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The Wanderer
Commentary text
29
Literature
Undergraduate 1
04/20/2015

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Term
In which book can you find this text? And when was it published?
Definition
Exeter Book
c. 960s-70s
Term
And which Folios?
Definition
Folios 76 verso to 78 recto
Term
What else does this contain?
Definition
Miscellaneous Old English verse
Term
In what dialect is it written?
Definition
West Saxon
(but has indications of of original different dialects i.e. "hwan" instead of "hwon" in l59 indicates Northumbrian)
Term
Describe the poem in 6 words/phrases
Definition
Dramatic monologue
Terse exhortation
Man 'in extremis'
Reflective
Elegaic
Stoic
Term
What does the Wanderer's philosophizing demonstrate?
Definition
Its own impotence before the transience and sorrow of the world
Term
What type of poem is it?
Definition
One of several great meditative poems
Term
Relates to which OE King?
Definition
King Edwin and the Sparrow
Term
What does it show?
Definition
Superiority of Christianity over a noble but unavailing pagan alternative.
Term
How does the poem begin?
Definition
Oft him anhaga...
Term
How does it end?
Definition
fAEstnung stonded.
Term
How does the Wanderer's (supposed) monologue begin?
Definition
hryre: 'Oft ic...'
Term
Word signalising the conventionally bleak setting?
Definition
l8
"uhtna" - "period just before dawn", i.e. misery time
Term
What is a redundant poetic compound?
Definition
modsefan
Term
Which easy-to-spot word indicates the gnomic form?
Definition
biD - used to tell future or universal truths
Term
Quote in line 7 that shows problematic grammar?
Definition
"winemAEga hryre" - their grammar doesn't match
Term
What do "ferDlocan" (l13) and "hordcofan" (l14) indicate?
Definition
Idea of chest and locked i.e. a container of emotion, something hidden
Term
What word beginning with B has two meanings?
Definition
blAEd (l33) - glory OR leaf (Spring/Summer connotations)
Term
Conventional phrase beginning with S?
Definition
"sorg ond slAEp" (l39) - sorrow and sleep, no escape in sleep
Term
What does this sleep with one man awake thing signify?
Definition
Garden of Gethsemane
Term
Which word beginning with G indicates a nebulous past time?
Definition
"geardagum" (l44) - days gone by (opening of Beowulf)
Term
And which word beginning with G has a genitive but unusual ending which dates the MS?
Definition
"giefstolas" (l44) - throne
Term
Three stages of illusion
Definition
Remembrance
Dream
Hallucination
Term
Problematic word beginning with F?
Definition
"fealwe" (l46) - can mean fallow or colour
Used for horses in Beowulf, waves here, and apples elsewhere (perhaps for alliterative purposes)
Term
Conventional phrase from Wulfstan
Definition
"dreoseD ond fealleP" (l63) - declines and falls
Term
Conventional phrase from Guthlac a 66 and b 901
Definition
"dreame bidrorene" (l79) - deprived of joys
Term
Why is the phrase "AElda scyppend" ironic?
Definition
Creator of men (l85)
Term
Another ambiguous phrase?
Definition
"wyrmlicum fah" (l98) - decorated with a serpentine pattern
Term
Special word beginning with E meaning city/dwelling place?
Definition
"eardgeard" (l85) - only used elsewhere in 'Christ' to refer to Jerusalem. Is this significant or alliteration?
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