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The ruined-city motif in the Old English poem The Wanderer (lines 73–87) has long been read as a reflex of traditional Germanic diction, and as a symbol of material transience. In line with more recent biblical readings of the poem, this paper identifies a number of analogues and possible sources for both the excidio urbis image and other images of transience, in the biblical Book of Ezekiel. Among these correspondences between The Wanderer and the prophetic biblical narrative are references to scavenging animals, traditionally read as Germanic 'beasts of battle' when encountered in the Old English elegies. Reading this passage alongside Gregory the Great's Homilies on Ezekiel further illuminates how the poem's structure and changing use of tense corresponds with contemporary thought on the revelatory processes of prophecy. It is here proposed that the Old English poet has chosen to use images and devices which resonate with both biblical and traditional vernacular poetic diction. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article discusses the inscriptions on the Ruthwell Cross, which forms part of what has come to be called "The Ruthwell Crucifixion Poem," which was the subject of research by scholar John M. Kemble. The similarities between this poem and "The Dream of the Rood." It is noted that in a paper written in 1840, Kemble failed to identify the speaker of the Ruthwell poem as the Cross. Scholar Pamela O'Neill and her rejection of the idea that the Cross speaks to the dreamer in the Ruthwell poem is discussed.

The Exeter Book poem, “The Wonder of Creation”, named in the standard edition “The Order of the World”, is at the centre of the paper. It is a much-neglected Old English poem, yet interesting intellectually, and often difficult. Vanity is important in it, idle lustas “vain desires”, are central to it. There is more in it than the negative teaching that all life is vanity, for there is hope of a better realm. The temptation of Vainglory, the seventh Capital Sin, worthless glory, is a theme in Old English homiletic literature: the wish for false joys is a vanity. That is a theme in Cynewulf's poetry and in the prose of the Blickling Homilies. That a life of prayer and fasting enables man to fight the devil is a serious homiletic message. Our First Parents experienced unprofitable desires. Original Sin is mentioned in this paper, but not every healthy, hearty meal shares in that fundamental theological concept. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

In this paper I apply current ecologically centred methodologies in the humanities to explore the familiar image of the bird-soul in The Seafarer in close relation to the real seabirds that are one of the most striking aspects of the maritime environment of the poem. Far from appearing as mere background incidentals, the poet's treatment of the seabirds we first encounter resonates with contemporary ornithological knowledge, and suggests that they feature specifically as species that best convey the ascetic trials and endeavours of the sea-going speaker who observes, listens to and names seabirds. The curious essence of seabirds as creatures that are always at home on the seas, and yet journeying to a home elsewhere, establishes them as what I term "native foreigners", a paradox that highlights the seafarer's conflicting yearnings and reflects the difficult earthly/celestial dynamic in the poem's perceptions of the soul's journey. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article critiques the Old English poem "Deor," found in the tenth-century Exeter Book. Topics discussed include the interpretation of the phrase "be wurman" in the opening line of the poem, the way the literature depicted Germanic history and the story of legendary character Weland the Smith, and the observed ambiguity in the first line of the poem which may be attributed to the use of the word "be" as either preposition or conjunction.

Reviews the book `Old English Verse Texts from Many Sources. A Comprehensive Collection (Early English Manuscripts in Facsimile 23),' edited by Fred C. Robinson and E.G. Stanley. Monochrome reproductions of poems from 91 manuscripts stored in 39 libraries in Europe and the United States; Reproduction in heavy-duty glossy paper of 14 king-size full-color plates from the Eadwine psalter.

A criticism is provided of the Old English poem "Against a Wen," with a particular focus on its alliterative metrical form and rhyming. An overview of the cultural aspects of alliterative Old English verse in the 12th century is provided.

The article presents an in-depth analysis of the translation and literary elements of the anonymous Old English poem "The Descent into Hell," found within the Exeter Book. Introductory details are given describing the unpopularity of the work among scholastic circles. Topics then addressed include a listing of different epithets for God in the work, the poem's theme of God's love for mankind, and the translation of the adjective reþe.

The article presents an analysis of lines 2105-2114 of the old English epic "Beowulf," focusing on the depiction of entertainment within the royal court of Heorot. Alternating interpretations of the compound term "fela fricgende" are highlighted, pointing out their different thematic consequences. Further discussion is offered identifying the reference to "gomela Scilding."

The article critiques the Old English poems "Riddle 25" and "Judith," particularly focusing on attempts to disambiguate whether the term "wudenlocc" means curly hair or braided hair. It addresses contextual evidence in the poem for the curly hair translation, the use of Old English riddles to determine words for physical characteristics, and personal beauty in Old English poetry.

A literary criticism is presented of the Old English poem "The Dream of the Rood." Of particular interest is the idea that Anglo-Saxon poets believed the human mind was contained. In this poem and others, including "Juliana" and the "Homiletic Fragment II," a treasure motif is used to associate wisdom and the mind with holy relics like the True Cross in the poem. The religious significance of dreams according to the Anglo-Saxons is also considered.

The article discusses shared motifs in the Old English poem "The Battle of Maldon" and the Welsh poem "Armes Prydein," written in late 940. Differences in the function of the two 10th century war poems are examined, and the use of `Armes Prydein' as a piece of political propaganda couched as a prophecy is commented on. The writing of "The Battle of Maldon" to boost English morale is also explored.

The article focuses on the different interpretations of the poetic adverb "haedre" as found in Old English and the differences in how the word is pronounced. The author uses the poems "Solomon and Saturn I" and "Resignation" to illustrate the different ways in which the word was used and analyzes the varying interpretations of the word.

An essay is presented which interprets the genre of the Old English poem known as "The Wife's Lament." Noting that it is traditionally considered an elegy, the author instead suggests that it is a riddle poem that reveals cultural details. Particular attention is given to Riddle 69, which the author states reveals the importance of swords in the society of the poem's era.

The article analyzes lines 111-115 of the Old English (OE) poem "The Seafarer." It notes that this passage is the only that addresses the Christian response to hostility as the author suggests that the wealthy man referenced in the poem is hostile towards God. The importance of translating the poem in determining its meaning is also discussed, especially the phrase "mid gemete" which the author states means "moderation." Similarities to Psalm 48 are also covered.

The article discusses the Old English poem "Juliana" by Cynewulf, with particular focus given to its use of rhetoric and the assertion of critics including Rosemary Woolf that it is an inferior, shallow work compared to the poet's earlier output. The poem's religious and cultural themes are also commented on.

The article discusses the anonymous Medieval poem "Soul's Address to the Body," with particular focus given to its status as one of the few extant poems from the transitional period between Old and Middle English and the fragmentation of the manuscript containing it. The themes of the soul and corporeality are also commented on.

The article discusses the anonymous Old English poem "Daniel," with particular focus given to its depiction of the pagan king Nebuchadnezzar's conversion to Christianity. The poet's exploration of Nebuchadnezzar's psychological state and sophisticated depiction of his changes of mind are also commented on.

The article compares the generic epithet in Old English poetry, 'folces hyrde,' with the generic epithet in Homeric poetry, 'shepherd of the people.' The author looks at the formulaic context of the epithets and compares the distinction between fact and figure in Homeric and Old English verse. The article also discusses 'folces hyrde' and the relation to the formulaic systems to which it belongs.

The article discusses the anonymous Old English elegy "The Ruin," with particular focus given to its treatment of morality and irony. The poem's Christian perspective is commented on, and the observation that the author views the poem's subject with interest but without emotion, unusually for an elegy, is also offered.

The article offers criticism on the Old English poem "Wið Faerstice" by an anonymous author. The author looks at the poetic structure of the poem, the use of charm and incantation in the poetry, and the themes of the poetry. The article also presents information on various arguments on the structural unity of texts.

The article offers criticism on the Old English poem "Genesis B" by an unknown author. The author the use of the terms 'geongordom' or service and 'hyldo' or favor in the poem. The article also discusses the poem's focus on the creation of God, the significance of the terms in the poem, and the characterization and concept of the poem.

Interprets the Old English poem `Exodus.' Suddenness of transitions not attributable to lacunae; Noah/Abraham passage; Use of the book of Wisdom as a major source for the poem; Shift in the poem from description of the passage of the Red Sea to a meditation on Noah, Abraham, Isaac and Solomon; Recourse to a theory of interpolation; Structural centrality of the lines.

The article analyzes the poem "Cædmon’s Hymn" by the Anglo-Saxon poet Cædmon, focusing on the translation by Daniel Paul O'Donnell. The author examines the use of the Old English language phrases "aelda barnum," "eordu barnum," and "yldo bearn," discussing the diction, translation to Latin, and possible meanings.

A review of the book "The Poetics of Old English," by Tiffany Beechy, is presented.

The article offers poetry criticism of the anonymous poem "Andreas and the Fates of the Apostles," noting the meaning of the Old English phrase ēst ahwette in line 339. The author argues that the phrase means to make incisively effective, which is contrary to Germanic grammars and dictionaries as related by critic Kenneth R. Brooks.

The article reviews the book "The Aesthetics of Nostalgia: Historical Representation in Old English," by Renée R. Trilling.

The article offers poetry criticism of the Old English poem "Beowulf." The author examines the poem's depiction of two halls: Heorot hall and the hall belonging to the character of Grendel. He examines a problematic passage in which Grendel has displaced the inhabitants of Heorot hall and focuses on the main features of Grendel's hall, including light, space, treasures, and dryness.

The article reviews the book "Strange Likeness: The Use of Old English in Twentieth-Century Poetry," by Chris Jones.

The author presents a literary criticism of the Old English poem "Exodus." He discusses two sections of the poem, commenting on the Old English verb "hyrde" in one section, and the problem of an uneven meter in the other section.

The article suggests that the poem "Genesis A," a treatment of the Old Testament text, describes the world before creation as a bleak place and barren of vegetation. The author provides original texts and a translation of the description, explores other interpretations of "Genesis A," and examines an account from the first chapter of Genesis.

Reviews the book 'Sources and Analogues of Old English Poetry: The Major Latin Texts in Translation,' translated by Michael J.B. Allen and Daniel G. Calder.

The article explicates the line 117a in the Old English poem "Genesis A." The author provides the text and translation of the stanza containing the line which discusses the creation of heaven and earth, analyzes the grammar of the line, and explores the clarification that the line refers to the fact that the grass, rather than the earth was not green.

The article discusses an untitled Old English homily and a similar anonymous Old English poem titled "Judgement Day II," and examines their source in the text "De die iudicci" by the cleric Bede and discussion of the sin of infanticide. The prevalence of infanticide and abandonment of infants in 10th and 11th century England is examined, and contemporary religious thought on the topic is explored.