The Wanderer

by Unknown, Jonathan Glenn (Translator)

Modern translation of the Anglo-Saxon poem titled 'The Wanderer'.

Genres: Poetry, Classics, Medieval

Unknown Binding

About the author

Books can be attributed to "Unknown" when the author or editor (as applicable) is not known and cannot be discovered. If at all possible, list at least one actual author or editor for a book instead of using "Unknown".

Books whose authorship is purposefully withheld should be attributed instead to Anonymous.

Reviews

[Vanessa]

counting everything that i read for class towards my reading challenge because, yes!
this was so powerful! we’ve always been lonely.

[Yasmin · Rating 5 out of 5]

it's a shame we can't enjoy this piece in its original language:
“Where has the horse gone? Where is the man? Where is the giver of treasure?
Where are the seats at the feast? Where are the joys of the hall?
Alas the bright goblet! Alas the mailed warrior!
Alas the pride of princes! How the space of years has passed —
it grows dark beneath the night-helm, as if it never was! (92-6)

[Can Urla · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a poem that is found in the Exeter Book that tells the solitary state of a 'wanderer' who lost his kin; probably a master, and is exiled. It is one of the finest of the Anglo-Saxon elegies that deeply mixes pagan and Christian themes.

As it is stated in the Oxford Anthology of the Anglo-Saxon world, there were two most important relationship for Anglo-Saxons:
1-) The relation between the lord and man
2-) The relation between the man and kin (a loved one)
If one of them leaves you and dies, you are doomed. In this case, elegies emerged to express loss and grief, or more generally, to lament the loss of a loved one. It is mostly said that Anglo-Saxon elegies become much more optimistic when they are converted to Christianity, as religion gave them hope in a greater sense.

[Taryn Gaunce · Rating 4 out of 5]

of all old english poetry (besides beowulf of course), this one is my favorite. it brings up topics that anyone across time can relate to or understand, like nostalgia and wishing things were like they were at another time, and then the pain of losing loved ones and loneliness. like, i obviously don’t have the experience of a warrior and serving a lord of some kind or being exiled, but human connection is something that transcends time and isn’t lost in translation.

[Amaranta · Rating 4 out of 5]

¿Quién diría que sí es interesante leer poemas del old english pero no en old english? mucha gente yo creo, pero yo nunca me había detenido a pensarlo. Que no me gusten es otra cosa, pero no le quita lo interesante.

[Misa · Rating 4 out of 5]

Another poem that inspired Tolkien.

[Lisa of Troy]

Old English Literature Recommended Reading List by Benjamin McEvoy in How to Get an Oxford Education from Free: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a1Q2J...

[Ismael Lazreg M · Rating 5 out of 5]

muy guay y muy gay

[Daisy Martinez · Rating 2 out of 5]

Wack. Poet wrote many words, but they didn’t mean anything. A bunch of nothing.

[Alison Culpepper · Rating 3 out of 5]

ENGLISH LIT 2019