Anglo-Saxon Lyric Poetry
“The Seafarer”
“The Wanderer”
“The Wife’s Lament”
All three poems come
from the Exeter Book.
Common Elements - Kennings
 They use kennings, which
are descriptive phrases to
replace a noun, such as
“heaven’s candle” for the
sun.
 First my lord went out
away from his people over
the wave-tumult (sea).
– “The Wife’s Lament”
Common Elements - Themes
 All three lyric poems deal
with tests of courage.
 All three lyric poems
reflect the uncertainty of
life in the Anglo-Saxon
period.
 All three speakers suffer
from extreme loneliness
and struggle against the
odds to keep their spirits
alive.
“The Seafarer”
 Kennings in place of
simple nouns.
 Details to enable
visualization
(imagery).
 Moods clearly defined
by description.
 Alliteration gives
poem rhythm.
 Inconsistent ending.
“The Wanderer”
 Kennings in place of
simple nouns.
 Details to enable
visualization
(imagery).
 Moods clearly defined
by description.
 Alliteration gives
poem rhythm.
 Inconsistent ending.
“The Wife’s Lament”
 Caesuras (pause in




middle of lines) gives
poem a sense of sadness
and weariness.
Kennings in place of
simple nouns.
Details to enable
visualization (imagery).
Moods clearly defined by
description.
Alliteration gives poem
rhythm.
Assignment Package –
Anglo-Saxon Lyric Poetry
 As you begin the reading
assignment, keep in mind
the themes of loneliness,
hardship and isolation. Do
the poems fit these
themes?
 Identify kennings.
 Identify alliteration and
caesuras.
 Identify and define
vocabulary from the
poems.
Anglo-Saxon Lyric Poetry Review
Please record the following questions,
and answer in complete sentences.
“The Seafarer”
 Please remember that this poem is a serious look at life from the point
of view of someone who has known great hardship and suffering.
 Identify the five W’s of this poem: Who is the main character? What is




this poem about? Where and When it takes place? And Why the
speaker returns to the sea?
What is the theme (poet’s main point) of this poem?
In the speaker’s opinion, what is the difference between life at sea and
life on land?
Describe the speaker’s relationship to the sea. How does he feel about
it? What affect does the “lure of the sea” have on the speaker?
What kenning for the sea appears in lines 59 and 60?
Homework 1- “The Wanderer”
 Why is the speaker in this poem considered
to be a “lonely traveler”?
 Why does the speaker live in exile?
 What is the speaker’s view on those who
have wisdom?
“The Wife’s Lament”- The
following questions will be due
by the close of today’s class.
 How did the speaker become separated
from her husband?
 How does the speaker feel about this
separation?
 Why did the speaker move to the “den in
the earth”?
Homework 3Research “The Norse Raiders”
 From which countries did the Vikings
originate?
 What were the causes of the Vikings
expansion from their homelands?
 How did they treat their victims?
 How far did they explore in the Atlantic and
in the Mediterranean?
 Describe the Viking religion.