Theme Of Exile In The Seafarer

Exile is defined as the state of being barred from one’s native country, typically for political or punitive reasons. Many Anglo-Saxon writings involve exile or the fear of being separated from one’s people. For Anglo-Saxons, the bond between family and friends was one of the most important aspects of life; kinship was very significant in this ancient society. Being forced to be alone and astray from one’s kin was thought to be one of the worst forms of punishment. People did not know how to function by themselves, as they were used to routine. On the other hand, however, some Anglo-Saxons chose to exile themselves, whether it be out of curiosity, the longing for adventure, or feeling like they did not belong anymore. Whatever the case, exile

He begins his tale by describing some of the numerous hardships he faces at sea. The waves are violent and the air is frigid. The cold binds the narrator’s feet, and his soul is hungry for something the world cannot offer. Life at sea is not by any means enjoyable; even the tern mentioned in line 24 seems to be as miserable as the seafarer. However, the seafarer feels as if he is being called to travel the frozen sea, and he experiences a deep longing for something more than the comfortable life on land. While the narrator enjoys the pleasures and warmth of lounging in the mead-hall with his kinsmen, he knows he cannot stay. His soul is constantly pulling him out to sea to search for a foreign homeland. Even when flowers and birds appear in the spring, the seafarer finds himself more miserable. He itches for the sea and wants to find his home. Therefore, the narrator exiles himself. He isolates himself from his kinsmen and his lord to find the true meaning of life. Though he wanders many times without success, at the end of the poem, the seafarer finally finds some answers. He realizes the foreign homeland he has been seeking is heaven. The narrator knows material possessions and wealth do not matter. He concludes that what truly matters is fearing God, living a good Christian life, and eventually finding peace in heaven. The seafarer’s exile may have been cold

The poem begins by mentioning that the husband of the narrator “went out away from his people” (ln. 6). The wife grieved and awaited longingly for his return, but the husband’s kinsmen brewed an evil plot to separate the couple. For reasons unknown, the husband then commanded the woman to move away and live under an oak tree in the woods. The wife mentions that the vows her and her husband had shared were broken as she waited alone in her friendless exile. She is miserable in the woods and has few loved ones; the narrator calls her new home a “joyless dwelling” (ln. 32). In her sad and lonely state of mind, the wife admits that she hopes her husband is as sad-minded as she is. She hopes he misses her and is as equally sorrowful. The narrator’s exile described in “The Wife’s Lament” is far more bitter than what the men from the other two poems endured. While the men both learned new things about themselves and about the meaning of life, the wife was left confused and