The poem appeared in the exeter book, between deors lament and the riddles, meaning that it was written no later than around 990 ad. They are one one of the most intriguing questions about wulf and eadwacer is whether or not it is designed to portray a specific plot and set of characters or is it created to have numerous scenarios derived by its audience. Wulf and eadwacer is one of the most controversial poems in the exeter book. Found in the exeter book manuscript between deor and the riddles, just about. Or eadwacer is a person from her own tribe whos watchingmarried to her. Many interpretations and translations of the poem have been provided, and scholars still argue the interpretations. The remaining part of the exeter book includes the rhyming poem, which is the only example of its kind. Since the heart of the novella concerns the poem wulf and eadwacer, i thought it would add a. Wulf and eadwacer it is to my people as if one were to make them gifts.
Its theme seems to be the separation of lovers, but it is very unclear, despite its powerfully suggestive atmosphere. Eadwacer to my people its as though he gave them a sacrifice to my people its as though he gave them a sacrifice the academy of american poets is the largest membershipbased nonprofit. Wulf and eadwacer, by fiona sampson, published in folding the real 2001. Poet paul muldoon reads his translation of the exeter book poem, wulf and eadwacer. Wulf and eadwacer, as benjamin thorpe has now famously. An approach to wulf and eadwacer proceedings of the royal. It was called the first riddle of cynewulf because it starts the riddle section in the exeter book until it was decided. The 10th century exeter book contains this interesting old english poem. Slaughterfierce men crowd there they would chew him up if he came with a company.
The poems only extant text is found within the tenthcentury exeter book, along with certain other texts to which it. Wulf and eadwacerthis poem is about a love triangle between the speaker, the wulf and the eadwacer expressing human emotion and dealing with human relationship. The poem appeared in the exeter book, between deors lament and the riddles. Wulf and eadwacer is an old english poem of 20 lines that appears to date from the 9th century, drawing on earlier oral traditions of anglosaxon tale singing. Wulf and eadwacer by the word exchange free listening on. Of famously difficult interpretation, it has been variously characterised, modernly as an elegy, historically as a. Wulf, my wulf, it was my hopes of thee, thy constant absence and my mourning heart, that made me sicknot from lack of food. Wulf and eadwacer is one of the most enigmatic anglosaxon poems. Youve never read anything like this before kay green.
It has given rise to many theories, of which perhaps the most widely credited is that the speaker a woman, as reotugu in l. Wulf and eadwacer and the destabilization of meaning. Translation of wulf and eadwacer poem by michael burch. The written wulf and eadwacer most probably dates to around 800 a. Of this i can make no sense, nor am i able to arrange the verses.
It is as though my people had been given a present. Exeter book wulf and eadwacer is an old english poem of 20 lines that appears to date from the 9th century, drawing on earlier oral traditions of anglosaxon tale singing. The arrangement of the poems appears to be haphazard, and the book. They will wish to capture him if he comes with a troop.
Possibly whoever had given a gift to my tribe they would chew him up if he came with a company. Deor and wulf and eadwacer, and they appear in precisely that order together, in the exeter book c. A 9thcentury love story of violence and redemption kindle edition by bjork, robert. Wulf and eadwacer is one of the most enigmatic old english poems. I my text of wulf and eadwacer is from the facsimile, the exeter book of old english poetry, with introductory chapters by r. Section c, archaeology, celtic studies, history, linguistics, literature by orton, peter isbn. How and where the old english exeter book riddles begin, the old english elegies. The exeter book jebsonwulf and eadwacer wikisource. In muldoons interpretation of the poem, it is written in the first person by an anonymous woman who is, or has, been involved with the two men from whom the poem takes its title, wulf and eadwacer. The poems in the exeter book known as the old english elegies. The poem traditionally known as wulf and eadwacer has allowed anything but a. Wulf and eadwacer is an old english poem of famously difficult interpretation.
Wulf and eadwacer is one of the most enigmatic old english poems, since the story it alludes to is not known to us. The elegies of the exeter book the british library. These translations from old english aim to capture my understanding of the texts at the time, all the while remembering. Similar thoughts preoccupy the voice of the seafarer, a figure who. Scholars, however, point to a variety of possible germanic sources of the. The poem, wulf and eadwacer, is an anonymous anglosaxon poem from the exeter book.
Loves medium, by bernard odonoghue, published in outliving 2003 to celebrate the marriage of two of his exstudents, elanor dymott and simon marshall. The only text of the fragment is copied in the exeter book. I didnt know very much ok, virtually nothing about new zealand fiction before visiting there earlier this year, but discovered wulf in unity books in auckland, one of those shops just designed for book lovers with titles arranged in thematic clusters so you literally want one of everything. Wulf and eadwacer discover and defend, a trip in time. Wulf and eadwacer, an old english poem found on folios loob lola of the exeter book between dear and the first section of the riddles. These two poems are also used as examples of the female voice in broadening early feminist literary history. Buy an approach to wulf and eadwacer proceedings of the royal irish academy. Use features like bookmarks, note taking and highlighting while reading freya and wulf. It started on the folio one hundred verso to one hundred and one recto. How to approach ambiguity, or the poem known as wulf and. The proliferation of interpretations that prompted renoirs new approach to wulf and eadwacer might be taken as proof that interpretation itself is an inadequate procedure for dealing with the poem. Wulf and eadwacer project gutenberg selfpublishing. It would appear that wulf was the poets first lover, with eadwacer coming along later after a possibly tumultuous end to her time with wulf. Wulf and eadwacer is a poem found in the book of exeter, a thousand year old manuscript.
The poem describes a lament of an unarmed woman who was involved with two men, possibly her husband and. Download it once and read it on your kindle device, pc, phones or tablets. The poem traditionally known as wulf and eadwacer has allowed anything but a clearcut meaning or understanding. Wulf and eadwacer anglosaxon poem by anonymous woman wulf and eadwacer ca. This film was granted one of the four juried awards at the 2012 machinima expo. An old english poem in 19 lines from the exeter book. How and where the old english exeter book riddles begin. Wulf and eadwacer is a short old english lyric poem consisting of nineteen lines that is preserved in the exeter book, a large anthology of mostly christian verse. In this case, either she abandoned her and eadwacer s baby to a wolf because she doesnt love eadwacer, or perhaps the baby is still wulf s and she didnt want eadwacer. Four departures from wulf and eadwacer poetry archive. Wulf and eadwacerancient anglosaxon poem circa 960 adloose translationinterpretation by michael r. It was called the first riddle of cynewulf because it starts the riddle section in the exeter book. The only text of the fragment is copied in the exeter book, a manuscript of old english poetry compiled in the late 10th century.
Wulf enigma author mandy pannett meets st etheldreda in ely. Wulf and eadwacer klinck major reference works wiley. Wulf and eadwacer, by michael alexander, published in the earliest english poems 1966. O wulf, my wulf, my longing for your coming has made me ill, the rareness of your visits, my grieving spirit, not the lack of food. Of famously difficult interpretation, it has been variously. This has lead one scholar to hypothesize that they are actually part of a larger mythcycle that the narrator in deor is wulf in wulf and eadwacer. For in discussing the importance of the female voice in wulf and eadwacer. Widsith, the heroic narrative of a fictitious bard. The poem can be found on page 51 of the word exchange.
An exception is jensen, emily, narrative voice in the old english wulf, chaucer rev. Eadwacer by anonymous poems academy of american poets. Written in the late west saxon dialect in the exeter book. Of this i can make no sense, nor san francisco state. How old the poem itself is is not known, since it most likely was already around for quite. Wulf and eadwacer has generated a bewildering array of interpretations.
Men very easily may put asunder that which was never joined, our song together. But the poem itself is probably older, perhaps much older. Wulf and eadwacer anglosaxon narrative poetry project. Unique within that body of poetry for its lyrical female voice, the poem. Wulf and eadwacer a mysterious old english poem telling. With an unknown author, it has often been attributed as the first of the riddles which follow while others view it as a lyric elegy. The situation has traditionally been thought to be this. The dating of all of the exerter material is problemtaic.
1576 268 616 1629 668 815 1366 214 392 1632 1297 1398 99 1360 480 1649 633 162 616 1163 244 322 485 1318 1184 707 483 1196 774 1399 1175 219