The Tone of The Dream of the Rood

The Tone of “The Dream of the Rood” “The Dream of the Rood” is a spectacular piece of poetry that dates back to the eighth century, which represents Christ on the cross using metaphors throughout the poem. Speaking of Christ’s experience on the cross, most people think it’s horrific and grisly. So therefore that’s what most would assume the tone of this poem, which is incorrect. The tone of the “Dream of the Rood” is uplifting, which is shown throughout the poem used by imagery. To begin, the poem starts out vehement. In lines 25-26 the tree uses vivid images to describe what happens to it and Christ: “They/ pierced me with dark nails: the wounds are seen on me, open gashes of hatred” (25-26). Also: “They mocked us both together. I was all wet with blood, /drenched from the side of that Man after he had sent forth his spirit. I had endured/ many bitter happenings on that hill. I saw the God of Hosts cruelly Racked” (27-29). The imagery conveyed in those few lines is nowhere near half of what Christ really went through. “Christ was on the cross” (32). No one can say that with pity. He did that for us, and it’s a very uplifting reminder. The dreamer in the poem states: “Wonderful was the triumph tree, and I stained with sins, wounded with wrongdoings” (7). The dreamer realizes that they are a sinner and they use that to be uplifted and thankful. Next, the tone of uplift was expressed, of course after Christ died on the cross. Christ did
Waters 2 what he did for our sins. “He freed us and granted us life, a heavenly home” (147). The dreamer realizes how important and truly amazing that is. “I do not possess many/ powerful friends of earth, but they have gone hence from the delights of the world, /sought for themselves the king of glory” (125). He doesn’t need people from this world, because he has the Lord. That it is truly uplifting reading that, because he has such faith and knows he can get by. “May the Lord be my friend, who once here of earth/