63 - 80

Question 1

What happens in this passage?

Answer 1

This passage continues the exploration of universal sorrow, and uses frequent poetic words to describe how a warrior should act, which contrasts his state in the rest of the poem

Question 2

ealra dogra gehwam / dreosed ond feallap

Answer 2

each and every day declines and fails
use of two determiners emphasises extent
the latter phrase is a Christian commonplace which alludes to the inevitable approach of doomsday

Question 3

ne maeg weopan wis

Answer 3

no man may become wise
this negative is a common sentiment, which is also expressed in the Maxims where one must experience much before he may become wise
this suggests a purpose to his suffering

Question 4

wintra dael in woruldrice

Answer 4

his portion of winters in the worldly kingdom
this half line is unusual as it contains three stressed syllables, making it hypermetric

Question 5

hraedwyrde, wanhydig, feohgifre

Answer 5

hasty of speech, reckless, greedy
triplet of hapax legomenon poetic words to define Christian heroic expectations - you cannot say what god is but you can say what he is not
also anaphora of ne
rhetorical structure of listing qualities may be homiletic in nature

Question 6

Beorn, collenferd, hrepra

Answer 6

warrior, stout-hearted, of hearts
triplet of poetic words
the final one is plural because that is the OE idiom

Question 7

cunne gearwe

Answer 7

clearly has knowledge
this is an inversion of 69b - two lines earlier - which concludes his thought

Question 8

gleaw haele / hu gaestlic bid

Answer 8

shall perceive how spectral it is
this is a slightly overlength line but it is not hypermetric
There is a gnomic atemporality in eternal rules
haele (warrior) is a poetic word

Question 9

swa nu missenlice geond pisne middangeard

Answer 9

just an now in various places throughout this middle earth
this is a shift to the direct present
latter phrase is a repetition of 62

Question 10

winde biwaun, hrime bihrorene, hryde

Answer 10

blown upon by the wind, covered with frost, buildings snow swept
triplet of weather words and hapax legomenon
pathetic fallacy creates unique suffering

Question 11

woriad pa winsalo

Answer 11

the halls decayed
last word is a hapax legomenon

Question 12

dreame bidrorene

Answer 12

deprived of joys
typical of OE elegiac poetry, as it reflects the chief formula of the exile with past participle of verb of deprivation