The Rood
In Old and Middle English literature, paganism is the foundation of virtually all prose and poetry ever created, spoken, and eventually written between the time span of approximately 400 BC through 1500 AD. As the Romans introduced Christianity throughout the British Isles around 43 AD soon after the Roman Conquest of Briton under the Roman Emperor Claudius, Christian influence from monastic clergymen usurped their authority over the vast majority of pagan literature. The two belief systems slowly emerged in spite of initial tensions and resistance resulting in a Christian convergence permeating the majority of pagan ways of thinking and believing (Sittser). “The Dream of the Rood” is a primarily Christian poem with many pagan aspects intertwined
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This alone is an extremely pagan way of viewing things. Many pagan beliefs which include their oral literature center on inanimate objects coming to life. This story, written as a dream vision, happens to give voice to the same tree on which Christ has died in order to bring about life again just as it is written, “…Except a corn of wheat fall into the ground and die, it abideth alone: but if it die, it bringeth forth much fruit” (King James Version, John. 12:24). The Rood tells its story of how it was severed from its roots and fastened up on a hill to hold felons, making it a spectacle (29-32). The Rood speaks of how it felt as Christ was being nailed to it saying, “I dared not bow or break there / against my Lord’s wish, when I saw the surface / of the earth tremble. I could have felled all my foes, yet I stood firm. / Then the young warrior, God Almighty, / stripped Himself, firm and unflinching. He climbed / upon the cross, brave before many, to redeem mankind. / I quivered when the hero clasped me, / yet I dared not bow to the ground, / fall to the earth. I had to stand firm” (36-45). The pagan characteristics in this portion of the poem add life to the Christian aspect showing how mighty Christ was and how difficult it was for the rood to be brave for Christ and everyone else, though Christ was the bravest of all, inspiring the
This alone is an extremely pagan way of viewing things. Many pagan beliefs which include their oral literature center on inanimate objects coming to life. This story, written as a dream vision, happens to give voice to the same tree on which Christ has died in order to bring about life again just as it is written, “…Except a corn of wheat fall into the ground and die, it abideth alone: but if it die, it bringeth forth much fruit” (King James Version, John. 12:24). The Rood tells its story of how it was severed from its roots and fastened up on a hill to hold felons, making it a spectacle (29-32). The Rood speaks of how it felt as Christ was being nailed to it saying, “I dared not bow or break there / against my Lord’s wish, when I saw the surface / of the earth tremble. I could have felled all my foes, yet I stood firm. / Then the young warrior, God Almighty, / stripped Himself, firm and unflinching. He climbed / upon the cross, brave before many, to redeem mankind. / I quivered when the hero clasped me, / yet I dared not bow to the ground, / fall to the earth. I had to stand firm” (36-45). The pagan characteristics in this portion of the poem add life to the Christian aspect showing how mighty Christ was and how difficult it was for the rood to be brave for Christ and everyone else, though Christ was the bravest of all, inspiring the