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The Dream of the Rood

            We must agree that one of the things that make the dream of the rood so interesting is the personification of the Cross. But the poet seems also to have another way of making the moment of the crucifixion or the meaning of the Cross dream and a way which is much more immediate than personification. The poet connects the crucifixion with the second coming of Christ and eternal life. By examining several passages in the Bible dealing with eschatology particularly the new Jerusalem and the bride of Christ passages we can see that the poet is able to underscore the significance of the crucifixion by looking forward to the Day of Judgment and the mystical marriage of Christ and the Church. In the vision the Cross is seen in the air enveloped in light brightness is its most startling characteristic and visible at the corners of the earth which the Cross reaches as it stretches across the sky. Moreover, the Cross is beheld by the host of angels and by men throughout the world. In Matthew the disciples press Christ for more information about the last days particularly for the sign of the end. He replies that temporal signs will be tribulation on earth.
             If one substitutes Christ for the Cross in lines 4-12 he will see how closely this vision follows that of the second coming. The gold and the gems with which the cross is adorned may have their origin in another account of the second coming, the description of the New Jerusalem in Revelation. The city descending from heaven with brilliant light "like unto a stone most precious" is of "pure gold," and its twelve foundations are each of a different gem. The difference between the Cross of Calvary and the Cross or between the old and the New Jerusalem is one of glorification the transmutation which takes place on Judgment Day.
             The Rood not only reminds us of the New Jerusalem but also of the bride of Christ as the poet develops his imagery along familiar scriptural lines.


Essays Related to The Dream of the Rood

1. Beowulf Compared to the Dream of the Rood

... he believed in, the safety of his people, till his death. In The Dream of the Rood, the Cross displays an abundance of loyalty to Christ throughout the entire crucifixion. The Cross states "I quivered when the hero clasped me,/ yet I dared not bow to the ground,/ fall to the earth. I had to stand firm./ A rood I was raised up; I boar aloft the mighty King,/ the Lord of Heaven. I dared not stoop"(44-48). The Cross faced the burden of holding up a full ... themes and attributes. In the case of these two poems characters possess the strengths of warriors, with the compassion of saviors. Ch...

  • Word Count: 1799
  • Approx Pages: 7
  • Grade Level: High School

2. The Dream of the Rood: Apothe

... literature "shows suprising sensitivity to the concerns of justice, morality, courage, honor, fidelity, and generosity- (Graybill, 1). Thus, one of Graybill's main undertakings throughout the article is to convince the reader of the true worth of the Anglo-Saxon people. One of the preeminent works of Anglo-Saxon literature, The Dream of the Rood, supports Graybill's idea that the Anglo-Saxons were a spiritually and intellectually rich people. The author of the poem is unknown, as is the exact date of its origin. Most scholars ... shows of the Anglo-Saxon culture. The Dream of the Rood a...

  • Word Count: 1012
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3. A Prose's Worth

... each character's head. When compared to "Beowulf," the literary merit of "The Dream of the Rood," "The Wanderer" and "The Wife's Lament" are that of difficult syntax, expression of life through sad tribulations, and moods of pride. When reading literature, one must take it in a little at a time so the reader understands what is being read. Although, when ... for himself even though he sees the liability of disaster. The literary merit of "Beowulf," "The Wife's Lament," "The Wanderer" and "The Dream of the Rood" all have common ideas. The three compared to "Beowulf" are not necessarily t...

  • Word Count: 961
  • Approx Pages: 4
  • Has Bibliography
  • Grade Level: High School

4. Themes and imagery in

... made his flute. Marvell says that poth Pan and Apollo were after the plants - not the women. The lines The gods that mortal beauty chase/ Still in a tree did end their race might refer either to the mythology, or the pagan cult of trees or the Tree which served to make Christ's cross - a theme present in Dream of th Rood. What wondrous life is this I lead! Ripe apples drop about my ... head The luscious clusters of the vine Upon my mouth do crush their wine The nectarine and curious peach Into my hands themselves do reach Stumbling ... on melons as I pass Insnared with flowers I fall o...

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5. Heroic tradition in literature

... he must, for the survival of his tribe or nation constantly aware of his own mortality, he never shirks .It is in the battle that the mettle of the epic hero is tested" (Jokinen 1996). An example of Christian poetry might be The Dream of the Rood, where the heroic tradition is visible. Through the rhetorical device of prosopopeia the cross presents Christ as warrior-hero battling the forces of evil on the cross. Further, an example of heroic lays, on ... the other hand might be The Battle of Maldon, where the brave and loyal Byrhtnoth with his ... ...

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