The Dream of the Rood: An Old English Poem Attributed to Cynewulf

by Albert Stanburrough Cook

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Genres: Poetry, Classics, Medieval, School, Literature, Fiction, British Literature

152 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 800

About the author

Albert Stanburrough Cook (March 6, 1853 – September 1, 1927) was an American philologist, literary critic, and scholar of Old English. He has been called "the single most powerful American Anglo-Saxonist of the nineteenth and twentieth centuries." -wikipedia

Reviews

[Aliyah · Rating 4 out of 5]

don't mind me adding the old english set texts, might as well milk my degree for my failing goodreads challenge xx

[Maryam Rajee · Rating 4 out of 5]

It was interesting how the unknown poet of this poem had the idea of both Paganism and Christianity while his main theme was the crucifixion of Christ.

[Stephanie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Oh, I didn't think Goodreads had The Dream of the Rood, so it was a lovely surprise to stumble upon its page!

I read this once before, and just a few weeks ago had to read it again. It's one of the few poems that I actually enjoyed.

[Izzy · Rating 4 out of 5]

weirdly homoerotic for a poem that is a retelling of the crucifixion story from the cross’s perspective 🤪 #isitgayorishetalkingaboutjesus #thistimeitsboth

[Charlie · Rating 4 out of 5]

4 STARS

CW: death, blood

My motto concerning uni reads from now on is "if it's on Goodreads, I will add it". I knew about this poem and its contents but I don't think I read the entire thing (consisting of few more than 150 lines). I think this poem is super fascinating and I cannot wait to hold my presentation on it. (Currently also thinking about writing a term paper on this but we'll see.)

Essentially, this is about the cross Christ was crucified on: the cross's speech is framed by a narrator who introduces the situation and eventually wraps everything up. And this narrator relays their dream vision of this special cross.

I did read the Modern English translation to understand what is going on first and I will go back to look at the original Old English version. Despite not being religious, I think this is a VERY interesting way to advance religious beliefs and teachings because the framing is so unique (in my opinion). One thing that also factors into this and I think it only speaks for the importance of The Dream of the Rood, is the carving of some of its lines on the Ruthwell Cross which has intrigued me ever since I first heard about it.

Overall, I think this is deservedly called one of the most important literary artifacts in English history (naturally factoring in all the unknowns such as uncertainty pertaining to its origins, author etc but that's just part of the fun with OE poetry) and it showcases a fascinating composition of themes.

[Jaslyn · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the best thing ever, y'all
A blessed Holy Cross Day to you :)

[Ren · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was a bit shaken by this, to be honest. Started reading If when I was in a fairly bad and stressed mood and was astounded by how deeply it touched my heart. Perhaps I’ll write more on this poem later, once I have more time.

[Zayne · Rating 5 out of 5]

I Read this for a college class a few weeks ago, but recently stumbled upon it again and wanted to re-read it, while re-reading The Wanderer (another great poem from Old English). Would recommend reading this. It has to do with religious themes, so be wary of that since it is a major theme for the story, as it makes sense that Rood is Old English for "rod-Pole" or more specifically, "crucifix."
it is a challenging read since it was translated into our Modern English, but some of the translations could've been off.

[Justin Wiggins · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a very moving poem that represents Christ as a warrior and a suffering servant- a literary work that has elements of both Paganism and Christianity like Beowulf.

[Tim · Rating 2 out of 5]

There are some stories worth remaining untranslated. This is one of them

[Patri:) · Rating 2 out of 5]

no veas q paranoia ahora habla el poeta luego el árbol luego la virgen... pa mi q el autor se fumó algo raro

[Maxine]

Had to read it for class. I did enjoy the prose even tho I’m not the religious type but definitely well written.

[Ella · Rating 5 out of 5]

beautiful and mystical. very interesting I love really old christianity

[Oblomov · Rating 3 out of 5]

Goodreads, why did adding this poem give me self-help book recommendations? What part of a story about a man who dreams he's the literal Cross, lead you to believe I'm interested in 'The Raw Meat Diet: How to Cure Autism and Baldness by Pretending You're a Fucking Badger'?

The Dream of Rood is not a self-help book, it's a poem about a bloke anthropormophising the Crucifix, and how it's meant to suffer the same pain and anguish as the man infamously nailed to it. I thought it was a Christian tale about how even an object can become holy and alive with mere physical connection to the divine, but perhaps the fact it's forcing readers to 'check thy piety' by claiming even timber feels love for Jesus, that's what makes it's a self-help guide? I don't know.

This is a rather imaginative take on the Crucifixion story and its painful descriptions did manage to make me feel genuine empathy for wood, but if GR recommends Jordan 'I've had three sexual harrassment claims against me, so clearly it's the women who are wrong' Peterson because of this book, I'm planning to forget I ever read it. Decent enough poem, still.

[Lauren Ballard · Rating 3 out of 5]

Old English is definitely not my forte, but the symbolism behind this story and the personification of Christ’s cruxifixction was beautiful. The message that we should all take up our crosses to follow Christ is so powerful.

[Suhasini Srihari · Rating 5 out of 5]

A wonderful poem, I would say, that has survived from the Anglo-Saxon time till the modern period. The poem is narrated through a dreamer who speaks of the paradoxical element of the 'Rood'. The Rood/Cross is a symbol both of shame and of glory, a place of defeat and victory. The Rood also endures the pain that the God's Son suffered, thus rising to glory under the heaven. However, the poem ends with a note of hope that on the Doomsday, God will return to earth and reward or punish humankind according to their deeds. Those who bow down in love and respect before Him shall be protected by the Lord. The poem brings the connections between the dreamer, the Cross and the Christ himself. I enjoyed reading and analyzing this poem for it very effectively portrays the existence of life within each and every object on earth. As a student of literature or as a sensitive person, irrespective of me being a believer or a non-believer of God - the poem has lived up to its heights to kindle the thoughts and emotions in me.

[Phillip · Rating 4 out of 5]

This poem is a dream wherein the speaker has a vision of the true cross, which tells the poet persona its story. The reason this is interesting is because the poem reflects an early Christian ideal of Christ triumphant, which was dominant before the rise of affective piety. In the affective piety tradition, the focus is on Christ's suffering to redeem humanity, whereas the Christ triumphant tradition figured him as a warrior conquering death (or sin). Jesus was often portrayed as armed and armored, a conquering warrior more in the tradition of Beowulf than of the Pieta. This image of Christ really appealed to northern Europeans because it aligned more with the warrior-ethos of Germanic paganism, and so it was easier to convert Germanic/Scandinavian pagans to this version of Christianity.
https://youtu.be/k8HllkZd5ro

[jules · Rating 4 out of 5]

dostałam plusa za aktywność na pierwszych zajęciach z litangu

[Diana · Rating 4 out of 5]

Another poem/verse I had to read for my British Literature class. This one I really enjoyed. It is a religious poem about Christ's crucifixion as told by the Cross. I enjoyed the unique point of view of the verses. Another thing I would have never read on my own, but I was happy to read it as an assignment. If you want to read it make sure you have a translated copy, the original would be impossible to read.

[Zuzanna W · Rating 5 out of 5]

pretty banging

Edit: Amended by rating to 5 stars because it does bang pretty hard

[Cathrine Selland · Rating 3 out of 5]

OKi desse bøkene e egentlig ganske korte, its just a poem, da ekje sånn at eg har lest 2 fulle bøke i dag. Most of it is just yapping from the translator and I just skip that 😂

[Preetam Chatterjee · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Dream of the Rood unquestionably stands supreme amongst all of the old English religious poems, in its passion of sentiment, luminosity of idea and assurance of implementation. The work a true artist and poet, in this poem, by a bizarre narrative the account of the crucifixion is told by the Cross itself in a strain of love and adulation, consummate, unparalleled and unequalled in the whole of Anglo-Saxon poetry.

In his dream the poet perceives the phenomenally miraculous tree, by turns shining in jewels and bathed in blood. It relates to him the story of its life from the day when it was struck down on the verge of the forest, to that on which "the young Hero, brave and strong" was lifted on to it and it trembled as it received the kiss of God-in-Man.

It is now honoured by men, their beacon-light and cure for all ills of life. Allegory has been used here to admirable artistic purpose to bring out the full pathos of the crucifixion.

The poem is all aglow with a deep religious piousness and some of the verses attain supreme lyrical heights. The allegory foreshadows the later allegorical school of mediaeval English poetry.

[Jacky Chan · Rating 4 out of 5]

I'm just...liking it more and more? This hyper-religious poem written by an anonymous bloke that plays with, at once, notions of time and meaning and language and form and body and Word; as Andy Orchard remarks, we have here a poem that gradually releases its wonders after repeated meditations. All thanks to my brilliant tutor for guiding me along the way.

I'll end with one the most beautiful lines in the poem and Old English poetry in general:

Þystro hæfdon
bewrigen mid wolcnum | wealdendes hræw,
scirne sciman; | sceadu forð eode,
wann under wolcnum. | Weop eal gesceaft,
cwiðdon cyinges fyll. | Crist wæs on rode.
[Darkness had covered the ruler's corpse, the shining brightness, with clouds; a dark shadow advanced under the clouds. All creation weapt, lamented the fall of the king. Christ was on the cross.]

[Taylor's♡Shelf · Rating 5 out of 5]

I've always loved this poem. I own the wonderful translation by E. T. Donaldson, as any Old English I had in my university years has now been replaced by the language that is toddler sounds.

Like many medieval poems, the story behind this poem is even more interesting then the poem itself. The poem was first found in a 10th-century manuscript. However, the poem can predate the manuscript in which it was found as lines of the poem have been found scratched into the Ruthwell cross in Scotland, dating back to the 8th-century. Backstories like this one make you consider that historical "facts" that we may pride ourselves in knowing today may be proven wrong to later generations of scholars.

Despite its moniker, history is always one step ahead of us.

[milii · Rating 5 out of 5]

"That I have suffered deeds of wicked men And grievous sorrows. Now the time has come That far and wide on earth men honour me, And all this great and glorious Creation, And to this beacon offer prayers, On me The Son of God once suffered"

Esto es lo primero que leo de que literatura inglesa antigua y no me arrepiento de nada (de hecho es material para volverme una persona más insufrible). La forma en la que se mezcla el paganismo con la temática cristiana ES A CHEF KISS. No suelo leer poesía pero es que la mezcla de estos dos grandes mundos me ha dejado tan anonada que NO tengo palabras... I MEAN es literalmente el árbol del que sacaron madera para hacer la cruz de Jesús hablandole a alguien a través de un sueño. CHAU ESTOY FASCINADA

[Can Urla · Rating 5 out of 5]

The long poem is found in Vericelli's book in Italy; it collects multiple Anglo-Saxon poems. I think this piece is fascinating and also terrifying, very well written with rich descriptions. Fearlessly tells the story of the crucifixion from the perspective of the cross.

The piece is associated with the Ruthwell Cross in Scotland which is found in 8th Century. Yet, the association is related to the runes and some lines of this poem are found in this cross and are not certain.

I believe this poem is richly evocative and almost cinematic. Especially, the part where it mentions the ascension of Jesus to heaven. In this regard, it preserves a hopeful as well as mournful tone.

[Andrew Lawlor · Rating 5 out of 5]

I recently read this for an English literature course I'm taking online. I was stricken by the mixture of intensely christian imagery with pagan elements, narrated in a galloping style in the vein of Beowulf. I have to say it was kind of awesome reading about Jesus described as a fierce warrior who nonetheless accepts his fate to be crucified on the rood:
"There I dared not go beyond the Lord's word
to bow or burst apart--
then I saw the corners of the earth tremor--
I could have felled all those foemen,
nevertheless I stood fast."

[mrsbrewerislit · Rating 5 out of 5]

Poetry during this time is incredibly fascinating with a touch of paganism and strong, Christian elements. Which, was common among the Christianization of England.

These are lines saved out of only around 30,000 in the entirety of the Anglo-Saxon time period (earliest of English literature, which is known also as the beginning of English literature), and it is quite beautifully written.

The fear and awe in Jesus’ crucifixion is symbolized so well.

[Alexandria (DaysPass) · Rating 3 out of 5]

I found the idea of focus on the crucifix so interesting, and a subject I never would have thought to focus on. I loved the focus on nature and the personification shown in this piece. I can't say I fully understood everything, as it was just a quick read for class but I really did enjoy. A short and sharp piece.

[Madison · Rating 4 out of 5]

Hwæt!: "Much have I endured on that hill of hostile fates."

I have to say, I really, genuinely enjoyed this poem. It's the most marvelous concept, and I wish I knew more stories/poetry like this. Interesting/new perspectives/narrators is by far one of my favorite concept in literature and I always love them. I wish I knew of more.