The Dream of the Rood in correlation To The Crucifixion of Jesus Christ
The Dream of the Rood, a recommended piece of English poetry and an example of Anglo-Saxon literature, is a retelling of the crucifixion of Christ through the perspective of the personified Cross, Christ is nailed to. The poem shares elements of an evangelist’s voice and uses metaphors, symbolism, and philosophy in direct correlation to the books of the New Testament. The perspective of the author also brings in elements from he or she's time in which it was written, the Middle Ages, as well as the number of other literature that is written in that time period. An article on medieval studies written by Jeannette C Brock creates an interesting medieval parallel between the …show more content…
The Dreamer narrator introduces the reader into the concept of the poem by first describing an array of trees and forest areas. The descriptions of the trees range from the wonderful tree, ““It seemed to me that I saw a more wonderful tree/lifted in the air, wound round with light,/the brightest of beams. That beacon was entirely/cased in gold; beautiful gems stood/at the corners of the earth, likewise there were five/upon the cross-beam. All those fair through creation/gazed on the angel of the Lord there.”” (Mark 1275). The tree of victory, ““Wondrous was the victory-tree, and I stained with sins,/wounded with guilts,”” (Mark 1275). The tree of glory, ““I saw the tree of glory,/honoured with garments, shining with joys,/ covered with gold: gems had/covered magnificently the tree of the forest.”” (Mark 1275). And finally the tree of the Savior, which the author feels pity for this tree due to some meta-physical understanding of its future purpose, “I beheld sorrowful the tree of the Saviour, until I heard it utter a sound.”” (Mark 1276). These detailed descriptions of the trees are composed pieces of what the tree of the Savior will one day be, a collaboration of all the great trees with none greater than it. This ideal capitalizes on the monotheism ideals of Christianity, the author …show more content…
The Anchor Bible of Revelations discusses in depth the symbolism of “tree” as well in the biblical texts of Matthew, Luke, and Revelations, “John uses the symbolism of “tree,” probably as a metaphor for the leaders of the people; Matt 3:10. Luke 3:9; cf. Matt 7:16-20, 12:33-35. Trees, oaks, and cedars, were used as metaphors for leaders of the people. In Isa 61:3 “oaks of righteousness” (AB) is interpreted as “princes of righteousness” in the Targum. Isa 2:13, “And upon all the cedars of Lebanaon” (KJ), appears as “upon all the strong and mighty kings of the nations, and upon all the princes…”; cf. 1QH 8, Psalms of Solomon 14:3-4.” (Ford 34.) After the description of the different trees the Savior tree gets signaled out and the voice of the poem shifts from the dreamer to the dialogue of the tree. The tree, as the dreamer was dreaming, remembers its time before it was scolded into a wooden cross. It was crafted into a cross by strong enemies to hold up their convicted criminals. The cross goes through two changes, first a physical change from its former self as a tree to the Cross but also goes through a spiritual change in identity. The Cross of crucifixion, which prior to Jesus was referred to as an image of ultimate humiliation,
The Dream of the Rood, a recommended piece of English poetry and an example of Anglo-Saxon literature, is a retelling of the crucifixion of Christ through the perspective of the personified Cross, Christ is nailed to. The poem shares elements of an evangelist’s voice and uses metaphors, symbolism, and philosophy in direct correlation to the books of the New Testament. The perspective of the author also brings in elements from he or she's time in which it was written, the Middle Ages, as well as the number of other literature that is written in that time period. An article on medieval studies written by Jeannette C Brock creates an interesting medieval parallel between the …show more content…
The Dreamer narrator introduces the reader into the concept of the poem by first describing an array of trees and forest areas. The descriptions of the trees range from the wonderful tree, ““It seemed to me that I saw a more wonderful tree/lifted in the air, wound round with light,/the brightest of beams. That beacon was entirely/cased in gold; beautiful gems stood/at the corners of the earth, likewise there were five/upon the cross-beam. All those fair through creation/gazed on the angel of the Lord there.”” (Mark 1275). The tree of victory, ““Wondrous was the victory-tree, and I stained with sins,/wounded with guilts,”” (Mark 1275). The tree of glory, ““I saw the tree of glory,/honoured with garments, shining with joys,/ covered with gold: gems had/covered magnificently the tree of the forest.”” (Mark 1275). And finally the tree of the Savior, which the author feels pity for this tree due to some meta-physical understanding of its future purpose, “I beheld sorrowful the tree of the Saviour, until I heard it utter a sound.”” (Mark 1276). These detailed descriptions of the trees are composed pieces of what the tree of the Savior will one day be, a collaboration of all the great trees with none greater than it. This ideal capitalizes on the monotheism ideals of Christianity, the author …show more content…
The Anchor Bible of Revelations discusses in depth the symbolism of “tree” as well in the biblical texts of Matthew, Luke, and Revelations, “John uses the symbolism of “tree,” probably as a metaphor for the leaders of the people; Matt 3:10. Luke 3:9; cf. Matt 7:16-20, 12:33-35. Trees, oaks, and cedars, were used as metaphors for leaders of the people. In Isa 61:3 “oaks of righteousness” (AB) is interpreted as “princes of righteousness” in the Targum. Isa 2:13, “And upon all the cedars of Lebanaon” (KJ), appears as “upon all the strong and mighty kings of the nations, and upon all the princes…”; cf. 1QH 8, Psalms of Solomon 14:3-4.” (Ford 34.) After the description of the different trees the Savior tree gets signaled out and the voice of the poem shifts from the dreamer to the dialogue of the tree. The tree, as the dreamer was dreaming, remembers its time before it was scolded into a wooden cross. It was crafted into a cross by strong enemies to hold up their convicted criminals. The cross goes through two changes, first a physical change from its former self as a tree to the Cross but also goes through a spiritual change in identity. The Cross of crucifixion, which prior to Jesus was referred to as an image of ultimate humiliation,