Seafarer/Wanderer/Wife’s Lament – Flashcards
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The narrator of "The Seafarer" was clearly obsessed with..
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the sea
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What aspects of "The Seafarer" convey loneliness
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The harsh weather conditions, the sea's unkind treatment to him, isolation, and the deprivation of small luxuries.
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How does "The Seafarer" communicate the importance of the sea to the British of the Anglo-Saxon time period?
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It would open up opportunities for travel and trade, and protected the British from tribes that might invade.
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The first part of the poem illustrates
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the hardship's of a sailor's life
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Through imagery, the reader learns..
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how harsh the sea is
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The narrator's belief is that God
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pays attention to how people live
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The Seafarer says that Fate determines
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how a person dies
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The narrator says that all sailors
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fear the sea before their voyage
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The two meanings of home suggested at the end of the poem are?
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on earth and in heaven
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The poem asserts that people should "treat all the world as the world deserves," but never with
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harm
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The speaker says that angels from heaven will carry courage, strength, and believe to those who
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are humble/ live humbly
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The last eight lines of "The Seafarer" could be considered
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a prayer
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The Seafarer is happiest when..
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he is out on the sea
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The Seafarer sees the effects of time as ___ to people as they age?
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Merciless
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According to the Seafarer, how did God honor people?
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With the hope of heaven.
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Does the mention of "the song of the swan" (line 19) create an image of beauty?
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no- the absence of beauty at sea
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What was the past according to the Seafarer?
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Much more glamorous and glorious.
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Compare/ contrast life on land and life on sea.
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1) the Seafarer describes the sea as ice- cold, whirling him in sorrow, blown clear of love, and drowning him in desolation. 2) but, the sea brings him joy: waves tossing and towering makes his heart beat 3) land is describes as blossoming and blooming and lovely and fresh
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What must one do in order to get into heaven according to the narrator?
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They mustn't forget God, live humbly, master pride, be chaste, and not cause harm in the world.
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For what reasons does the narrator praise God in the last stanza of the poem?
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For offering hope of heaven to despairing people.
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What is the narrator's attitude towards wealth?
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He believes that wealth cannot bring salvation, stating that it "will not shake the wrath of God."
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("The Seafarer" pg 17#2) What are three images the poet uses in the first stanza to convey his sense of isolation?
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1) drowning/desolation 2) no shelter 3) he feels alone
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("The Seafarer" pg 17#3) a) What happens to "fools who forget their God"? b) What happens to those who "live humbly"?
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a) they die b) they have angels from heaven take care of them
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("The Seafarer" pg 17#4) How might you explain the mixed feelings about the sea that the poet seems to feel?
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he's lonely
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("The Seafarer" pg 17#5) Pagans in Anglo-Saxon England - that is, non-Christians - felt themselves at the mercy of forces utterly beyond their control, whereas Christians put their trust in salvation and heaven. In what way do lines 39 through 43 show the influence of both beliefs?
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it shows how Christians had faith in God and how Pagans believed in fate
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("The Seafarer" pg 17#6) Explain lines 66 and 67: "The wealth / Of the world neither reaches to Heaven nor remains."
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it's saying that the wealth of the world now, won't matter at all in heaven
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("The Seafarer" pg 17#7) "The Seafarer" is a poem of contrasts. What contrast is implied in lines 80 through 102?
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In heaven, instead of the wealthy surviving and thriving, the poor people will
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("The Seafarer" pg 17#8) What does the poet mean by the word "home" in line 117?
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he's saying that heaven is our home
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("The Wanderer" pg 57#2) a) What event causes the wanderer to go into exile? b) What is the goal of his search?
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a) he was homeless and helpless b) to find a new lord
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("The Wanderer" pg 57#3) Identify a brief passage in which he expresses his outlook on life.
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He misses his king and kinsmen. He feels he must remain silent about his sorrow in order to be noble.
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("The Wanderer" pg 57#4) "The Wanderer" has been called an elegy, meaning a poem of mourning and lament. a) identify three vivid details that you feel evoke a mood of mourning and lament. b) explain why these details are effective.
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a) "the longing for a loved one" b) it contributes to the sadness and lament of the story
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("The Wanderer" pg 57#5) How does the poet's use of repetition contribute to the mood?
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it makes it more depressing - like the tolling of a bell at a funeral
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("The Wanderer" pg 57#6) Explain the wanderer's attitude toward wisdom. Find details that support your answer.
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he thinks that one can't have knowledge and wisdom until he experiences things
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("The Wanderer" pg 57#7) Tone refers to a writer's attitude toward the subject or theme. a) choose two adjectives to describe the tone of this poem. b) give reasons for your choices.
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a) hopeful and depressing b) he's hopeful that he will reach his goal; he's depressed because he lost the life he had before
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(Wife's Lament) Where did her husband go
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on an expedition out to sea
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(Wife's Lament) wave-tumult
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sea
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(Wife's Lament) why is she sad when exiled
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committed life to husband, has no friends
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(Wife's Lament) what used to be the only thing that parted them
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death
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(Wife's Lament) the lady will always bare what
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her husband's anger and a burden
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(Wife's Lament) where is the lady
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in the dark woods, under an oak tree
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(Wife's Lament) what does the lady do while in the forest
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think about how her other friends are in bed while walking around the oak tree
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(Wife's Lament) while she is awake she is consumed with
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sadness until she dies
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(Wife's Lament) how does she want her husband to feel
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sorrowful while remembering all the good times, and to never have a wife or children
