The Seafarer Essay, Research Paper
THE SEAFARERThe & # 8220 ; Seafarer & # 8221 ; contains many mentions to the older, traditional, heathen beliefs of destiny, and the newer, but more prevailing Christian religion. Christian monastics wrote the & # 8220 ; Seafarer & # 8221 ; , merely before Christianity gained laterality in Britain. It was basically a type of propaganda to convert the people who had non yet subscribed to the Christian tenet that they could hold the best of both universes: they could go on to honour their belief in destiny but besides embrace life and be happy. This was contradictory to the original Anglo-Saxon position of the universe being purely inexorable and fatalistic.Historically, the peoples known as the Angles and the Saxons around about the twelvemonth 450 invaded Britain. For the following hundred old ages their heathen beliefs dominated the island. Get downing in the 6th century Christianity began its campaign, finally going dominant. By 650, most of the island had professed their religion in the tenet of the Christian church. The & # 8220 ; Seafarer & # 8221 ; is believed to hold been written during the 6th century ( 700-799 ) . The verse forms written during this period typically blended both heathens and Christian elements. The mariner, which is the chief character, is seen as a typical dweller of the British Isles during the Anglo-Saxon period ( 449 to 1066 ) . Before Christianity was introduced to the island, which is now known as Britain, the people had a rigorous belief in destiny. The & # 8220 ; Seafarer & # 8221 ; was written after the debut of Christianity, hence their belief in destiny was no as strong. The chief charac
ter’s ( a mariner ) affaire d’honneur Pagan/Christian spiritual religion is typical to a individual life in the Anglo-Saxon period. His instinctual believe in destiny is mentioned many times in the verse form. The first reference of destiny is: “But at that place isn’t a adult male on Earth so proud, so courageous, or so graced by God, That he feels no fright Wondering what Fate has willed and will do…” ( 39-43 ) provinces that every adult male really does non possess the rigorous heathen belief in destiny that he should. In fact, he frequently thinks ideas of worrying what will go on to him. His belief in Christianity allows him to warrant this behaviour.
The delivery of Christianity allowed people to impart their ideas of fright into positive energy, & # 8220 ; Under his Godhead. Fate is stronger And God mightier than any adult male & # 8217 ; s head. Our ideas should turn to where our place is, To lift to that ageless joy. & # 8221 ; ( 115-120 ) This statement shows that the Anglo-saxons could believe in the destiny of decease, which was usually a inexorable and sad event, and yet still besides think of decease as a clip to accomplish felicity. This felicity was the joyous event of lifting to heaven. Their religion in God allowed them to believe they in fact would be happy, if non now, decidedly after their decease. & # 8220 ; Thus the joys of God Are fervent with life & # 8221 ; ( 64-65 ) & # 8216 ; the joys & # 8217 ; intending the religion or belief in Christianity.Anglo-Saxon literature was orally recited by scops at flushing assemblages. Therefore this verse form was told 100s, if non 1000s, of people during the Anglo-Saxon period. This made it an amazing tool in the Christian Crusade of Britain.
