Journal 7

Certain motifs, or recurring ideas, such as the journey, exile, and fate, appear frequently in many Anglo-Saxon works. What recurrent motifs have you found in the three works? Cite evidence in the text to support your answers.

Certain motifs, or recurring ideas, such as the journey, exile, and fate, appear frequently in many Anglo-Saxon works. “From a History of the English Church and People,” written by Bede, is about a man, who believes he can not sing. When he left the feast he saw a person coming in the room with a harp. One night, after falling asleep at the stable he had an interesting dream. Within his dream a man told Caedmon to sing, but knew he was unable. The man told him to trust faith and sing about creations of all things. Caedmon awoke and found that he could sing about god. He added to the song and made it worthy of a Godly hymn. After realizing his gift he became very religious. Caedmon’s journey ended with him finding his gift and becoming religious.

“The Seafarer” is a story about morning someone’s death. The sailor beliefs that life and faith will take you to heaven, but if you lose faith you will be sent to hell. The sailor has been through life’s paths and has experienced many ups and downs. The sailor says, “But there isn’t a man on earth so proud, so born to greatness, so bold with his youth, grown so brave, or graced by God, that he feels no fear as the sails unfurl, wondering what Fate has willing and will do.” This statement explains why the sailor can speak for the common man. The belief that god and faith will send you on life’s journal and into the promise land.

“The Wife’s Lament” is a story of love that can’t be. Her husband and her have been separated because the clans that they come from have had a fight. He doesn’t belief that she will be able to make it without him by her side. “All that has changed, and it is now as though our marriage and our love had never been, and far or near forever I must suffer the feud of my beloved husband dear.”