ASSIGNMENT

Course: Old English Literature in Translation (401)

Prepared for: Shamim Hossain

Submitted by

Name: Shayla Akter

ID: 1914 2210 31

Date: 2nd June 2021

Department of English
University of Information Technology & Science
1. Elegy

An elegy is a poem of sorrow lamentation or mourning for the dead. Originally

derived from the Greek, the word ‘Elegy’ has been variously used with reference
to different periods of English. In Old English themes referring to Christian
consolation are called elegies, for example, The Wanderer; The Sea Fearer; The
Ruin. From the 16th century onwards, the term was used for a reflective poem. S.T.
Coleridge called the kind of poetry ‘natural to the reflective mind’. Later it was
applied particularly to poems of mourning. The great English mourning eligies
are John Milton’s ‘Lycidas’(King Edward), P.B Shelly’s ‘Adonais’(John
Keats),Alfred, Lord Tennyson’s ‘In Memorium’(Arthur H. Hallam),Walt
Whiteman’s ‘When Lilacs Last in the Dooryard Bloom’d’(Abraham Lincoln), and
Mathew Arnold’s ‘Thyrsis’(Clough). Thomas Gray’s ‘Elegy Written in a Country
Churchyard’ is perhaps the most famous elegy which is a solemn, meditative poem
mourning not the death of a person but the passing of the way of a life that
concerns the common fate of general public or the death of the simplicity of life.

2. A man should forbear boast-making

Until his fierce mind fully knows
Which way his spleen shall expend itself

These verses emerged in wise-sayings have been quoted from The Wanderer- an
Anglo-Saxon elegy-composed by an unknown poet. In these verses, the poet
philosophises on boast-making of a poem.
The poet in the form of wise saying philosophises that a man should forbear boast-
making without being supported by sound reason and knowledge, because bain
boast- making may lead to any disastrous end. A boast-making is usually a
negative and destructive virtue but if a boast-making springs from sound calculated
deductions, it may lead to a happy end. Without seeing the end, a boast-making
may seem disastrous. As a matter of fact, under the veil of very thin optimism, the
poet preaches its total negative and destructive aspect and discourages the tendency
of boast-making.

3. Great is the terrible power of God, before which the earth shall turn aside

This memorable line has been gleaned from ‘The Seafarer’ written by an
anonymous poet of the Anglo-Saxon period. In this prosaic sentence , the poet’s
unflinching faith in God and in His omnipotent power is focused at.
The sentence exposes the poet’s absolute faith in God as the supreme Creator. His
is a faith which is unshakable and strong. He does not have even a shadow of doubt
or suspiction in his mind about God. Not only this, he is fully aware and confident
about the terrible power of God Who can do and undo anything He wishes. One
who believes in His mighty power without any question is a blessed soul. God’s
grace shall fall on him anon. He lives in His full protection. No earthly can harm
can befall upon him. He is fully secured. The poet also believes that before the
omnipotent power of God, all earthly objects will crumble into pieces and the earth
shall turn aside and God’s supreme power will prevail.