The speaker’s tone is sad and forlorn . There is a sense of both desperation and futility in the speaker’s voice as he laments his life at sea.
What is the overall mood of The Seafarer?
“The Seafarer” centers on its narrator’s struggle to survive the hardships of a life spent sailing the oceans, and the general mood of the poem is introspective .
What word describes The Seafarer?
The seafarer describes the desolate hardships of life on the wintry sea . He describes the anxious feelings, cold-wetness, and solitude of the sea voyage in contrast to life on land where men are surrounded by kinsmen, free from dangers, and full on food and wine.
What is the tone of the opening lines what do they suggest seafarer?
The fact that it is a personal account of life on the sea, spoken from the perspective of time and written in a melancholy, mournful tone , certainly suggests that “The Seafarer” is an elegy.
What is the meaning of The Seafarer poem?
“The Seafarer” is an ancient Anglo-Saxon poem in which the elderly seafarer reminisces about his life spent sailing on the open ocean . He describes the hardships of life on the sea, the beauty of nature, and the glory of god. ... The sea imagery recedes, and the seafarer speaks entirely of God, Heaven, and the soul.
What is the main theme of The Seafarer?
The Seafarer is an Anglo-Saxon elegy that is composed in Old English and was written down in The Exeter Book in the tenth century. It’s been translated multiple times, most notably by American poet Ezra Pound. The poem deals with themes of searching for purpose, dealing with death, and spiritual journeys .
Is The Seafarer lonely?
Anna Langman, M.F.A. The poem The Seafarer is a lonely account of a man sailing by himself , so naturally, isolation features heavily in this work.
Who is speaking in The Seafarer?
At certain points in the poem, the speaker refers to the “ sea-weary man ,” or “those who travel the paths of the ocean.” At this point we know he’s talking about himself. But these vague terms also broaden his scope a bit.
How does The Seafarer view fate?
In contrast to Beowulf’s points of views, the narrator in The Seafarer incorporates the idea that fate will destroy all peoples and take everything away . Within the poem, the narrator states that, “fate is stronger.” In this case, fate is an almighty power that no man can control.
How is The Seafarer an allegory?
“The Seafarer” can be read as two poems on separate subjects or as one poem moving between two subjects. ... Moreover, “The Seafarer” can be thought of as an allegory discussing life as a journey and the human condition as that of exile from God on the sea of life .
Why is the seafarer in exile?
The epic poem “The Seafarer” revolves around a man who is in exile in the sea. His exile is self enforced because of his desire to explore new places through travel at sea . His travels happen in the middle of winter.
Why does the seafarer keep going back to the sea?
Even though the seafarer spends the first part of the poem explaining how awful, lonely, and cold sea life is, he then says that he keeps going back to it voluntarily . The horizon, seeking foreigner’s homes. His “soul” calls him out. ... The life at sea might also be more meaningful to him because of the struggle.
How does the speaker in the seafarer feel about life at sea?
The speaker feels anxious and eager . He knows that ultimately the suffering will be worth it. What part might fate play in the speaker’s attitudes about the dangers of life at sea? He knows that fate is destined, so what will happen at sea is also destined.
What is the speaker’s final message in the seafarer?
Which of the following best describes the speaker’s message at the end of “The Seafarer”? Those who walk with God shall be rewarded.
What separates the narrator from other people in the seafarer?
In the Anglo-Saxon poem “The Seafarer,” the narrator shares the pitiless battering of nature on his person and his difficulty in being separated from the company of other people.
How old is the seafarer?
‘The Seafarer’ is one of a group of Anglo-Saxon poems found in the Exeter Book, Codex Exoniensis, donated to the library of Exeter cathedral by Leofric, the first Bishop of Exeter (d. 1072). Compiled around 970 , it is the largest surviving collection of Old English literature.
