"Ill is it" indicates that the act of longing for a loved one is something painful. The phrase "who must suffer" emphasizes the inevitability of suffering, and reinforces the idea that it is natural to suffer. The lines highlight the theme of separation, suggesting that there is a torment that accompanies yearning for someone the way the writer does.

The writer conveys that the loss of their lord is a constant thing in their mind. This suggests that their sorrow and grief is always present. The theme of loss is shown with these lines as they indicate the writer's sense that their circumstances are cruel.

It seems like the writer and their lover only thought death would be the reason for their separation but as that isn't the case, they now long for their lover, something they didn't think they would do. The theme of the unpredictability of life can be found here.

The decision to use the word "yearning" suggests that the writer has a strong emotional pull towards what they lost in the separation. It represents the longing for their loved one and shows the intensity that the writer is experiencing. This also reinforces the theme of loss.

This line illustrates the writer's exile and journey and helps the writer emphasize the loneliness and separation they felt from those they once knew. When she writes "to seek helpers," it indicates that they are searching for support or help in their "woeful hard straits," which means hardships or struggles. These lines help emphasize themes of isolation and loss.

The writer expresses that they believe that this is the worst suffering they have endured as a result of their exile. The second line highlighted is really important because it gives context as to where their sorrow and misery comes from.

The writer starts by expressing that the song they are singing comes from a place of deep sorrow. "My own lot" suggests that the writer feels that this sorrow is a result of their personal and individual circumstance. This line highlights the themes of loss and grief.

This article gave a lot of information on the different interpretations of the poem.

https://www.poetryfoundation.org/poetrymagazine/articles/1593780/on-translating-wulf-ond-eadwacer

I'm tempted to think that Eadwacer might be the warrior who embraces the writer in Wulf's absence. That maybe the writer does have a second lover and has conflicting emotions about it considering that Wulf is also their lover. This could be supported by the previous line that says "To me it was pleasure in that, it was also painful."

It seems like the writer is experiencing mixed feelings when they describe it as "pleasure" but also "painful." It's referencing the previous lines as one brings pleasure, we can assume that it's the warrior's embrace that does that, and one brings pain, the one where they sit tearfully during rainy weather. This highlights the theme of conflict between love and loss.

This line suggests that the writer receives an embrace from a warrior. This could be interpreted literally or figuratively and could indicate a moment of closeness and the feeling of safety from the warrior.

The first line mentions rainy weather that can often symbolize sadness or melancholy. The writer seems to be in a moment of sorrow or longing for another, presumably for Wulf. The writer sitting "tearfully" shows that they are also filled with grief due to their loss and the circumstances (the weather) only heighten that feeling.

The repetition of these lines serves to highlight the difference between the writer's situation and the dangerous circumstances of another. Repeating this line also emphasizes the sense of separation between the speaker and Wulf.

Deor identifies himself and introduces the idea that he once was the "Lord's favorite," in this section. With these specific lines, he tells the reader that he lost land and it was given to someone else. The use of the word "inherited" suggests that it wasn't of his volition and that it was taken to be given to someone else, who may now be identified as the new "Lord's favorite." This shows the theme of loss and the theme of change and the unpredictability of life as he reflects on how his circumstances have changed. His repetition of "That went away, this also may" at the end, is used as a way to say that like everything else, this too shall pass.

The first line suggests a reflection on fate, advising someone to consider the will of God. Suggesting that God follows "different courses throughout the earth" implies that life is unpredictable and God has plans that may unfold in different ways throughout the earth. The third line "to many he grants glory, certainty, yet, misery to some" shows the contrast in human experiences where some are blessed and others face suffering and hardships. This reinforces the theme that has been present throughout the poem - that life is unpredictable and the power of fate means that one's life can be shaped depending on God's plans.

The repetition of this phrase emphasizes the fleeting nature of things, reinforcing the theme of impermanence. It suggests that just as one thing has passed, so will other things. This highlights the inevitability of loss and change and symbolizes the cyclical nature of life, where all experiences are temporary.

"Hungry to roam" suggests a strong desire to explore, implying that there is a feeling or dissatisfaction with staying in one place. With the use of the word hungry, we can even suggest an insatiable need. The second phrase, "bring me where glisten," suggests an image of a destination that glistens, a place of promise, and this signifies the sailor's want to search for something better. This reflects the theme of longing or searching for purpose, as the sailor seeks for something beyond their current situation.

These lines help contrast the life of a landsman compared to the life of a sailor and emphasize the theme of disconnect between the two different ways of life that they are familiar with. When he says "What does he reck to the rough sea's woe," the sailor suggests that the landsman couldn't understand or care about the suffering, referred to as "woe," caused by the unpredictable sea.

This seems to indicate that nothing but the "plunging billows," which refers to the sea and waves, brings the sailor any satisfaction.

The phrase "how utterly weary" contrasts with the previous words, suggesting that despite the arrogance, they are exhausted.

The sailor seems to be scared and vulnerable to the "welter of waves," meaning the nature of the sea, and this evokes a sense of danger. The use of the phrase "encompassed me" suggests the sailor is surrounded by the vastness and power of the sea, the waves. This emphasizes the theme of isolation.

It seems like the wanderer, after experiencing sorrow and grief, has accepted that all things in life, that he specifically valued, are "fleeting," giving us a new outlook on the theme of loss and the search for something better.

This line describes the revelry, which can be defined as the rejoicing or festivity, as dead and emphasizes the finality of death. It can be used to symbolize the instability of joy and reinforces the inevitability of death. The use of the word "dust" evokes a sense of deterioration or decomposition, referencing the "revellers."

This line describes the wanderer's journey, symbolizing that it is a path over water and the sea. The "track on the waters" and "path on the billows" suggest instability and the unpredictable nature of the water and his life. This reinforces the theme of exile and additionally, the theme of uncertainty in their new life with loss.

With these lines, we learn that the wanderer sometimes dreams of his experiences and with that, he brings more sorrow to himself. This ties in with the theme of loss and grief.

"Loneliness his lot" emphasizes the isolation that the subject feels while "heart-chilling frost" suggests emotional and physical hardships they could be dealing with now due to this loss.

"Giver of bounty" refers to their lord, and "was laid in the earth" means that the lord died and was buried. The loss of their lord has left them to "roam" meaning they are lost without them. This reinforces the them of exile.

The subject, after his experiences, has a lot of sorrow held within. This can be seen in the previous lines as well. He says he is stripped of his heritage, meaning he has lost his customs and way of life due to being far from his country and the people he knew.

The subject who is alone now, retells his story, which brings them sorrow, to himself. They probably often relive their experiences as they are now alone with not much but their past to occupy their thoughts.

This line helps describe the ship as large or wide, and suggests that the ship was secure. This line paints a good picture of a powerful and prepared ship that is ready for action.

I'm just confused by the random 4. Does it mean anything specific?

This likely refers to the warriors who wear armor and hold shields. In Old English, the word target was used to describe a shield and so the use of the word beauteous shows how these shields were a symbol of the warrior's strength and honor.

Again, the wielder of Glory to refer to Beowulf, someone who is revered and respected as a strong wielder of power and glory.

This line suggests that because of malice and murder, these negative qualities, one can be dominated or overpowered.

This line suggests a conflict with God, where God responds by giving justice, whether it be reward or punishment, based on the actions of the people or leader.

This line suggests that the leader brings honor and glory to the people and that his actions reflect positively on them, which in turn, makes them proud.

This line similarly highlights the power of the leader described. It emphasizes the authority and respect he commands over his people as an honorable ruler.

This line emphasizes the respect and honor of the spoken one. It suggests someone who is strong and powerful and who is seen as honorable by the world.

This line suggests that people should be willing to suffer like Christ did on the cross to participate in redemption and salvation. It encourages the reader to embrace suffering as a way of atonement to unite with Christ.

These lines emphasize the idea that Christ sacrificed himself for all of mankind and they highlight the Christian belief of salvation and atonement by Christ to redeem the people.

This line expresses the mockery that both Christ and the cross suffered. It's also a way of personifying the cross as "moistened with blood" to emphasize the brutality of the scene. This helps emphasize the shared experience of both Christ and the cross, reinforcing the eventual redemption that comes from their joint suffering.

This line conveys the strength and perseverance of the cross to remain upright. It symbolizes the idea of faith despite the suffering and reflects the victory of the sacrifice of Christ that leads to salvation.

The use of sad conveys a sense of mourning and sorrow that emphasizes the emotional weight the cross carries as the object used for Christ's sacrifice. This line highlights the theme of suffering and the nature of the cross, that's referred to as the "Saviour's tree."

I think the victor-tree is referencing the cross and describing it as strange and "stained" with sins. The cross is shown as an unfamiliar object because of the association with sacrifice but despite this, it's also seen as a symbol of redemption.

Wulfstan comments on how due to the neglect of the people to the "laws of God" and his teachings, they are all now facing the consequences of their actions and that these consequences are an act of God.

Wulfstan critiques how people fail to give their "dues" to God, suggesting a moral failing in the people in their religion. This line urges the readers to reflect on their actions and worships to "false gods" and the true responsibilities that belong to their faith.

Like I mentioned before, preachers today use these same ideals in their own sermons to urge people to take responsibility for their actions and to seek repentance in order to right their wrongs.

It's a little silly when we realize how often religion is used to instill a fear within people about the world coming to an end soon. It's a common idea - that the world is declining due to human's actions but it's another thing to claim that the world will literally end due to it. It's not the first or last time that this fear will be used to persuade the actions of others.

I think this line places more responsibility as individuals even though he's referencing the nation as a whole. He's just expressing his belief that the Devil has been the one to lead people to sin.

Preachers today preach in the same way Wulfstan did. Using themes of sin and repentance to instill fear and "guide" people to faith.

Very unrelated annotation but this reminds me of Remus Lupin, who's a werewolf.

The fall of the Roman empire lead to Britain being vulnerable and thus being open for more cultures to be introduced. It was easy for new groups, like the Germanic tribes later mentioned, to "invade" and influence the land and along with the introduction of these new cultures, there's a shift in what's being integrated into Britain's already influenced culture.

It's very sad to think about the fact that many works and pieces have been lost in history due to violence. Invaluable knowledge that could have provided an insight into ancient practices, beliefs, and events has been lost. This is just one example of this as well. This loss shows how vulnerable history and literature are and how easy it is to lose something due to conflict.

Dissemination is the act or process of spreading something, so the adoption of Christianity as the official religion of the Roman empire changed the way literature was spread around in Britain.

“Dissemination.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/dissemination. Accessed 23 Mar. 2025.

I've heard about Boudica, the Queen of the Iceni tribe, and know that she was inspired to revolt due to the treatment of her and her people and she is now remembered as one of history's greatest female warriors.

Interesting to learn about the different relationships between people - especially because later in the reading, we learn that the Romans were also involved.

It's just more proof that history repeats itself and ideas are often recycled. It's probably a bit difficult to come up with something original if we consider all of history and the stories that have been told.