Wulf And Eadwacer Analysis

The poem ‘Wulf and Eadwacer’ is world renowned for its difficult interpretation and dates back to the Old English genre. This is evident in the typical Anglo-Saxon names ‘Wulf’ and ‘Eadwacer’. The poem is often called an elegy. An elegy is often characterised as a song or poem that mourns the death of a person or laments something that has been lost. It can be said that the poem fits into the genre of Old English Elegy to a very large extent. The poet further develops the elegy in the many stylistic techniques of the poem which appeals to the readers and helps them understand the poem. These include the poets’ clever use of the metaphors, themes, characters, emotions, imagery, and format.

The poem spoken in the first person by an unnamed woman. The poet focuses much of the poem on expressing her emotions and

Again this is typical feature of an elegy. She’s clearly loves him and longs for his return. Some of her descriptions can be viewed on a literal basis, or when read in further depth they can be read at a metaphorical level. Line 4 can be read on a very literal basis but it could also be seen a metaphor for their conflicting or different personalities. It could even reflect the divisions between the

The speaker mentions a ‘cub’ this could mean a child. The poem isn’t clear as to whom the child belongs. The child has been led astray into the woods by a ‘Wulf’, however it’s unclear as to if she’s referring to an actual wolf, or her husband/lover. The reader can’t be sure of what happened to the child in the woods however it’s often perceived as a dark catastrophe. This provides chilling and haunting imagery. This can only deepen to the speakers’ loneliness. Once again the themes of sorrow and loneliness is evident