“The Wanderer” Analysis Questions
Due: Thursday, November 10, 2011
Homework Value: 35 points
DIRECTIONS: Write or type your responses to the below questions on a separate piece of
paper to be collected on the listed due date. Answers should be thoughtful and in complete
sentences. Be sure to cite line numbers when referencing the poem.
1. Who are the speakers of the poem? What is the relationship between the two? What
effect does the use of two speakers have on the reader’s picture of the wanderer?
(5 points)
2. Why does the wanderer go into exile? What images does the poet use to convey his
isolation and despair? (5 points)
3. What are the “fates of men” on which the wanderer reflects? Why might the wanderer’s
own experiences have lead him to sullen thoughts? (5 points)
4. How is this passage like an elegy? (5 points)
5. According to the poem, how might reflection on “the fates of men” lead to wisdom?
(5 points)
6. Find 3 examples of alliteration, 2 examples of assonance, and 2 examples of
kennings. Be sure to include the example and its line number. (7 points)
7. Do you think dwelling on the sorrowful, painful side of life can give a person wisdom
and a valuable perspective on life, or do you think it can be harmful? Explain. (8 points)