Death in The Dream of the Rood Essay -- Old English Literature Christ

Death in The aspiration of the rood-tree The crucifixion of christ is treated differently within the bodies of emeritus incline and Middle English literature. The value of each eras party ar superimposed on the descriptions of the sacrifice of Christ on the cross. Christ is envisioned either as the model of the hero, prevalent in Old English literature, or as the embodi manpowert of love and passion, as found in Showings by Julian of Norwich.Old English literature establishes the elements of the heroic code, to which its society ascribed. A man must live, or die, by his honor. In The dream of the Rood the crucifixion of Christ is depicted as the ultimate type of heroism, as all mankind bewailed Christs death and prep bed a aureate cross for him. This was surely no felons gallows, but holy spirits beheld it there, men upon earth, and all this glorious creation. Wonderful was the triumph-tree, and I stained with sins, wounded with wrongdoings. I saw the tree of glor y shine splendidly, adorned with garments, decked with gold, jewels had worthily cover Christs tree. (Norton Anthology of English Literature, one-sixth Ed., p. 19) Christ is not rendered as a icon of pathos. Christ is identified with the other glorious warriors of Anglo-Saxon times, such as Beowulf, in this rendering of the cross. It was tradition during the Anglo-Saxon period to bury the reward death with all of the adornments of wealth that they had gained in the earthly life.The Dream of the Rood treats the death of Christ as the culmination of His glory. As the Rood itself speaks, get wind with your words that it is the tree of glory on which Almighty God suffered for mankinds umpteen sins and the deeds of Adam did of old. He tasted death there yet the Lor... ...sh Literature, Sixth Ed., p. 297) This change in the integral ideal of the subject matter is by chance indicative of the ensuing social changes that occurred during the Middle English period. Julian describes Chr ists fall in as the fulfillment of his love for all creation. It is not for honor that Christ gave his life. Of course, during the Old English period, the lords retainers certainly experienced love in whatsoever fashion for the man they willingly gave their lives. Certainly that love was not to be construed as a display of femininity, for these men were warriors. Changing social values helped to transform the Old English heroic code to the Middle English chivalric ideal. The literature of each of the periods offers the examples upon which to base this conclusion. Old English honoric ideals are complemented by Middle English concepts of love and beauty.