Narrator, “Dream of the Rood”
Little is known about the narrator of this poem. He or she is traversing the wilderness in search of the famed and historic cross upon which Jesus Christ was crucified. The narrator recalls conversations he or she had with another unnamed individual. These conversations divulge the power and divinity of Jesus Christ and his influence over our life. In this way, the narrator is searching for the symbol of Christ’s divinity—the cross—as a well to feel spiritually nourished.
Christ, “Dream of the Rood”
Jesus Christ is celebrated and honored in this poem. The narrator’s search for the original cross takes him or her down a road of reflection, during which he/she remembers the incredible power, holiness, and forgiveness that Christ embodies. The narrator’s whole and complete awe of Jesus Christ in this poem characterizes him as the ultimate redeemer and most generous savior. In this way, Christ embodies all that is good, holy, and redeeming. The cross upon which he died therefore, by extension, also imbues these same other-worldly qualities.
Narrator, “Soul and Body”
The narrator of this poem ponders how heart-wrenching it must be for the soul and body to depart each other upon death. He imagines how conversations between the two at their departure would unfold and concludes that such an instance would be quite tragic. He likens the two to siblings that are inextricably linked; neither would want to leave the other. In this way, the narrator is simply a casual observer, pondering what the moment would be like when the soul must leave the body as it makes its way to Heaven.
Soul, “Soul and Body”
During the narrator’s imaginings of conversations between the body and soul, the soul is depicted as being far more emotional. As it is forced to cleave from the body it has known for so long, the soul is reluctant to abandon it; it does not feel that its time has come. It longs to have one more day, hour, or minute, with its partner. Ultimately, it accepts that its destiny is to live on in Heaven and depart from its mortal partner.
Body, “Soul and Body”
During the narrator’s depictions of conversations between the body and soul, the body is the far more practical of the two. It realizes that its time on Earth has come to an end. The body appears to have understood that, since its creation, its days were numbered, its existence limited. As such, it has accepted its fate and it encourages the soul to hurry on to its next stage of existence.
