade

artifacts. He uses his observations to segue into the
characteristics that define a wise man. In his experience, a

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Debate on Pagan and Christian Themes

The Wanderer finishes his meditation and then ventures to
apply his wisdom to his recollections. In the analytical
section of the poem, the narrator shifts to the present tense,
reinforcing that this section represents immediate thoughts
instead of fading memories. In Selzer's interpretation, the
Wanderer eventually comes to the conclusion that
“experiencing the trials of the world is not simply a
hardship; if hardships are approached with the right
attitude, they can be a means of gaining higher
knowledge.” That knowledge is actually the understanding
that faith in God provides security well beyond earthly trials.
This conclusion represents the result of The Wanderer's
meditation.

Influence of Old Icelandic Literature

Many scholars debate the relationship between Pagan and
Christian themes in “The Wanderer”. The mention of God at
the end of the poem suggests that it is a Christian poem, but
this conclusion may be too simple. The Christian viewpoint,
as I.L. Gordon points out, is usually more admonitory in tone.
The transience of life is a recurring theme in the poem that
has affiliations to Christianity, but it is actually rooted in
earlier poetic traditions. Gordon suggests that it is too
simplistic to view the lonely wanderer as a Christian figure,
explaining that “the identification is superficial: the figure
remains the melancholy exile of secular elegy, bemoaning
his lot.” Vivian Salmon believes that the poet of “The
Wanderer” was influenced by Old Icelandic literature and
heathen folklore, because of the idea of the external soul.
Salmon explains that the Icelandic writers believed that “the
soul was... a separate entity enclosed by a wall of flesh ”
and that it could take on an animal shape. This explanation
also supports the interpretation that the seabirds are
interchangeable with the Wanderer's fallen comrades.

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8 Literary Devices seem to go on forever, but they're held together by varying

patterns of accents – the high points of our poetic ride.
8.1 Alliterative Stressed Verse in Half-lines, Divided by Sometimes there's a long, long time between accents, like
Caesurae
you're slowly climbing to the top. Then, suddenly, you hit the
top, and tumble over the edge just to go into the next climb.
Red Alert! This analysis refers to the poem in its original
Your climb could be two syllables long, or it could be eight –
language. Translations may or may not preserve the
you have no idea when you're going to be falling again and
following features.
when this ride's going to end. Just like on a real roller coaster,
this unpredictability adds to the suspense – and the fun.
OK, hold on tight, because we're about to get technical.
Unlike the poetry of say, Shakespeare, which has a
8.2 Narrator
predetermined number of syllables per line (10), a line of
Anglo-Saxon poetry doesn't have a set number of syllables.
The speakers in “The Wanderer” are like those nesting
Instead, it has a set number of stressed syllables – four –
Russian dolls, where each larger one opens to reveal that it
with a slight pause in between the first and last two stresses,
contains another, sometimes identical, doll inside. The first
called a caesura. The first stressed syllable of the second
speaker starts out by describing the situation of a “lone-
half-line has to begin with the same sound as one or both of
dweller” who sadly paddles the barren ocean in exile. With
the stressed syllables in the first half-line. This repetition of
line 6, “so the earth-stepper spoke,” it's not clear whether
beginning sounds is called alliteration. Take a look at the
the words he “spoke” are lines 1-5, or all the words that
first lines of “The Wanderer”:
come after this. Right away, then, it's not clear who exactly is
saying what, or even whether the person described in lines
Oft him anhaga [pause] are gebideð,
1-5 is the person who speaks the words after line 6. The
(Often the lone-dweller waits for favour)
identities of the speakers seem to merge.

metudes miltse, [pause] þeah þe he mod-cearig

The speaker of line 6-89 introduces us to another speaker,
(the mercy of the Measurer, though he unhappy)
“he with wise mind” who contemplates the fallen warriors
by the crumbling wall. This speaker launches into a
These lines are a different number of syllables (10 and 12), formulaic lament for everything that's lost – what's known as
but in both cases, there are four stresses in each, a pause in the ubi sunt ('Where are they?') motif. His speech seems to
between the first and second half-line, and alliteration end at line 111 with “so said the wise one in mind.” Yet,
among the stressed syllables, with the long “a” sound of oft, just like in line 6, line 111 could refer to the lines that came
anhaga, and are in the first line, and the “m” of metudes, before, or the ones that come after to wrap up the poem.
miltse, and modcearig in the second. Once again, we have no certainty about who's saying what.

With 3-4 alliterations per line in the original Old English, “The With the speakers of “The Wanderer,” we have exile vs.
Wanderer” sounds a lot like a tongue-twister. Now imagine wise man who, the poem hints, must necessarily be elderly.
saying that tongue-twister on a roller coaster, and you've got Their identities merge in the uncertainty about who's saying
a pretty good idea of the sound of this poem. Its sentences
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what, which may be the poem's way of calling our attention You think of a familiar scene: the bloodied bodies of dead
to the experiences they share, like isolation and “many warriors lying by a decaying wall where they made their last
winters.” These shared experiences lead to a shared view of stand. Wolves and birds circle them, eager to enjoy the feast
the world – life sucks, and then you die. Exile is a fast way to war has provided for them. The wind of a winter storm
grow old; old age exiles you from the center of community howls, eroding the wall that now has no one left to maintain
life. With its Russian doll narration, “The Wanderer” is it against nature's onslaught. These men's lives ended just as
collapsing its speakers into one another to show the quickly as your happy dream of the feast-hall. Now their
similarities between them. bodies, and the buildings they constructed, will disappear
with the passing of time.
8.3 Setting
The Gloomy World and the Fleeting Nature of Life
Imagining Yourself in a Stormy, Cold Setting Everything you see in this gloomy world just reaffirms your
Just close your eyes, and imagine yourself by the sea. OK, belief in life's fleeting nature. Being in the feast-hall is nice,
now imagine that it's stormy and cold. Icy rain pelts down, but it doesn't last long. Even the building eventually decays,
drenching you to the bone. The only thing you see are just like dead bodies. And everyone and everything dies,
crashing waves, and sea-birds who soar away, which is what eventually. The setting of “The Wanderer” convinces us of
you wish you could do, too. the transience of existence – of the fact that that everything,
even what seems the most stable – passes away with time.
A Sudden Escape to a Warm Feast-Hall
And suddenly, you do: you're in a warm feast-hall, 8.4 Kenning
surrounded by your friends and relatives. A bard sings a
giedd, a poetic song much like the one you're writing, and Anglo-Saxon poetry employs a poetic device called a
everyone gathers around him, warming themselves by the “kenning,” a compound noun that's used in place of a
fire as they listen. Your lord smiles at you and hands you a simpler, one-word noun. A kenning is often a metaphorical or
gold ring as a reward for your service to him. You embrace symbolic expression. The most famous example in Anglo-
and kiss him. Saxon poetry is “whale-road,” used in line 10 of Beowulf to
refer to the ocean. Kennings sometimes get lost in
The Painful Return to Reality translation, but the version of “The Wanderer” we're using
But then you wake up, and you're right back where you maintains many of them. One of them is “earth-stepper”
started – on the freezing, open ocean, with nothing but the (line 6) in place of “wanderer” or “traveller.”
sea-birds and sorrow to hang out with. Except now, it seems
so much worse, since the memory of the feast-hall renews Another thing you see a lot in Anglo-Saxon poetry is
your awareness of just how much you've lost. You're not the alliteration. Every line has at least three, and sometime four
only one who's lost something, though. or more, instances of words that share the same sound. (See
“Form and Meter“ for more on alliteration in “The
The Scene of Dead Warriors and Decay Wanderer.”) This alliteration makes the poem sound like
quite a tongue-twister when you hear it in Old English. Like

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kennings, though, the alliteration of Anglo-Saxon poetry other ideas in the poem, like fate or the speaker's
often gets lost in modern English translations. The mood?
translation we're using has one in line 2, with “mercy of the 4. What poetic techniques does the poem use to make the
Measurer,” and again in line 6 with “So the earth-stepper natural world appear menacing and ominous?
spoke,” and a few more throughout the poem. But compared
to the amount of alliteration in the original, these instances 8.5.1.2 Quotes on Man and the Natural World
are barely a drop in the pan.
Often the lone-dweller waits for favour,

8.5 Themes mercy of the Measurer, though he unhappy

across the seaways long time must
8.5.1 Theme of Man and the Natural World stir with his hands the rime-cold sea.
(1-4)
Condemned to travel over the open ocean even in winter,
deprived of the shelter of a permanent home, the exile in
The lone-dweller's situation – having to cross the “seaways”
“The Wanderer” is at the mercy of the elements. Images of
– is portrayed here as the kind of thing that would cause him
winter weather emphasize the contrast between the exile's
to doubt the favour and mercy of God. He hopes for these
earlier life (in the warm and friendly mead-hall) and the
things even though his present situation on the open ocean
one he now puts up with. By the end of the poem, the winter
gives him a reason to doubt.
storms have become evil forces that “attack” people and
buildings alike. This depiction, combined with the poem's
[...] Long ago earth covered
use of the traditional Old English “beasts of battle” motif, in
my lord in darkness.
which scavenging animals feast on the casualties of war,
(22-23)
makes the natural world into a destructive force capable of
destroying man and his creations. Man is powerless before
Instead of just saying that his lord was buried, the speaker
it, kind of like he's powerless before fate. In fact, the natural
says that “earth” (dirt), covered him in darkness. This
world in “The Wanderer” could almost be a stand-in for
personification of the dirt makes it into a somewhat ominous
fate, an extended metaphor for the way it works in people's
force, since it becomes the agent of death here.
lives.

When the friendless man awakens again,

8.5.1.1 Questions About Man and the Natural World
he sees before him fallow waves,
sea-birds bathing, wings spreading,
1. In what forms does the natural world appear in the
rime and snow falling mingled with hail.
poem?
(46-49)
2. What is the speaker's relationship with the natural world
like? How does he feel about it?
The friendless man here has just dreamed that he's back in
3. What's the weather like in this poem? How does the
the warm mead-hall among his friends. The waves, birds,
description of the weather affect our understanding of
and wintry weather contrast sharply with that dream. They

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become the antithesis of everything that's good in life. The the fact that it's mentioned here at all, and that the ash-
“spreading wings” of the birds emphasize their freedom, spears are personified, makes the ash-tree partially
possibly even joy, which contrasts with the way the exile responsible for these deaths. Once again, nature destroys.
feels.
[...] This stone-cliff storms dash on;
[...] Now here and there across the Middle-Earth snowstorm, attacking, binds all the ground,
blown on by wind walls stand tumult of winter, when the dark one comes,
covered with rime, the buildings storm-shaken. night-shadow blackens, sends from the north
(76-78) rough hailstorm in anger toward men.
(103-106)
Later in the poem, these buildings are called the “work of
giants.” The fact that wind and storms have the ability to Yet again, nature becomes an ominous force that “attacks,”
shake them and cause them to crumble is a testament to this time in the form of the winter weather that batters the
nature's ability to destroy the creations of mankind, even the building and “binds” the ground. It's seems even more evil
ones that seem most permanent. when the storm is called the “dark one” whose attack is
motivated by anger.
[...] One a bird bore off
over the high holm; one the hoar wolf 8.5.2 Sadness
dealt over to death.
(82b-84a) The speaker in “The Wanderer” is completely miserable
because he has lost his loved ones and his lord (the local

The “beasts of battle” that benefit from the slaughter of war ruler that he was loyal to), and must now wander over the
ocean far from home. This situation means that, to add insult
is an oft-repeated motif in Anglo-Saxon poetry. Here, just like
to injury, he doesn't have anyone with whom he can share
the winter weather in the previous lines, nature has the
his sorrows. He's not convinced, however, that speaking
ability to dismember and destroy.
about sadness is a good idea, and he often suggests that a
wise man will keep his thoughts locked away in his mind or
Stands now behind the dear war-band
heart. He describes sadness as a wound to his heart. It's a
a wondrous high wall, varied with snake-shapes,
wound that can never heal, since every time he remembers
warriors foretaken by might of the ash-spears,
what he has lost the wound reopens.
corpse-hungry weapons.
(98-101)
8.5.2.1 Questions About Sadness

The “snake-shapes” carved on the wall behind the fallen

1. Why is the speaker in “The Wanderer” sad?
men remind us of the beasts of battle mentioned a few lines
2. How does the speaker say a wise person should handle
earlier, making the wall seem vaguely threatening. These
sad feelings? Why?
lines also say that “ash-spears” are “hungry” for corpses.
The ash-tree was the raw material for these weapons, and
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3. Does the speaker take his own advice on how to handle far from kin – fasten with fetters.
feelings of sadness? (17-21)
4. Why do memories and dreams make the speaker sad?

The speaker upholds the necessity of keeping sad thoughts

to oneself. He tells us that he's sad by saying that his heart is
8.5.2.2 Quotes on Sadness “wretched with cares” instead of just saying that he is. This
reflects a separation between himself and his feelings. The
Often the lone-dweller waits for favour, idea of the thoughts or feelings as beyond the speaker's
mercy of the Measurer, though he unhappy control will recur again when he talks about memory as
across the seaways long time must sending one's mind away from oneself.
stir with his hands the rime-cold sea.
(1-4)
He knows who tries it how cruel is sorrow,
a bitter companion, to the one who has few
There were lots of reasons an Anglo-Saxon warrior might concealers of secrets, beloved friends.
need to travel across the sea. But this traveller is none too (30-32)
happy about being on the water, letting us know that he's
probably not out for a pleasure cruise. There's a good chance
Here, the speaker personifies sorrow as a “bitter
that he might have been forced to travel over the sea for
companion.” But the effect of this personification isn't to
reasons beyond his control.
make the abstract quality seem human; instead, it's to
emphasize what a difference there is between sorrow and
Oft must I, alone, the hour before dawn real, human friends.
lament my care.
(8-9)
Joy has all perished!
So he knows, who must of his lord-friend,
Old English poetry often talks about the “dawn-song,” the of loved one, lore-sayings long time forego.
wailing or lament in the hours just before sunrise during (37-39)
which characters mourn the bad things that have happened
to them or their relatives, most often death in battle. By
The notion that all joy perishes without a lord shows just how
saying that he, too, laments his cares (concerns, or worries)
important the relationship between lord and nobleman is for
in the hour before dawn, the speaker makes his lament part
an Anglo-Saxon. Not having a lord makes the whole world
of that tradition. He also subtly signals that his cares are unbearably miserable, until there's no happiness to be found
probably related to the deaths of loved ones.
in it at all.

Therefore glory-seekers, oft bind fast

Then are the heart's wounds ever more heavy,
in breast-chamber a dreary mind. sore after sweet – sorrow is renewed –
So must I my heart –
when memory of kin turns through the mind.
often wretched with cares, deprived of homeland,

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(50-52)
8.5.3.1 Questions About Transience
Sweet memories of better times do not relieve the exile's
1. What circumstances cause the speaker to reflect on
sadness. Instead, they make it worse by reminding him again
transience?
of how much he has lost. Memories and dreams condemn
him to a life in which the stroke that caused the initial wound 2. How is the transience of human existence related to the
transience of buildings in the poem? To the transience
– the separation from loved ones – always returns to wound
of the earth?
him again.
3. What does the speaker lament losing in his ubi sunt
(Where are they?) speech in lines 93-97? What do
Good, he who keeps faith, nor too quickly his grief
these things tell us about what is important to him?
from his breast makes known, except he, noble, knows
4. What is the role of God in relation to transience? Does
how beforehand
the poem present God as a “cure” to the transience of
to do cure with courage.
human existence?
(113-115)

8.5.3.2 Quotes on Transience

With these lines, the speaker returns to the idea that it's
better not too reveal one's sorrow in speech. This time,
He remembers hall-warriors and treasure-taking,
however, there's an exception to the rule: if the grief-stricken
how among youth his gold-friend
person knows how to “do cure,” to make his sadness go
received him at the feast. Joy has all perished!
away, it's OK for him to speak about his grief.
(35-37)

8.5.3 Transience
Memory plays an important role in the awareness of

The exile in “The Wanderer” knows better than most that transience. Only through a comparison with past – where
hall-warriors feasted and received treasure – and the empty
existence is transient, meaning that it is not permanent and
present does the speaker become aware of how much has
passes with time. After all, once he had a home, a lord, and
disappeared, and with that, the joy that once existed.
loved ones, but in the blink of an eye, all that disappeared.
When he combines this experience of loss with his
knowledge of how all men die eventually, he can't help but . . . I know not, throughout this world,

reflect on how not just humans, but all of creation will why thought in my mind does not grow dark

eventually “fail and fall.” The poem expresses this when the life of men I fully think through,

awareness of transience with the image of fallen bodies in how they suddenly abandoned the hall,

front of a wall that decays without its occupants to maintain headstrong retainers. This Middle-Earth

it. It implies that one day the earth, too, will suffer the same each of all days so fails and falls . . .

fate. The only thing that escapes the inevitability of (59-64)

transience is God whose “fastness” (stability) contrasts

with the fleetingness of everything else in the poem.

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The abandonment of the hall here is either a metaphor for ruins could be the giants' work referred to here. But in any
death or a literal description of exile. Exile and death are case, the poem reiterates the connection between men and
similar in the way in which both end the presence of a person buildings. So important are men to buildings that buildings
in a particular place – with death, in a human body on earth; are “worthless” without occupants.
with exile, in a community. Both death and exile remind the
speaker of transience, how the earth “fails and falls.” Where is the horse? Where the young warrior? Where
A wise man perceives how ghastly it will be now the gift-giver?
when all this world's weal desolate stands. Where are the feast-seats? Where all the hall-joys?
(74-75) Alas for the bright cup! Alas byrnied warrior!
Alas the lord's glory! How this time hastens,
The word translated here as “ghastly,” gastlice, means both grows dark under night-helm, as it were not!
“ghost-like” and “awful” in Old English. It's a pun that (93-97)
expresses both the terribleness inherent in a deserted,
abandoned earth, and the absence of the human souls The words spoken by the wise man as he contemplates the
whose memories now haunt it like ghosts. bodies of those fallen in war are what's known as an ubi
sunt, or “Where are they?” lament. In this type of lament,
The wine-halls molder, the wielder lies down the absence or passing of all good things leads the mourner
deprived of rejoicing, warband all fallen, to an awareness of the transience of existence. Paying
proud by the wall. attention to what is lamented provides a pretty good
(79-81) indication of what's most important to a particular culture:
here, the trappings of war, feasting, and lord/nobleman

The dual presence here of men and the structures they build relationships. Line 97 contains a pun: the cover of night is

– wine-halls and walls – emphasizes the way in which these called a night-helm, but helm is also a word for the helmet a

two depend upon one another. Without the men to care for warrior wears – a knight's helm.

them, buildings “molder” (decay) just as the men depend

upon walls to protect them from the elements and their All is the earth-realm laden with hardship,
enemies. fate of creation turns world under heaven.
Here goldhoard passes, here friendship passes,

Thus the Shaper of men destroyed this earth-yard here mankind passes, here kinsman passes:

until, lacking the cries, the revels of men, all does this earth-frame turn worthless!

old giants' work stood worthless. (107-111)

(86-88)
Here the fate, or destiny, of creation seems to be to

Lots of debate has occurred over what, exactly, the “old disappear from the earth. As was true of the abandoned

giants' work” might be. We know that the Anglo-Saxons buildings in lines 79-88, the absence of men from the world

lived among the ruins of Roman occupation, without the turns the earth-frame “worthless.” This perspective reflects

technology to maintain or re-build these structures. These

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a view of the earth as simply the dwelling-place for mankind, We learn here that the person in question travels “unhappy,”
rather than a place with value all on its own. implying that he doesn't want to travel, but is forced to for
some reason. Also, he's called a “lone-dweller.” An Anglo-

8.5.4 Exile Saxon would be unlikely to travel alone unless he was

separated from his kinsmen by circumstances beyond his
“The Wanderer” describes in great detail the thoughts and control. Both of these descriptions of the person point to his
emotions of a person forced to travel far from his homeland status as an exile, someone forced to travel away from his
alone. Having lost his kinsmen and lord in war, the speaker friends and family. The fact that he treads “exile-tracks”
now travels far and wide in search of a new lord, the only confirms our assumption. This last description of the
person who can provide the shelter, protection, and speaker conveys that the way of the exile is a well-
monetary support he needs to survive. The sadness of the established one: the person follows in the footsteps of
exile is even more unbearable because he has no one with others, sharing the same experience they have had.
whom he can share it, being totally alone. The language the
speaker uses to describe exile itself, referring to it as the So must I my heart –
“paths of exile” and “exile-tracks,” conveys an idea of exile often wretched with cares, deprived of homeland,
as a well-established path that many others before him have fasten with fetters.
tread. The exile's experience – of having and then losing life's (19-21)
joys – makes him better suited than most to understand the
transience, or fleetingness, of all of creation.
If there was any doubt in our minds about whether our
speaker's an exile, these lines remove it. He calls himself
8.5.4.1 Questions About Exile “deprived of homeland,” so we know that he's been forced
to leave it for some reason. The fact that he's also “wretched
1. What circumstances have forced the speaker in “The
with cares” suggests that he left for reasons beyond his
Wanderer” to go into exile?
control.
2. What is the exile's life like? What does he see and hear?
3. What emotions accompany exile?
[…] Long ago earth covered
4. Does the exile draw any lessons from his experience? If
my lord in darkness, and I, wretched,
so, what are they?
mad and desolate as winter,
over the wave's binding sought, hall-dreary,
8.5.4.2 Quotes on Exile
a giver of treasure, where far or near
I might find one.
Often the lone-dweller waits for favour,
(22-27)
mercy of the Measurer, though he unhappy
across the seaways long time must
The speaker explains the reason for his aimless wandering
stir with his hands the rime-cold sea,
and suggests a reason for his exile. He has buried his lord
tread exile-tracks.
and now looks for another one. A lord was an absolute
(1-5)
necessity for an Anglo-Saxon warrior, the source of

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protection and wealth, and the mead-hall where the warrior that happiness and life's joys are fleeting, that everything,
found shelter. The speaker calls himself “hall-dreary,” by including all of creation, passes away with time. This
which he probably means he's sad because he doesn't have transience is mostly shown as a sad thing. At the end of the
a hall anymore. poem, however, the wise man suggests that a cure for this
sorrow may be found in God, whose stability contrasts with
He knows who tries it how cruel is sorrow, the transience of creation.
a bitter companion, to the one who has few
concealers of secrets, beloved friends. 8.5.5.1 Questions About Wisdom and Knowledge
The exile-track claims him.
(30-33) 1. Who does “The Wanderer” suggest is most likely to be
wise? Why?
2. How does the speaker say a wise man ought to behave?
Instead of human friends, he has only sorrow to hang with. In
earlier lines, the speaker lamented how he had no one with A warrior?
3. Does “The Wanderer” suggest any reasons why it's a
whom he could share his inmost thoughts. This description
good idea for a person to keep grief locked deep inside
of friends as “concealers of secrets” gets at the idea that
himself? If so, what are they? Do you agree with these
one of the most important things about friends is that you
reasons?
can share your thoughts them. The “exile-track” that claims
the speaker connects the experience of exile to the lack of 4. What do the wise man and exiles' experiences teach
them about the fate of creation and the world? Why is
companions.
this realization important?

8.5.5 Wisdom and Knowledge

8.5.5.2 Quotes on Wisdom and Knowledge
“The Wanderer” moves from a lament about exile to an
examination of what the experiences of both the exile and I know it for truth: it is in a warrior

wise man teach them about life. The speakers express this a noble strength to bind fast his spirit,

wisdom in gnomic form. Nope, this doesn't mean that one of guard his wealth-chamber, think what he will.

our speakers is actually a garden gnome. “Gnomic” means (12-14)

that the poem uses proverbs, little sayings or nuggets of

wisdom. These proverbs, or “gnomes,” are short statements With “I know it for truth,” the speaker signals that he is

presented as absolute truth, when, in fact, they are the about to give what's called a “gnomic” statement, a

popularly-held beliefs of a particular culture. popularly-held opinion about how a person ought to behave.
These statements are also sometimes called proverbs or

In “The Wanderer,” the “truth” that gets repeated the most aphorisms. They're expressed as being absolute truth (like

is that it's a good idea for a person to lock up his thoughts the one here), although they're usually just the cultural

and emotions – and particularly his grief – deep inside norm of one particular group. Anglo-Saxon culture had a long

himself. This wisdom comes from an Anglo-Saxon tradition tradition of gnomic sayings collected in catalogue (or list)

called “stoicism.” Yet, another thing the wise man knows is form, many of which expressed a similar sentiment to this

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one: that it's best for a person to contain his emotions within experiences, and not book-learning, are what truly make a
himself. person wise.

Weary mind never withstands fate, […] The wise man is patient,
nor does dreary thought bring help. not too hot-hearted, nor too quick-tongued,
(15-16) nor a warrior too weak, nor too foolhardy,
neither frightened nor fain, nor too wealth-greedy,
With another gnomic, or proverbial, statement, the speaker nor ever of boasts too eager, before he knows enough.
gives a possible reason why it's better for a warrior to lock (66b-70)
his emotions inside of him: because such emotions do no
one any good. This bit of wisdom implies that Now, the speaker launches into things the wise man knows
communication or speech ought to serve a purpose: what with more gnomic, or proverbial, statements similar to the
you say or express should be useful, or you shouldn't one we saw in lines 12-14. These lines contain a similar idea:
express it at all. that a person should think before speaking. He should not be
too “quick-tongued,” or quick too speak, and should not
So he knows, who must of his lord-friend, make a boast until he “knows enough,” that is, knows
of loved one, lore-sayings long time forego. whether or not he can fulfil it. The other proper traits for a
(38-39) wise man or warrior – patience, courage, not being greedy –
are what we might expect. But the counsel to think before

In addition to regretting the loss of the wealth his lord acting or speaking is a particularly Anglo-Saxon warrior

provides, the speaker also misses his “lore-sayings,” or value.

teachings. We don't necessarily think of war-lords as founts

of wisdom, but an ideal Anglo-Saxon lord needed to be as A wise man perceives how ghastly it will be
wise as he was brave. In fact, one particularly hated Anglo- when all this world's weal desolate stands.
Saxon king was called Aethelred the Unraed, or wisdom- (74-75)
less.
The culmination of the wise man's knowledge is an
[…] A man gains no wisdom before he is dealt awareness of how awful the end of the world will be, “when
his winters in the world. all this world's weal,” or bounty, stands desolate – deprived
(65-66) of its owners. This idea foreshadows the scene of the
decaying wall and the abandoned “works' of giants.” The

The man who is dealt “winters in the world” is probably an most horrible thing the wise man can imagine seems to be

elderly man, since he has lived through many more seasons the disappearance of humanity from the earth, when all

than younger people. Yet he may also be the exile, since as human wealth and creations are left behind.

we've just seen, the exile experiences much more winter

than most. In any case, these lines express the belief that life When he with wise mind this wall-stone

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and this dark life deeply thinks through,

the wise one in mind oft remembers afar
many a carnage, and this word he speaks.
(89-92)

The words the wise man goes on to speak are a long ubi sunt,
or “Where are they?” lament mourning the loss of life's
joys. This lament emphasizes the transience of life – how
everything passes away in time. The crumbling building,
experience of life, and memories of slaughter lead the wise
man to this certainty of transience.

So said the wise one in mind, at secret conclaves sat him

apart.
Good, he who keeps faith, nor too quickly his grief
from his breast makes known, except he, noble, knows
beforehand
to do cure with courage. Well will it be
to him who seeks favour, refuge, and comfort
from the Father in heaven, where all fastness stands.
(112-117)

“So said the wise one in mind” could refer both to the
previous lines (in which the speaker reflects on the
fleetingness of happiness and human relationships) and to
the ones that follow. These last lines repeat the proverbial
wisdom we've already seen multiple times, about how it's
good for a person to keep grief contained within himself,
rather than express it. This time, however, the speaker gives
an exception: if the grief-stricken one knows how to “cure”
his grief, it's OK for him to talk about it. The last lines suggest
that the “cure” for this grief might be the Father in heaven
who, in his “fastness” (stability) contrasts with the
transience that has caused everyone in the poem so much
grief.

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9 Quotes

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10 Questions and Answers 4. How does the wanderer's present life compare to his
former life?
1. What are some examples of imagery in “The In his former life, the wanderer enjoyed the companionship
Wanderer”? and protection of his lord and fellow warriors, living in a
“The Wanderer” uses vivid imagery to convey the community bound by loyalty and mutual support. In contrast,
desolation and isolation of the speaker. Examples include: his present life is marked by solitude, exile, and the absence
• Winter Imagery: “The paths of exile stretch of these bonds, highlighting a stark shift from communal
endlessly” and “the frost-bound earth” evoke the security to individual desolation.
cold and harsh conditions faced by the wanderer.
• Ruined Buildings: Descriptions of “the ruins of 5. What is the tone of “The Wanderer”?
the ancient work of giants” symbolize the decay The tone of “The Wanderer” is melancholic and reflective.
of past glories and the impermanence of human It conveys a deep sense of sorrow and longing for the past,
achievements. coupled with a contemplative acceptance of life's

• Loneliness: Phrases like “There is none now living transience and the hope for spiritual solace.

to whom I dare my innermost thoughts clearly

reveal” emphasize the speaker's profound 6. Which three quotes from “The Wanderer” depict
isolation. isolation?
1. “There is none now living to whom I dare my
2. What is the scope of the lament in the elegiac poem innermost thoughts clearly reveal.”

“The Wanderer”? 2. “So have I also, often in wretchedness, fettered

The lament in “The Wanderer” encompasses both personal my feelings in fetters of sorrow.”

and universal themes of loss and transience. The speaker 3. “He who has lost his lord knows how cruel a
companion sorrow can be.”
mourns the loss of his lord and comrades, reflecting a
personal sorrow. This individual grief expands to a broader
7. What main characteristic does a wise person have,
contemplation of the fleeting nature of life and worldly
according to “The Wanderer” speaker?
possessions, illustrating a universal human condition of
According to the speaker in “The Wanderer,” a wise person
impermanence and exile.
possesses the ability to remain calm and composed in the
face of adversity, reflecting a deep understanding and
3. Who are the speakers in the poem “The Wanderer”
acceptance of life's impermanence and the importance of
and what is their relationship?
seeking solace in faith.
“The Wanderer” features two speakers: the narrator and
the wanderer himself. The narrator introduces the poem and
8. What aspect of life does a wise man understand
occasionally interjects, while the wanderer recounts his
according to “The Wanderer”?
experiences and reflections. Their relationship is that of a
A wise man understands the transience of earthly life and
storyteller and the subject of the story, with the narrator
the inevitability of loss and suffering. He recognizes that true
providing a frame for the wanderer's lament and wisdom.

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stability and comfort can only be found in faith and the hope • Heroic Themes: The poem explores themes of
of eternal life with God. loyalty, exile, and the search for wisdom.
• Elevated Language: The use of formal and poetic
9. What is the irony in “The Wanderer”? language enhances the grandeur of the narrative.
The irony in “The Wanderer” lies in the fact that the • Reflection on Human Condition: The poem delves
speaker, who once thrived in a community of warriors, now into universal themes of loss, transience, and the
finds himself alone and bereft, reflecting on the very quest for meaning.
transient nature of the life he once cherished. His wisdom
and understanding of life's impermanence come only after 13. What is the symbolism of the wall in “The
experiencing profound loss and isolation. Wanderer”?
In “The Wanderer,” the wall symbolizes the remnants of
10. What ideas in “The Wanderer” are part of the pagan past civilizations and the impermanence of human
warrior tradition? achievements. It serves as a metaphor for the transience of
“The Wanderer” incorporates elements of the pagan earthly glory and the inevitable decay that time brings to all
warrior tradition, such as the importance of loyalty to one's things.
lord, the significance of kinship bonds, and the valorisation of
heroic deeds and communal feasting. These elements are 14. What does “The Wanderer” reveal about life in the
juxtaposed with the Christian themes of faith and spiritual Anglo-Saxon period?
consolation, reflecting the poem's dual heritage. “The Wanderer” reveals the harsh realities of life in the
Anglo-Saxon period, including the importance of loyalty and
11. Compare and contrast the characters of the kinship, the prevalence of warfare and exile, and the deep
Wanderer and Sir Gawain in their respective poems. sense of impermanence and loss. It also reflects the
The Wanderer and Sir Gawain both face trials that test their transition from pagan to Christian beliefs, illustrating the
character and resolve. The Wanderer endures physical and coexistence of both traditions in the society.
emotional exile, reflecting on the loss of his lord and
community, while Sir Gawain undergoes a quest that tests 15. Why does the wanderer go into exile?
his chivalric virtues and moral integrity. Both characters The wanderer goes into exile after losing his lord and
exhibit resilience and a deep sense of duty, but while the comrades, which leaves him without a community or
Wanderer's journey leads him to a contemplative purpose. His exile is both a physical and emotional journey,
acceptance of life's transience, Sir Gawain's quest results in reflecting his search for meaning and solace in a world that
a reaffirmation of his knightly values and personal honour. has become alien and desolate.

12. What are the epic characteristics in “The 16. How does the kenning “gold-lord” reflect the
Wanderer”? Wanderer's goal in “The Wanderer”?
“The Wanderer” displays several epic characteristics, The kenning “gold-lord” refers to the wanderer's lord or
including: chieftain, who provided him with wealth and protection. The
wanderer's goal is to find a new lord who can offer him the

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same sense of belonging and security, reflecting his yearning 21. Can you sympathize with the wanderer? If so, how?
for the lost bonds of loyalty and kinship. Yes, one can sympathize with the wanderer due to his
profound sense of loss and isolation. His reflections on the
17. Using one example from “The Wanderer,” and impermanence of life and the search for meaning and solace
“The Wife's Lament,” compare how each poem resonate with universal human experiences of grief and
finds beauty in sorrow and longing. longing.
• The Wanderer: The beauty in sorrow is found in the
wisdom gained through suffering and the hope for 22. Does “The Wanderer” reflect religion in addition to
divine consolation. loyalty?
• The Wife's Lament: The poem finds beauty in the Yes, “The Wanderer” reflects both religious and loyal
deep emotional connection and longing for a lost themes. While it emphasizes the importance of loyalty to
loved one, reflecting the enduring power of love and one's lord and community, it also conveys a strong Christian
memory. message of seeking solace and redemption through faith in
God.
18. What three things does “The Wanderer” speaker
miss most from the past? 23. What does the author of “The Wanderer” miss
1. The companionship of his lord and fellow warriors. most?
2. The sense of purpose and belonging provided by his The author of “The Wanderer” misses the companionship
community. and protection of his lord and comrades, the sense of
3. The joy and security of the hall, symbolizing the purpose and belonging provided by his community, and the
stability of his former life. stability and joy of his former life.

19. What is the wanderer seeking? 24. What is the explanation of these lines from “The
The wanderer is seeking solace and understanding in the Wanderer” (70-72)?
face of his profound loss and exile. He yearns for a new These lines likely reflect the speaker's realization of the
sense of purpose and belonging, as well as spiritual transient nature of life and the importance of seeking
consolation and wisdom. spiritual solace. The wanderer acknowledges the inevitability
of loss and the need to find comfort in faith and wisdom.
20. What do these lines from “The Wanderer” mean,
and what is the speaker referring to? 25. What effect do the two speakers have on the reader's
“The fates of men and their significance in 'The perception of “The Wanderer”?
Wanderer.'” These lines refer to the inevitability of death The presence of two speakers in “The Wanderer” provides
and the transient nature of human life. The speaker reflects a layered narrative that enhances the reader's understanding
on how all men are subject to fate, and the significance lies of the wanderer's plight. The narrator's framing of the
in understanding and accepting this impermanence, finding wanderer's story adds depth and context, while the
solace in faith and wisdom. wanderer's own reflections offer a personal and emotional
insight into his experiences.

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himself. If that's the case, then what's the point of

26. Compare and contrast the titular characters in writing this poem at all?
Beowulf and “The Wanderer.”
31. What is the hidden meaning, if any, of the Wanderer's
Beowulf and the wanderer both embody the qualities of the
description of the seabirds?:
Anglo-Saxon hero, such as bravery, loyalty, and a sense of
duty. However, while Beowulf's story is one of triumph and
When the Wanderer is at sea, he starts seeing the faces of
heroic deeds, the wanderer's tale is marked by loss and
his lost comrades on the circling seabirds. The simplest
exile. Beowulf's journey is outward and action-oriented,
critical interpretation of lines, which are notoriously difficult
whereas the wanderer's journey is inward and
to translate, suggests that the Wanderer misses his old
contemplative, reflecting on the impermanence of life and
friends to the point where he hallucinates their faces on the
the search for meaning.
birds. However, some critics believe that the Wanderer be
describing a visit from the spirits of his dead comrades, and
27. What historical context helps understand the line
they fade away when he joyfully greets them. The Wanderer
“So have I also, often in wretchedness” from
may also be scanning passing vessels, keeping a look-out for
“The Wanderer”?
people he knows. Another critic occupies the middle ground
The historical context of the Anglo-Saxon period,
between the two poles of thought, suggesting that there is an
characterized by frequent warfare, loss, and exile, helps
un-translatable word in Old English that alludes to the
understand this line. The speaker's wretchedness reflects
Wanderer's connection to the spirit world. Thus the
the harsh realities of the time, including the instability of life
Wanderer may actually be connecting with the spirits of his
and the importance of loyalty and kinship. The line also
friends, which would fit with the divine themes inherent in
alludes to the broader human condition of suffering and the
the poem. Some Anglo-Saxons did believe that the soul
search for solace in a transient world.
could take the form of an animal.

28. The poem we know as “The Wanderer” doesn't

32. What are the characteristics of Old English poetry as
actually have a title in the manuscript in which it
seen in Exeter Book?
appears. What would you call the poem if you were
the editor who had to give it a name?
The Anglo-Saxon poets had a wide scope of literary
expression. They wrote elegies and laments to mourn lost
29. “The Wanderer” is voiced by three different
loves, fading glory, and fallen kingdoms. They also
speakers, each one introducing the next. Why write
composed gnomic verses and wisdom poetry, charming
the poem in this way, rather than just making it the
riddles, heroic poems, and even a major epic poem,
words of one speaker? How does this narrative
“Beowulf.” Some poems have pagan and Germanic
strategy change our understanding of the poem?
influences while others tend toward Christian themes and
subject matter. The poems in Exeter Book express societal
30. The second speaker in “The Wanderer” says that
values of the time, like the attainment of wisdom and
it's wisest for a person to keep sad thoughts to
omnipotent divine control. The culture celebrated grand

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heroes, and the poetry is appropriately filled with images of

battles, monsters, warriors, and benevolent lords. Exile was
a preeminent concern, as one's lord often defined his or her
identity. Many poems also allude to the ephemerality of
human life, warning the reader that a person cannot ever
escape his or her fate. In terms of creation and structure, it is
believed that Anglo-Saxon poetry was composed by a scop
and delivered orally because most of it is written in
alliterative voice.

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11 How to Read a Poem Read It Aloud. OK, we’re not saying you have to shout it from
the rooftops. If you’re embarrassed and want to lock yourself
There’s really only one reason that poetry has gotten a in the attic and read the poem in the faintest whisper
reputation for being so darned “difficult”: it demands your possible, go ahead. Do whatever it takes, because reading
full attention and won’t settle for less. Unlike a novel, where even part of poem aloud can totally change your perspective
you can drift in and out and still follow the plot, poems are on how it works.
generally shorter and more intense, with less of a
conventional story to follow. If you don’t make room for the Become an Archaeologist. When you’ve drunk in the poem
experience, you probably won’t have one. enough times, experiencing the sound and images found
there, it is sometimes fun to switch gears and to become an
But the rewards can be high. To make an analogy with rock archaeologist (you know -- someone who digs up the past
and roll, it’s the difference between a two and a half minute and uncovers layers of history). Treat the poem like a room
pop song with a hook that you get sick of after the third listen, you have just entered. Perhaps it’s a strange room that
and a slow-building tour de force that sounds fresh and you’ve never seen before, filled with objects or people that
different every time you hear it. Once you’ve gotten a taste of you don’t really recognize. Maybe you feel a bit like Alice in
the really rich stuff, you just want to listen to it over and over Wonderland. Assume your role as an archaeologist and take
again and figure out: how’d they do that? some measurements. What’s the weather like? Are there
people there? What kind of objects do you find? Are there
Aside from its demands on your attention, there’s nothing more verbs than adjectives? Do you detect a rhythm? Can
too tricky about reading a poem. Like anything, it’s a matter you hear music? Is there furniture? Are there portraits of past
of practice. But in case you haven’t read much (or any) poets on the walls? Are there traces of other poems or
poetry before, we’ve put together a short list of tips that will historical references to be found? Check out Shmoop’s
make it a whole lot more enjoyable. “Setting,” “Symbols, Imagery, Wordplay,” and “Speaker”
sections to help you get started.
Follow Your Ears. It’s okay to ask, “What does it mean?”
when reading a poem. But it’s even better to ask, “How does Don’t Skim. Unlike the newspaper or a textbook, the point of
it sound?” If all else fails, treat it like a song. Even if you can’t poetry isn’t to cram information into your brain. We can’t
understand a single thing about a poem’s “subject” or repeat it enough: poetry is an experience. If you don’t have
“theme,” you can always say something – anything – about the patience to get through a long poem, no worries, just
the sound of the words. Does the poem move fast or slow? start with a really short poem. Understanding poetry is like
Does it sound awkward in sections or does it have an even getting a suntan: you have to let it sink in. When you glance at
flow? Do certain words stick out more than others? Trust Shmoop’s “Detailed Summary,” you’ll see just how loaded
your inner ear: if the poem sounds strange, it doesn’t mean each line of poetry can be.
you’re reading it wrong. In fact, you probably just discovered
one of the poem’s secret tricks! If you get stuck at any point, Memorize! “Memorize” is such a scary word, isn’t it? It
just look for Shmoop’s “Sound Check” section. We’ll help reminds us of multiplication tables. Maybe we should have
you listen! said: “Tuck the poem into your snuggly memory-space.”

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Or maybe not. At any rate, don’t tax yourself: if you memorize Shakespeare sonnet, don’t just assume that the speaker is
one or two lines of a poem, or even just a single cool- Shakespeare. The speaker of every poem is kind of fictional
sounding phrase, it will start to work on you in ways you creation, and so is the audience. Ask yourself: what would it
didn’t know possible. You’ll be walking through the mall one be like to meet this person? What would they look like?
day, and all of a sudden, you’ll shout, “I get it!” Just not too What’s their “deal,” anyway? Shmoop will help you get to
loud, or you’ll get mall security on your case. know a poem’s speaker through the “Speaker” section
found in each study guide.
Be Patient. You can’t really understand a poem that you’ve
only read once. You just can’t. So if you don’t get it, set the And, most importantly, Never Be Intimidated. Regardless of
poem aside and come back to it later. And by “later” we what your experience with poetry in the classroom has been,
mean days, months, or even years. Don’t rush it. It’s a much no poet wants to make his or her audience feel stupid. It’s
bigger accomplishment to actually enjoy a poem than it is to just not good business, if you know what we mean. Sure,
be able to explain every line of it. Treat the first reading as an there might be tricky parts, but it’s not like you’re trying to
investment – your effort might not pay off until well into the unlock the secrets of the universe. Heck, if you want to
future, but when it does, it will totally be worth it. Trust us. ignore the “meaning” entirely, then go ahead. Why not? If
you’re still feeling a little timid, let Shmoop’s “Why Should I
Read in Crazy Places. Just like music, the experience of Care” section help you realize just how much you have to
poetry changes depending on your mood and the bring to the poetry table.
environment. Read in as many different places as possible:
at the beach, on a mountain, in the subway. Sometimes all it Poetry is about freedom and exposing yourself to new things.
takes is a change of scenery for a poem to really come alive. In fact, if you find yourself stuck in a poem, just remember
that the poet, 9 times out of 10, was a bit of a rebel and was
Think Like a Poet. Here’s a fun exercise. Go through the trying to make his friends look at life in a completely different
poem one line at a time, covering up the next line with your way. Find your inner rebel too. There isn’t a single poem out
hand so you can’t see it. Put yourself in the poet’s shoes: If I there that’s “too difficult” to try out – right now, today. So
had to write a line to come after this line, what would I put? If hop to it. As you’ll discover here at Shmoop, there’s plenty to
you start to think like this, you’ll be able to appreciate all the choose from.
different choices that go into making a poem. It can also be
pretty humbling – at least we think so. Shmoop’s “Calling
Card” section will help you become acquainted with a
poet’s particular, unique style. Soon, you’ll be able to
decipher a T.S. Elliot poem from a Wallace Stevens poem,
sight unseen. Everyone will be so jealous.

“Look Who’s Talking.” Ask the most basic questions

possible of the poem. Two of the most important are:
“Who’s talking?” and “Who are they talking to?” If it’s a

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12 References:

https://www.shmoop.com/study-guides/the-wanderer/
https://www.gradesaver.com/exeter-book/study-
guide/summary-the-wanderer

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