Christian Heroism in 'The Dream of the Rood'
- Alfie Goodwin
- Aug 27
- 1 min read
Author Bio:
Alfie is a third-year English Literature and History student from West Yorkshire. His interests mainly revolve around modern British poetry and history. That said, he also has a soft spot for French poetry—particularly that of the infamous poètes maudits.
Essay Abstract:
This essay argues that, like the eighth-century Franks Casket, the Old English poem The Dream of the Rood attempts to reconcile heroic and Christian values in one aesthetic unity. It argues that the Rood-poet is largely successful in reconciling such values, but not entirely. Whilst the poem remains catechetical without relinquishing the warrior spirit, for instance, pacifistic and self-abnegatory Christian ethical strains nonetheless resist assimilation with early medieval Germanic ideals. This testifies to the cultural tensions of early Britain.
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