Wednesday, September 27, 2017
The Seafarer
Part one:
In a brief paragraph, respond to the following prompt. Be sure to include textual evidence to support your ideas.
After carefully reading "The Seafarer," what is the speaker's attitude toward exile, his own life, and the heroic warrior's lifestyle and values? In what ways do the poem's poetic devices reveal the poem's overall meaning or lesson? You may want to address diction, tone, imagery, shifts, and mood.
Part two:
In what ways might your reading of and response to "The Seafarer" connect to ideas in Beowulf? The speaker discusses aspects of the heroic code and the warrior's lifestyle. What implications do the speaker's ideas have on the character Beowulf, and what happens in the entire text, Beowulf?
Part three:
Respond to at least two of your classmates' post. You must engage in a conversation with their post. This means you should NOT merely say something like "I agree/disagree," or "you make a good point," or "I like your idea/that's a good idea". Instead, you should enter into a conversation the same way you would during a class discussion and offer new information in some way. You may connect their to some other textual evidence, some other idea in any of the texts from this unit, you may offer alternative analysis, ask questions and/or complicate some of their ideas, or respectfully disagree with their analysis and explain why.
LASTLY, be sure to read through your peers' comments and DO NOT repeat information/ideas. If what you planned to say has already been said, say something else. This thread should not be the same ideas over and over and over.
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Frankenstein/ Rime of Ancient Mariner & SUBLIME
Das Eismeer (The Sea of Ice), 1823–1824, a painting by Caspar David Friedrich The painting above depicts ...
part one :
ReplyDeleteIn “The Seafarer” the speaker’s straightforward diction and bleak imagery calls to attention the stark contrast between life at sea and life on land to exemplify the loneliness that accompanies exile, and reveal that one may need to suffer in order to understand that what is meaningful in life will not last through death. He focuses on the idea that “ships are homes of sadness” and uses words such as icy, cheerless, bitter sorrow, and exile to describe his feelings through the journey. As he continues he explains the difference between life on land and at sea and states, “He who is used to the comforts of life suffers little hardship,” and that “The prosperous man knows not what some men endure who tread the pathos exile to the end of the world” (54). The speaker explains, the people who live on land do not understand and will never experience the suffering and hardships of a man who is in exile; the problems they face are insignificant in comparison to the problems of a man in exile. The speaker later explains his love and longing for exploration. He explains that through exile he could explore the world, and comes to realize that nothing on earth lasts forever. It is through his suffering while alone at sea, in the icy waters, that he realizes worldly possessions do not matter and that what happens is ultimately up to God’s plan.
part two :
My reading and response to “The Seafarer” can connect to the ideas in Beowulf that are related to Christianity. In both works of literature the reader sees that whatever ends up happening is up to God. In Beowulf there is a focus on fate and that every time before battle Beowulf says that whatever happens is because it is what God wants / has planned. In a similar way, the speaker in “The Seafarer” comes to the same realization that worldly possessions are meaningless and God is who makes the world turn and ultimately decides the fate of everyone. An aspect of a warrior’s lifestyle that the speaker discusses is each man should strive to win the praise of those living after him. This is the idea that warriors fight for themselves and for their reputation to be know across the lang, rather than for their lord.
In addition, I think one can interpret your topic of God and Christianity as the speaker also implying that life without God is a life of isolation and exile, like living on the sea. For example, the speaker states, "the joys/ of the Lord inspire me more than this dead life" (55). The speaker is implying that life on earth is lifeless and hollow without God's presence and interference in their life journey.
DeleteI agree with your point about suffering helping one understand the true meaning of life and what is important. When he says, "my hearts longings always urge me to undertake a journey," and then later adds that, "the seafarer will always feel longings." We see both his desire for the world and also the suffering and loneliness that comes with it, which ultimately helps him to understand what really matters (God, being a good person) and that fleeting earlthy things won't matter as much (pain, sadness, jewels, etc.)
DeleteDays of great glory in the kingdom of earth are gone forever; kings and kaisers and gold-giving lords are no longer as they were...”
DeleteThis quote could be used to “worldly possessions are meaningless” or are becoming more and more meaningless. The worldly possessions one owns (gold) are slowly becoming less and less prominent as the world goes on so much so that today’s currency doesn’t even use gold.
You could also relate this to your idea of a persons reputation is becoming more and more important than fighting for your lord because the influence of kings and gold-givers are becoming less and less.
I agree with your view of the importance of God in each texts, but I also think that the idea of an afterlife and what happens after death is equally important. While the "Seafarer" speaks of entering the afterlife with no possessions, the characters in Beowulf place a great deal of stress on the need to pass on from earthly life with an abundance of treasures. I believe that these conflicting thoughts on death are very important distinguishing factors of each respective text.
Deletethis is talin's post
DeleteAMBER HANDAL'S POST
DeleteIn "The Seafarer" the speaker views exile, his/her life, and the lifestyle of a heroic warrior as lonely and filled with hardships, as seen in the melancholy diction and the overarching metaphor of the sea, which illuminates the poem's overall message that one's life is empty without other people's presence and their acknowledgment of his/her accomplishments and defeats. The melancholy diction suggests that the speaker views exile, his/her life, and the lifestyle of a heroic warrior (particularly after their duties as a warrior come to an end) as lonely and filled with hardships, more specifically when they are isolated and not surrounded by others. The speaker uses phrases such as, "ships are homes of sadness" (l 5) and "[n]o protector could console the cheerless heart" (l 25-6) to emphasize the emptiness and sadness he/she feels about exile, his/her own life, and the endings of the lives of heroic warriors. This melancholy diction emphasizes the overall meaning of the poem, as it reflects the depressed emotions one feels when they are not surrounded by people to acknowledge their actions, achievements, and even failures. In addition, the speaker uses the metaphor of the sea to communicate the notion of a vast emptiness that accompanies exile, his/her life, and the ending of the life of a heroic warrior. The sea represents a large, empty space that often leaves people or things secluded, as they are surrounded by nothing but water. The speaker mentions this idea of the sea's isolate characteristics when he/she states that, "[h]e who lives prosperously on land does not understand how I, careworn and cut off from my kinsmen, have as an exile endured a winter on the icy sea" (l 12-6). When the speaker is at sea, he/she feels that he/she is isolated and in exile because he/she is surrounded by nothing but cold water and is cut off from all human interaction. This idea illuminates the overarching meaning of the poem, as the metaphor of the sea and its representation of isolation emphasizes that people feel that their lives are empty without the presence of other people to acknowledge them.
ReplyDelete"The Seafarer" speaker's idea of people's lives feeling empty without the presence of others relates to "Beowulf", as the characters of the time period thrive on the notion of their reputation and the power that comes with it, particularly Beowulf himself. The speaker claims that the life of a heroic warrior is filled with praise and glory, implying the honorable reputation warriors have. The greatest example of a heroic warrior having an honorable reputation is Beowulf. Beowulf's family name, battle victories, and wealth gains him a reputation of being the greatest warrior of all time. Furthermore, even as an old man Beowulf is willing to fight a dangerous dragon in order to preserve this reputation as the greatest warrior. Not only does he thrive on this reputation, but his egotistical attitudes suggest his satisfaction with life as a result of the glory and praise he gets from other people. Beowulf's satisfaction and contentment with his reputation and, ultimately, his life is a testament to the speaker's ideas that people thrive when surrounded by others who build up their reputation, and that people's lives would be empty without these other people to acknowledge their actions.
I found the same thing in reading both the poem and Beowulf about thriving on one's reputation. Going back to the text of the poem it specially talks about how days of greater glory are gone but the speaker still remembers the kings' reputations and says, "they wrought deeds of greatest glory and lived in the most lordly splendor" (55).
DeleteI think the idea you emphasize throughout your paragraphs of reputation, both in the poem and in Beowulf are really important. In addition to the importance of reputation highlighting the difficulties of exile and loneliness, it also helps illuminate the question of motivation that recurrs in Beowulf. It calls to mind the question of the true importance of these Germanic hero values, and whether they are done to impress those around you, to impress God, or simply because it is the "right" thing to do.
DeleteI really found your connection to the isolation on water because the water at that point is all around you to be extremely thought provoking. I did not think about that while reading it. I was wondering what you meant when you talked about how people's lives are empty without people to acknowledge them, what exactly did you mean by that?
DeleteI agree that the author saw his life as lonely and sad, but I do not think he thought the same of heroes. I think he thought that heroes were too materialistic, but from the text, I personally do not think that these heroes felt lonely. In their own eyes, they are doing well, since these heroes have conquered many and won countless battles. They have the riches to prove it, and they are happy with their own accomplishments. i also do not think that their friends would abandon them after all of their success.
DeleteIn the seafarer, the speaker’s use of poetic devices such as imagery and mood, and also his attitude toward his life, exile, and the heroic code illuminate the meaning behind the poem that isolation makes life not worth living. For example, when the speaker says, “I heard nothing but the sea booming the ice cold wave… the cry of the gannet was all my gladness, the call of the curlew, not the laughter of men.” The use of words like ice, cold, and booming illuminate the darkness and sadness that the speaker is feeling at his isolation. Also, the mood is very dismal, demonstrating that his exile leaves him feeling empty and depressed. He is very depressed about his own exile, but also feels like he must take advantage of it as seen when he says, “I should make trial of the mountainous streams, the tossing salt waves.” Here we also see a switch from bitter and depressed to acceptance. He can't change his exile, so he might as well enjoy it, travel, and see the foreign lands. Lastly, we see him shift to an almost “lessons learned” attitude. He talks about reputation and loyalty and how those things are very important to society, but are losing their worth. He says the only way to “keep living” is to be remembered by deeds, and that gold and glory are no longer worth as much as they used to be in the eyes of God.
ReplyDelete2. I believe the ideas in the Seafarer connect to Beowulf because we see an emphasis on God in both. In the seafarer, he discusses the importance of God above all (reputation included), while in Beowulf there is a little bit of a discrepancy/ coexistence between God and the values of the heroic code. The speakers ideas imply that maybe the emphasis placed on reputation, loyalty, courage, and wisdom isn't as important as Beowulf and the entire society believe it to be. The poem also connects to Beowulf by strongly emphasizing the importance of society. By showing us how miserable the speaker is at sea by himself, we understand the motivations better behind Beowulf’s and other warriors actions. Shame (and exile) are painful, and it is worth risking your life to avoid them.
Your idea of the poem emphasizing the importance of society is very interesting to me. I see how you came to this conclusion by inferring that a life of exile is lonely and filled with sadness and therefore society is important for its fostering of human interaction, but in a way it contradicts your statement of God being above all. Wouldn't God being above all negate the need for societal interaction and be enough to satisfy one in exile?
DeleteIn addition, when reading the poem something that suck out to me was that he had a longing for exploration but then he was let down. The speaker says, "My heart leaps within me, my mind roams the waves ... Returns again to me eager and unsatisfied." This quote could also be used to help show the idea of living in isolation makes life not worth living because even something he was so excited to do let him down and left him sad and alone at sea.
DeleteI think you contradict yourself when you say when you said reputation is not important in the Seafarer because you even said that both poems emphasize society as important, so I’ll pose this question to you: is reputation not included in society? My thoughts were that the two were usually intertwined.
DeleteWhen I read the poem, I found that reputation was something very important in society as well and that everyone should strive to maintain a good reputation for themselves. Something I did not pick up from the poem was that reputation was one of the things that was losing its worth. Are you suggesting that people do not value their reputation as much as they did before? How is reputation "losing its worth"?
DeleteCailyn and Megan, I understand what both of you guys recognize and I do see that myself. However, I think Alex could be explaining how in "The Seafarer" the speaker focuses on his reputation during the beginning of the poem, but as he feels more and more isolated, he begins to realize that God is above all and reputation is not as important as society thinks. So, yes, reputation is included in society, and yes, both poems emphasize society as important. But throughout "The Seafarer," the speaker recognizes that God could be more important than society. This is a point I got from the poem, and I see how it similarly relates to Alex's response, so maybe she is trying to say that. Is that correct Alex?
DeleteI agree that the author thought a life of exile was not worth living, but I think he had come to terms with his loneliness, and he wants to wait to finish this life so he can move on to the afterlife. He uses words such as gone, former, lived, and leaves, referring to the “good” life that is in his past.
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ReplyDeletePart 1:
ReplyDeleteThe speaker’s gloomy tone and sorrowful attitude when he talks about his experiences overseas, convey the message that exile and isolation can cause a person to experience life as a painful and depressing journey. Specifically, the use of water throughout the poem suggests that life, like water, is a cycle that can be lively, yet come to a halt when a person is faced with difficult decisions. In addition to water, the speaker discusses the many winters he has endured in solitude, separated from his king. The seafarer only has fond memories of his king, using words like splendor glory and joy to reveal the gratitude and sweetness he once felt in the kingdom he formerly belonged to. In contrast to this, the speaker uses phrases such as “this dead life” (L 66) and refers to ships as “homes of sadness” (L 5) to create the cheerless mood of the poem, which portrays how the speaker feels about life, now that he is away from his home and beloved treasure giver. Instead of trying to find any ounce of hope or positivity, the speaker sees exile as a life without meaning our purpose. The Germanic Code at the time, caused pagans to believe that life’s purpose was to serve courageously and bring glory and wealth to his king; however, while the seafarer is in exile and will always have longings, he has different views from many of those who follow the lifestyle of heroic warriors. He is so lonely, and wishes to venture out to other kingdoms to “visit the country of a foreign people” (L 37-8) in hopes that one will accept him, but he knows that this wish is unrealistic. He also has a Christian view on life and believes that the treasures and gold that a man accumulates during his life on earth, are meaningless when it comes to God.
Part 2:
In both Beowulf and the Seafarer, the contrast between paganism and Christianity play a role in characters of each poem. In Beowulf, Beowulf believes that fate is ultimately in the hands of the Lord and that everything that happens on Earth, happens because God wills it or not. In the Seafarer, the speaker also addresses God and mentions, “through Him the world turns” (L 105) which can suggest that without God, the world would not function. Both Beowulf and the speaker agree that God has a role in determining the fate of the individual, whether that be triumph or loss, life or death, or heaven or hell. In the Seafarer, the speaker talks about men who have many comforts in life and suffer very few hardships. This relates to Beowulf’s character because Beowulf is a man (like the speaker of the Seafarer describes as someone) who is “proud and flushed with wine” (L 26) and is able to acquire a great deal of treasures given for the many feats he achieves. Also, as for the text of Beowulf as a whole, wealth, the fight for revenge, and the protection of reputation are three of the values that are seen as of upmost importance for multiple characters of the epic poem (including Hrothgar, Beowulf, and Scyld’s people). These values are discussed throughout The Seafarer, but as the speaker indicates, “the gold a man amasses while still alive on earth is no use at all to his soul, full of sins” (L 102-3), which portrays the message that although these values were the main focus at the time, even if these treasures and battles are acquired, at the end of one’s life, everyone is a sinner, and God will decide where one’s soul ends up.
Interesting interpretation of water as a cycle. I wonder, does the speaker in the Seafarer's descriptions of his longing for travel and adventure despite his isolation refute and/or complicate your interpretation that he feels entirely unhappy and depressed about his life?
Delete1. In “The Seafarer” the speaker uses a desolate tone to emphasize the poems idea of isolation and exile. By using bleak wording the speaker tells how he fares while out at sea by himself. Using words such as “cheerless” and “sorrow”, the speaker suggests that the seafarer is sad and a bit resentful towards those who live on land. The speaker writes, “Wherefore he who is used to the comforts of life and, proud and flushed with wine, suffers little hardship living in the city, will scarcely believe how I, weary, have had to make the ocean paths my home” (54). The resentment towards those that drink wine is underlying the speaker boasting of how great he is that he can survive the ocean and create his own path on it. The speaker is being dishonest, which goes against the heroic warriors lifestyle, by trying to twist his exile into something that was actually good for him thus trying to make the reader forget that he was exiled.
ReplyDelete2. In “The Seafarer” and Beowulf the idea of wealth and amassing wealth is prominent as it is mentioned in both with the use of the word “gold”. In the Seafarer the speaker talks about the gold that a man collects during his years of living won’t matter once he’s dead and has to own up to all of his sins that he received in front of God who doesn’t care about all the gold he cares about the sins a man collected, which means a man collects sins while he collects gold. This is contrasted in Beowulf because while Beowulf does go after gold his intent ends up being to give all of his wealth to his people per his last dying wish, which is actually very noble.
I agree and found the contrast between the different values in gold to be interesting between the two texts. I feel that this also compares to the difference between the values of Paganism and Christianity. In the "Seafarer", the speaker was most likely Christian due to his belief that gold does not matter once you die, which contradicts the Pagan beliefs in Beowulf.
DeleteI find it interesting how you focused on how the speaker boasts about his abilities. What makes you believe that the speaker is being dishonest, though? Couldn't his attempt at trying to "twist his exile into something that was actually good for him" simply be the speaker trying to make the best of his situation?
DeleteI agree with your comparison of the two poems focus on wealth. This is something I noticed when reading "The Seafarer" and definitely noticed while reading "Beowulf". I am interested in the conclusion you made about Beowulf seeking out treasures for only his people, because I saw it as him wanting to be surrounded by his treasures in his death and for everyone to know of his great reputation.
DeleteIn the “Seafarer”, the speaker sees his life of exile and heroic values as melancholy and lonesome, as depicted in the depressing tone and overall dreary mood, both of which contribute to the poem's overall message of man’s need to focus on his earthly life and the need to think about a heavenly afterlife. Throughout the poem, words like icy, doomed, and devil indicate an overall atmosphere of darkness and despair. The phrase, "The Lord inspire me more than this dead life" is another aspect of the text that implies the speakers desire to prepare for his heavenly afterlife and move on from the depressing bonds of earth.
ReplyDeleteThe "Seafarer" and Beowulf both have religious aspects incorporated into their stories. For example, both texts speak of an afterlife and a place for fallen warriors to go after passing on from their lives. Along with this, both texts place great emphasis on the honor and nobility of warriors. Also, the "Seafarer" speaks of how lonely it would be after warriors pass on, much how Beowulf leaves his people when he dies at the end of the novel. Therefor, both texts place a great emphasis on the idea of God and fallen hero's.
I agree that both emphasize God, but I don't think that they have the same view of God. In Beowulf, the characters praise and glorify God, but it doesn't stop them from chasing earthly pursuits, like winning in battle. On the other hand, in "The Seafarer," the speaker looks past earthly challenges to God's blessings that have been bestowed to him in the next life.
DeleteI agree with Erin. Although they both have religious aspects and put their trust in God, Beowulf seems to glorify materialistic things (which is more of a Pagan practice) while in "The Seafarer", the speaker says that treasures accumulated on earth "is no use to [one's] soul, full of sin, in the face of God's wrath" (lines 104-5).
Delete#1: In the poem "The Seafarer," through the use of diction and shifts, the speaker's attitude toward his own life is revealed, which helps to illuminate the overall message that an isolated life can effect one's perspective on happiness. Through diction, the poem exemplifies the speaker's belief that while in exile it is easy to be isolated and melancholy and consider the worst of things to be one's happiest. The speaker uses phrases like "the cry of the gannet was all my gladness" and "no protector could console the cheerless heart" to emphasize that the worst of things are his happiest and that it will take a lot of effort to make him truly happy. Along with the diction, the use of shifts in the poem contribute to the speaker's feelings on his isolated life as they go from totally isolated from happiness to accepting of small things that do give him happiness. The shift in the middle of the poem at the line "my heart's longings always urge me/ to undertake a journey" shows the speaker's new attitude towards the situation, realizing that he could take advantage of his situation, amd ultimately change his perspective on happiness. Both of these poetic devices demonstrate what the speaker feels, that his perspective on life is highly effected by his happiness.
ReplyDelete#2: In both poems "The Seafarer" and "Beowulf," Christianity is discussed. In both poems, the ideas surround Christianity, acknowledging that everything ends up happening according to God. This idea is explored throughout "The Seafarer" as the speaker begins to realize that God is most important above all other things. In "Beowulf," God is an important part of Beowulf's battles. Before he goes into battle, Beowulf prays to God asking that whatever happens is alright because it is according to God's plan. The warrior's lifestyle in "Beowulf" is turning to God before battle. Both of these poems discuss Christianity as important to one's life.
I agree that both "The Seafarer" and Beowulf acknowledge that everything happens according to God, but I wonder how that ties in to your interpretation of "The Seafarer". You focus on how the speaker shifts from sadness to finding happiness in small things. According to your interpretation, could this be because the speaker realized that he was in his unfortunate situation because it was what God had planned for him?
DeleteI agree with your claim regarding the speaker's change from finding happiness in his previous lifestyle and values to his current life now. To expand on the little things that he now finds happiness on, the speaker comes to the realization that his exile has given him the opportunity to journey across the world. He explains that he has found the beauty in something that he initially viewed as dreadful.
DeleteWhile Christianity is definitely discussed in both texts, I wonder if the differences between the portrayal of Christian values might be something to address further in your interpretation. For example, "The Seafarer" condemns the accumulation of material wealth and worldly possessions as they are temporary and cannot be of any use to a person after death, while in Beowulf, the importance of treasure, gold, and valuable items is emphasized constantly.
DeletePart One:
ReplyDeleteIn "The Seafarer", the speaker's somber tone and descriptive imagery conveys the message that life's journey, similar to a seafarer, is lonely and full of hardships, therefore, one must strive to leave a good reputation for themselves while keeping faith in God. The speaker expresses that his journey through life has been one of isolation. Although everyone has embarked on their life journey, "he who lives most prosperously on land does not understand how I have, as an exile, endured a winter on the icy sea" (I 12-5). The speaker is suggesting that not everybody understands the hardships he has experienced and not everyone has felt such isolation. The imagery of a winter on the icy sea demonstrates a small glimpse of the many troubles the seafarer has gone through. The ability to survive an entire winter of the open sea is something that only a few can handle. Until one has done so, only then can they relate to the seafarer's loneliness. The seafarer is emphasizing the message that a life of loneliness is not appealing to most, and only the strong can endure it. In addition, the speaker is suggesting that the primary goal of a heroic warrior is his reputation. Throughout the course of his life, "each man should strive to win the praise of those living after him, the greatest fame after death" (l 74-6). In order for one to truly succeed in life, they must leave behind their legacy. The only way to be remembered as a heroic warrior is to leave a good reputation. Furthermore, alongside his reputation, one must remain faithful in God. The seafarer emphasizes that full faith and trust in God is all that matter because after all, "God gave man a soul because he trusts in His strength" (l 112). Since God is the only one that can control someone's fate, one must believe that God controls the earth and their destiny. If people do not fear God or do not have faith in Him, the speaker suggests that death will catch them by surprise. Finally, since the speaker suggests that life is fleeting and fades quickly, one has no choice but to trust in God's plan. In conclusion, the speaker conveys the message that since ones life is full of isolation, the goal of life must be to keep faith in God and leave behind a good reputation.
Part two:
The ideas of "The Seafarer" connect to the Christian ideas in "Beowulf" and they influence Beowulf's character as well as the poem as a whole. In "The Seafarer", the speaker reveals that since God is the one that controls people's fate, people must have faith and trust in Him. The speaker suggests that people must also fear God because if they do not, their foolish attitude will leave them unprepared and taken by surprise when it is their time to depart. In "Beowulf" , Beowulf prays to God whenever he is going into battle and occasionally after the battle in over. Beowulf agrees that fate lies in the hands of God. The one who loses a battle, only dies because it was God who decided that. In contrast, the one who wins a battle, is victorious because it was God's will for him. Both texts agree that "through Him the world turns" (l 105). Both suggest that God's role is to determine the fate of someone, whether that be victory or loss, or heaven or hell. Additionally, in "The Seafarer", the speaker mentions that although treasures may be the most valuable on earth, once someone dies, their treasures become useless. The speaker indicates that, "the gold a man amasses while still alive on earth is no use at all to his soul" (l 101-2). This is contrasting the views of Beowulf since he believes that the treasures one earns on earth, remain with him even after he has died. In "Beowulf", there is value in wealth, while in "The Seafarer", the speaker suggests that what may seem important on earth, has no value once the owner of the treasures has died.
I liked the different textual evidence you used in your paragraph and the point that the speaker suggests that life is fleeting and fades quickly, although I didn't notice that when I read the poem. In regards to your second paragraph, you mention that contradicting idea over treasures after death, but do you also think that the Christian ideals in "The Seafarer" contradict the pagan ideals in "Beowulf?"
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ReplyDeleteMaria
ReplyDeletePart 1:
In "The Seafarer" the speaker's shift from a dismal to epiphanic tone reveals his feelings towards exile and what it has taught him in his life, which contributes to his message: the heroic warrior's materialistic lifestyle and value for reputation on earth will not matter at the end of a finite life. The speaker's attitude initially fixates around his feelings of isolation as he experiences exile on a ship in the ocean. He says, "I have harboured bitter sorrow in my heart and often learned that ships re homes of sadness. Wild were the waves when I often took my turn, the arduous night-watch, standing at the prow while the boat tossed near the rocks". The speaker's dismal tone as he describes his hardship in the ocean lead one to identify his resentment towards exile. Moreover, he begins to point out that while his exile has been filled with loneliness, it has has allowed him to travel the world and ultimately learn that his previous lifestyle and values are not as significant as believed. He insists, "Though a man may strew a grave with gold, bury his brother amongst the dead with the many treasures he wished to take with him, the gold a man amasses while still alive on earth is no use at all to his soul, full of sins, in the face of God's wrath". The speaker's shift from a negative tone to an epiphanic tone exemplifies that the important things in life are the beautiful moments one experiences and not the temporary feelings and treasures one has on Earth, because they will not join him after each individual will inevitably face death.
Christina Honoré
ReplyDelete1.) In "The Seafarer", the speaker has a sorrowful attitude toward his exile and shows disdain for the heroic lifestyle. The speaker uses imagery to contrast his own life to that of those not removed from society. While the speaker's "feet were afflicted by cold, fettered in frost, frozen chains" (8-10), others are "used to the comforts of life, and, proud and flushed with wine, suffer little hardship living in the city" (27-9). The speaker longs to journey, yet knows he is unable to do so, as it is not what the Lord has ordered him to do. As a result, he holds shows disdain for those who claim to uphold heroic values in order to gain treasure. The speaker sees more value in living for God than for wealth, as he says, "I have no faith that the splendors of this earth will survive forever" (68-9), which shows his understanding of wealth not lasting beyond death. Instead of being materialistic, the speaker places his trust in God.
2.) My reading of "The Seafarer" can connect to Beowulf through the inclusion of Christianity. In "The Seafarer", the speaker understands that what he wants may not be what God wants him to do, and he places his trust in God as a result. Beowulf, before fighting Grendel, says that whoever will win is decided by fate. Both of these instances show an understanding of a higher power dictating one's path in life. However, the speaker in "The Seafarer" distinctly shows an aversion to materialism, and wealth is highly valued in the pagan society Beowulf resides in. This could indicate that the speaker may believe that Beowulf lacked dignity or that his wealth and accomplishments would mean very little upon his death.
I can see how the speaker in "The Seafarer" could view Beowulf's accomplishments and wealth as meaningless and invaluable, but how does his point of view indicate that Beowulf lacked dignity? Is materialistic synonymous with lacking dignity? How does the speaker state that the two are the same?
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ReplyDeletePT 1: In the Seafarer, the author uses gloomy dictions and vivid imagery to reinforce the speaker's melancholy feelings towards his life, exile, a heroic warrior's lifestyle, and values as well as communicate the overall message that one's true home is heaven, not Earth. The author uses gloomy and hopeful diction when the speaker says, " So the joys of the Lord inspire me more than this dead life"(L 63-4). He discusses his life as miserable to show that he is not living a very happy life and hopes that God will bring him a better one. He also uses hopeful diction when he says, "The angels for ever and ever, in the joy of life eternal, amongst the heavenly host"(L78-80). The speaker expresses hope since he knows that Heaven, a more joyful place than Earth, is waiting to relieve him from his misery. The author employs vivid imagery as he describes himself doing his job. He states, "The arduous night watch, standing at the prow. My feet afflicted by cold, fettered in frost, frozen chains;" (L 7-10). He describes his job as a seafarer in sad tone to show that he dislikes his place on Earth. He would rather be another place.
ReplyDeletePT 2: In both of the poems, the values of reputation and riches are discusses. In Beowulf, riches arepresented in a positive light. The more riches one has, the more battles he/she has won. Warriors in Beowulf value their riches. However, in the Seafarer, the speaker views possessing material goods as a sin under God's eyes. Although, the warriors also seem to value material goods in this ("The Seafarer") poem, the speaker seems to condemn their value. There is a contrast in values between the pagan character in Beowulf and the speaker in the Seafarer regarding the possession of riches as moral.
In the first quote you mentioned, I noticed that there is an oxymoron when the speaker suggests he is living a "dead life". This might highlight the speaker's attitude that he is not content with the lonely life he is living and he feels as though it is uneventful and boring. Towards the bottom, you said that the seafarer would rather be in another place. Where were you suggesting he might prefer to be? Heaven? Another life?
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DeleteI actually never thought of the poem as "hopeful". Even though he does mention how Heaven will bring him a better life, I felt like he was trying to imply that we should "fear" God, mostly because He's all that matters at the end of our lives. Fear of God is how we get into Heaven. In context, the speaker wants to hope for a better life because right now he's has a horrible life. Read lines 106-11. Did the speaker humble himself because he was exiled? Does this mean he "fears" God? Or was he hopeful? Maybe he just want to move on to the next life because he was lonely and bored with his exiled life.
DeletePART ONE: In “The Seafarer,” the shift in tone from bitter to ambivalent demonstrates the speaker’s attitude of resigned acceptance towards his life in exile, while illuminating the poem’s overarching theme that one must often experience hardships in order to live their life meaningfully. In the beginning of the poem, the author describes his life at sea using bleak adjectives such as “cheerless” and harsh descriptions of his lack of happiness at sea that creates a tone of bitterness towards his isolation. In contrast, the end of the poem witnesses the speaker accepting the reality of his life and his surroundings as he states, “[I] have had to make the ocean paths my home,” and describes his constant longing for adventure on the open water, despite the negative aspects of a life at sea. This clear transition in tone exemplifies the speaker’s internal thoughts about his lifestyle by mirroring the change that takes place in the speaker’s own mind. The initially bitter tone matches the author’s initial unhappy and resentful attitude towards the depressive and isolating nature of his austere life. However, as the author comes to feel more ambivalent towards his surroundings and understanding of the rewards of a life at sea, the poem’s tone becomes more neutral and less condemnatory. This shift in tone also reveals the poem’s overall meaning by alluding to the irony of the reality of suffering when trying to live well or meaningfully. Though the speaker engages in laudable adventures and possibly meritorious deeds while on the ocean, he still experiences significant depression due to his isolation. Thus, the speaker indirectly compares his experience at sea to any person’s experience when trying to live purposefully. The contrast in tone symbolizes the contrast in the experiences of happiness and pride versus trial and tribulation that one will inevitably face when trying to lead a meaningful life.
ReplyDeletePART TWO: The ideas surrounding the heroic code and a warrior’s lifestyle in “The Seafarer” connect to the ideas in Beowulf through the description of isolation and material wealth. Isolation is a prominent motif in “The Seafarer,” as the speaker constantly describes his sadness as a result of his loneliness. In Beowulf, the idea of isolation as an aspect of the warrior/hero’s lifestyle is demonstrated in Beowulf’s multiple solo battles with dangerous enemies. For example, Beowulf fights unaccompanied against Grendel because he feels it is his duty as the land’s strongest warrior to face the wicked opponent without endangering the lives of any other warriors. The relative importance of material wealth in a person’s life also connects the text, thought the two poems demonstrate different opinions on the topic. “The Seafarer” condemns the accumulation of material wealth and worldly pleasures as temporary, corporeal, and ultimately unnecessary, while the events in Beowulf constantly suggest a greater emphasis on the importance of being rewarded with physical treasures.
I like that you pointed out isolation in both poems and brought up the example in Beowulf. Although Beowulf chooses to fight multiple battle solo so that he puts no other warriors in danger, he is making a conscious choice. I never thought of choosing to fight a battle solo as being isolated. Do you see this as isolation? Or is it more of a temporary choice to do something alone, instead of a complete cut off from the rest of society?
DeleteCan you further elaborate on what you mean by a meaningful life? From what I garnered the author focuses on the deeds of men as earning them eternal glory in the eyes of God and history. A man in exile is accomplishing no great deeds other than staying afloat. Is that a purposeful life simply because it does not involve the false comforts of land? How can the speaker have any legitimacy if the imprint of a life so isolated as his will fade more quickly than that of a land-dwelling king he sneers upon.
DeleteMadyson Callion
ReplyDeleteIn "The Seafarer", the speaker's negative tone show that the speaker views exile as lonely. The speaker concludes that exile though being lonely also gives one a greater appreciation due to their exposure to more places because of their exile. The speaker's attitude conveys that he believes that life is meaningless when one is cut off. The speaker writes, "I, careworn and cut off from my kinsmen, have as an exile endured a winter on the icy sea." (L 14-6). The speaker's attitude toward his exile is a feeling of loneliness using diction such as "cut off" to describe his isolation from his family. The speaker also uses diction to recount the consequence of his exile, using "icy" to describe the sea. Diction such as this indicates that the speaker sees his exile as a punishment, and not a reward. The mood of the poem begins to shift when the speaker starts to reflect on his exile. The speaker communicates, "The groves burst with blossom, the towns become fair, meadows grow green, the world revives; all these things urge the heart of an eager man to set out on a journey." (L 72-5). The speaker uses imagery to portray his idea that as he goes out on his exile, he begins to see nature and the world in a different way. The diction used sounds hopeful and more upbeat in contrast to the rest of the poem, showing that the speaker, though finding exile to be lonely, also sees it as a opportunity for journey. The speaker uses diction like "burst", "grows" and "revives" which exhibits that the speaker may be seeing his exile as a rebirth of the world.
2. In both poems "The Seafarer" and "Beowulf", there is an importance placed on the sea. In "The Seafarer" the speaker sees the sea as an important because it is the means to going on a journey to foreign lands. In "Beowulf", as Beowulf journeys to Denmark, the speaker places a significance on the journey across the sea even using the word "seafaring" to describe Beowulf and his men. The implications of the heroic code has effects Beowulf by making him shape his being around this code. Beowulf believes his reputation to be extremely valuable, even in death his final request is a big shrine with his treasures placed all around it. He regards hospitality when approaching the man at the gate, and lets the man know of his and his men's reputation. Beowulf sees this heroic code as the fundamental for his life. The entire text of Beowulf centers around the characteristics of a good leader, but also touches on the author's conflicting ideology of being a Christian writing about a Pagan hero.
I respectfully disagree with your analysis of the speaker's view on exile. While the speaker does feel cut off and lonely, his description of exile does not end on a note of hope and joy, rather on a lesson. The Speaker views his exile as a necessary evil in order to achieve the glory of fame after death as well as the glory of life with God. The poem is didactic in that it teaches us that suffering is necessary to satisfy the one stable thing in this universe: our Lord. He cites the comfortable man on land as being too comfortable and therefore not living a life that will satisfy the records of history and the eyes of God. The seafarer's exile is a miserable one, no doubt about it, however the reward of being with God far outweighs the icy torture of life alone at sea.
DeleteIn "The Seafarer," the speaker uses cold imagery of isolation and a tone of despair to show his dejected attitude toward exile and his own life, his value of fidelity to a community, and to reveal the overall message that man is nothing without God. The speaker states, "he who lives most prosperously on land does not understand how I, careworn and cut off from my kinsmen, have as an exile endured a winter on the icy sea" (l 12-6). By describing the state of the sea and the season in which he was in exile, the speaker conveys how miserable and unenjoyable his exile is. Similarly, the speaker laments, "No protector could console the cheerless heart" (l 25-6). He is hopeless, unable to look toward a better life, and incapable of becoming happy. The speaker longs to become part of a community, especially when he juxtaposes the calls of birds with "the laughter of men" (l 21). By contrasting the two sounds, the speaker implies that he cannot hear the former without thinking of the latter; his desire to be part of a community, to be loyal to a community, is constantly on his mind. However, the speaker does acknowledge that the dreariness and depression of his life is not worth worry because God provides him with joys that extend beyond this earthly life. The speaker concludes, "through [God] the world turns." Without God, man has no purpose.
ReplyDeleteThe ideas in "The Seafarer" regarding the heroic code connect with those in Beowulf because they contrast the ideas expressed in Beowulf. In "The Seafarer," the speaker condemns the warriors because their glory is ephemeral and meaningless compared to the glory of God. On the other hand, in Beowulf, the title character's actions and glory contribute to his reputation, sure to live on after he has passed. The speaker's implications on Beowulf is that his actions mean nothing because they do not equate to the level of glory to God. Overall, the speaker's implication on Beowulf in its entirety is that the battles and disputes between kingdoms have no bearing in the kingdom of heaven, and the treasures won in battle are worthless to God.
I agree with the contrast of the ideas of how battle is either approved of or looked down upon. There are multiple pieces of evidence in both poems that prove this, for example the scene where Beowulf is being glorified with treasures and honorable gifts, and is told by Hrothgar that his "fame is assured" (L 954) after he defeats Grendel. While this does argue your point about glory and reputation, what about on page 105 in lines 967 and 977-9 when Beowulf speaks of God. Couldn't one argue that here where Beowulf mentions that "God did not will it" and that "however God chooses to judge him" would mean that battles and decisions in battle do matter to God and the Kingdom of Heaven?
DeleteMaria
ReplyDeleteMy ideas about a heroic warrior's lifestyle and values connect to ideas in Beowulf through the speaker in "The Seafarer" and Beowulf's mutual desires for a notable reputation and treasures gained on earth. The speaker explains that he revolved his decisions in his life to satisfy a noble image by listening to his lord. Similarly, Beowulf fights against the Lord's enemies, such as Grendel, so that others begin to respect him. In addition, at one point, both the speaker and Beowulf exemplify their materialistic values as they describe the burial filled with treasures, such as gold, of well-respected individuals. Lastly, the speaker argues that what has been attained on earth will not follow one when he dies; in Beowulf, Beowulf dies and leaves all of his gained treasures, as the speaker had mentioned.
1. In the poem the "Seafarer," exile is presented as a cold and lonely lifestyle as expressed through poetic devices. The exiled is left to the sea by himself to lament over the loss of his kinsmen and to face the frost in bitterness. The message previously stated is revealed through melancholy diction, dark imagery, and dull mood. The speaker later shifts the poem's message to be more positive about being exiled. In the beginning of the poem, the speaker utilizes words such as "fettered," "cheerless," and "sorrow" to convey the pain the one exiled felt. After the shift however, the speaker discusses how the exile's heart lept within him. From this point, he has come to peace with the terms he received. He realizes the beauty in his exile.
ReplyDelete2. It can be seen in both poems that "Beowulf" and "The Seafarer" bring up and combine Christian and Pagan religious values. On one hand both poems mention the importance and relevance of gold and treasure/ earthly positions, that these materials buried with us will go with us to heaven. Where as Christianity on the other hand did not believe in amassing material goods. Both anyhow believe it is ultimately God's final decision on who goes to heaven.
Would you say he is positive about being exiled or about the life to come in the future (as in the Kingdom of Heaven)? Yes, he does mention that his heart lept and even that his mind "wanders far and wide", but he doesn't act on these thoughts and continues to be in a state of despair referring to life on earth as "dead life". Would you agree that rather than positivity, he awaits the moment of when his soul will leave his body and pass on to the next life?
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ReplyDeletePart 1: In the “Seafarer”, the speaker uses a forbidding tone and bleak diction to describe how he feels about exile, his own life, and the heroic warrior's lifestyle/values to convey the comprehensive meaning that life on earth is merely a journey created by God and everything one does on earth does not matter in Heaven. Firstly, the speaker realizes that his life on earth will never satisfy him and only Heaven will appease his spirit as he explains in his forbidding tone. He says “that the joys of the Lord inspire me more than this dead life… I have no faith that the splendors of this earth will survive for ever” (lines 66-9). Secondly, the speaker uses bleak diction to describe his exile as lonely and void. He points out that he “has endured a time of hardship, how I have harbored bitter sorrow in my heart, and often learned that ships are homes of sadness” (L 3-5). Lastly, the speaker emphasizes in bleak diction that wealth and materials gathered on Earth will not matter under God. He explains that “the gold a man amuses while still alive on earth is no use at all to his soul, full of sins, in the face of God’s wrath” (L 103-5).
ReplyDeletePart 2: In my reading of Beowulf and “The Seafarer”, I can see that they have elements of Christianity in them. Both seem to have an emphasis on leaving everything to God and trusting in Him. Also, the speaker in “The Seafarer” implies that materialistic items are essentially useless in God’s kingdom. This conflicts with Beowulf because in the story, materialistic things are given as gifts and are seen as very valuable. Because of “The Seafarer”, the material wealth found in Beowulf could be considered useless and invaluable in God’s kingdom because one can’t take them into Heaven.
I like that you mentioned that life on Earth is planned by God. It is like referring to the idea of fate. The idea of fate is mentioned in both poems. In both Bewulf and The Seafarer, the idea of fate seems to be valued by both of the speakers/ characters. The seafarer and Bewolf believe that God helps direct their fate in some way. Bewulf believes God is their with him when gains victory in battle because he thinks God plays a role in his fate. The seafarer believes that God takes a part in deciding his fate because he knows that he will either feel God's wrath or joy when he dies. God is the one who decides if he goes to Heaven or Hell.
DeleteMisha Abraham
ReplyDeletePart One:
In the poem “The Seafarer,” the author uses solemn diction and desolate imagery to portray that one does not know another person’s struggle until he/she has experienced it her/himself and the speaker’s depressed attitude towards exile.
As the speaker is describing his setting of a rocky sea cliff, he uses words such as “ice-cold… rocky… icy-feathered… screeched… cheerless,” (53) to portray his loneliness and isolation he feels during his exile. By the speaker’s use of these words to negatively portray his situation, the speaker creates an unpleasant atmosphere to associate exile with and describes the situation to those who have not experienced exile themselves. Earlier in the poem, the speaker also sets up a scene of himself night-watch thinking of how no one can understand what he is going through in exile is an example of the desolate imagery found in the poem. His use of sensory words and phrases such as, “feet were afflicted by cold… sighed out the sorrows seething round my heart; a hunger within,” (53) creates the atmosphere of exile and associates it with feelings of discomfort to fully expose the awful consequences of exile to those who have not experienced exile themselves.
Part Two:
My reading of and response to “The Seafarer” might connect to ideas in Beowulf through the consequences of exile mentioned in both texts. The speaker in the poem “The Seafarer” repeatedly refers to the “prosperous man” who lives lavishly on land with a lot of treasure. This reference to what exiled men lose when they are banished is repeated in greater depth in Beowulf when Wiglaf is exiling the ten men who fled the battle against the dragon. In Beowulf, Wiglaf tells the men that “now all treasure, giving and receiving, all home-joys, ownership, comfort, shall cease for your kin; deprived of their rights each man of your families will have to be exiled, once nobles afar hear of your flight, a deed of no glory,” (Beowulf, 223). The specifics of the men’s exile can be examples of what the seafarer refers to when he talks about the men who are not exiled and enjoy “the comforts of life,” (The Seafarer, 54).
I like how how you brought up that the exiled warriors don't only lose their honor, but also their treasure. It's beginning to make sense to me why the seafarer discusses treasure negatively. Since he lost his treasure when he was exiled, he resents warriors who want to have their treasure with them when they die. This is mentioned in the poem in lines 98-103.
DeleteIn The Seafarer, the author uses dark diction to show that he is not happy about his state of exile, and also to show his dislike of the heroic warrior's lifestyle. The author uses words such as sorrow, bitter, hardship, cry, and weary to illustrate the misery he feels from his isolation, and words like ice, cold, sharp, and frozen to show that he is lonely. He knows that this is his fate, and he will no longer be able to travel. He is angry at the heroes that get to continue their journey, and receive praise for things that really do not last once they are dead. he believes it is less about the tangible things a hero receives or the praise they get, but the positive impact they make on their society.
ReplyDeleteI disagree that the speaker is necessarily angry that they are placing value on material things. I view him as being more disappointed in the dynamic of that society.
DeleteIn The Seafarer the shifts from self pity to resignation to a didactic teaching on God’s role in life, illustrate exile as an arduous lifestyle, essential to pleasing God. The beginning of the poem begins with a lamentation the speakers life at sea: “[icy, wild, and careworn]”. However the subject of the poem rapidly shifts into a realization and acceptance of life alone at sea. While the speaker is tortured by his loneliness and exhaustion, he believes that his life is of more value than that of someone who is surrounded by comforts on land at all times. The “prosperous man” is overjoyed with the onset of spring, while the “cuckoo’s call” strikes sadness in the heart of the seafarer, and yet his heart seeks this lifestyle. The speaker follows up this section with a lecture on how everything on this earth is fleeting, except for glory in the eyes of God. He believes that we can only please God through a life of exile, suffering, and battling the devil. He questions the heroic warrior’s lack of humility and emphasis on treasure and supports the noble virtues of wisdom, courage, and industriousness. In the final lines of the poem, the Seafarer says “Foolish is he who fears not his Lord: death catches him unprepared”. This teaches that a fear of God is the most valuable trait one could have. These major shifts emphasize the poem’s overall meaning that everything fades quickly except for the Kingdom of God. The shifts are rapid, especially when talking about the speakers own life and the lives of men. The longest and most stable part focuses on how in the wake of the glory of men, pleasing God must take precedence.
ReplyDeleteI didn't realize the shift that you mentioned in the speakers tone from realization to acceptance. Now that you brought that to my attention I agree with you that the speaker is content with his life away from everyone else because he is not being tempted by earthly desires.
DeleteThe Seafarer correlates to Beowulf in its atypically Anglo-Saxon focus on loyalty and individual glory. In Beowulf’s world as well as in accordance to the heroic code that Beowulf unwittingly lives by, loyalty to one’s kin and king are traits above all others. The loyal man is beloved and honored in both life and death, while the traitor is exiled and forgotten. For instance, Wiglaf’s loyalty to Beowulf in his final battle rewarded him with a kingdom. In contrast, the cowardice of Beowulf’s other thanes earned them exile, and brought dishonor and ruin to their families. In the seafarer, the ultimate loyalty is to God. Everything else on this earth is fleeting, even the glory of empires. Therefore the only true allegiance one must have is to their Lord. Additionally there is a strong emphasis on the hero as an individual. In Beowulf, Beowulf fights alone in all his battles, often without the aid of even a sword. HIs only companion is God, so his deeds belong to his reputation alone. Similarly in the Seafarer, his plight and salvation are both caused by his isolation. While a lonely life at sea is not ideal, it is rewarding as God will become the seafarer’s eternal companion in death. Loyalty encompasses the noble virtues of fidelity, honour hospitality, perseverance and courage, while individuality summarizes self reliance and courage. The poem also touches base on the importance of only boasting if you can live up to your boast which reflects the virtue of truth. These three traits of loyalty, individuality, and humility that involve seven of the nine noble virtues of Asatru influenced Beowulf’s own heroic code. Beowulf is loyal to his king and then his people until death: foregoing fear to remain devoted. Beowulf also has an individual reputation that proceeds him. While he is surrounded by thanes at all times, and one even dies in order to defeat Grendel, only his own reputation is built upon. While the other men are also heroic, they operate as a unit and in doing so lose their autonomous glory. Beowulf acts as a leader and therefore claims all the glory for himself. Finally, the emphasis on humility is reflected in Beowulf’s boasts. While he is not humble in a modern sense of the world, Beowulf only boasts what he is confident in. While he boasts less as he matures, his boasts are always fulfilled and truthful, excusing their ego-driven nature. In the overall text these three traits act as pillar-stones of the Anglo-Saxon world the setting is centered on. These heroic traits are the means by which the author intends for us to analyze the characters, and the means by which they operate.
ReplyDelete1. The speaker despises exile, he is unable to find anything good in his current situation. He lives a lonely, isolated life depicted through his use of words such as struggle, suffer, and sorrowful that exude a melancholy tone seen throughout the poem. This shows the suffering that the speaker feels throughout the poem while he is distanced from society. This shows that exile can cause someone mental pain as they are unable to have strong connections with people which is necessary to life.
ReplyDelete2. The seafarer connects to ideas in Beowulf because they both address the topic of exile. The poem also comments on the heroic code by emphasizing the importance of loyalty to one’s king and people as well as criticizing power gained through wealth. In Beowulf, exile is mentioned as being the worst thing a person can be punished with. Exile occurs when one turns their back on their king and essentially their people when either their king dies in battle or they flee from battle. This directly combats the idea that people should remain faithful to their king. In the poem the speaker’s king is seen as God and similarly he believes that you should place all your faith into him and make sure to always fight on his behalf. As well, in Beowulf they glorify a person’s ability to obtain wealth and a good reputation. To the society in the epic poem that’s one of the highest honors. However, the poem the speaker contrasts this by saying that material things and people’s opinions on you do not follow you into the afterlife and ultimately should not have a large impact on how you live.