The Vercelli Book

 The Vercelli Book is an Old English codex, or book, compiled in the late 10th century and
written in Anglo-Saxon (Old English).
 It contains 23 prose entries regarding various religious themes and several poems, such as:
1. Andreas
2. two poems by Cynewulf
3. The Dream of the Rood
4. Address of the Saved Soul to the Body
 The book is so named because it was found in the cathedral library at Vercelli, in 1822. It
was probably taken to Italy by one of the numerous Anglo-Saxon pilgrims on the way to
Rome.
 Two of the six poems in the Vercelli Book are attributed to Cynewulf, one of the very few
Old English poets today known by name.
 Although little is known about the author and compiler of the Vercelli Book, historians
confirm, due the religious nature of the texts included, that the author was probably a monk.

The Dream of the Rood

 The title of the poem, ‘The Dream of the

Rood’ refers to the dream or vision that
the speaker had about the rood on
which Christ accepted death.
 The most important themes of this
poem are paganism and Christianity. In REMEMBER: All of Cynewulf's poems
the first sections of the poem, there are contain passages where the letters of the
many Christian and pre-Christian poet's name are woven into the text using
images. While in the end, the poem runic symbols: linking together all these
exhibits the Christian beliefs of salvation symbols appears the name of the author
and the afterlife. himself. It’s his own signature.
 The most important element of
paganism inside the poem is the
speaking tree. Pagans believed in the
spiritual nature of natural objects. Here,
the speaker recognizes the rood as an
object of worship.

 “It happened long ago - I remember it

still - I was hewn down at the holt’s end
stirred from my stock. Strong foes seized
me there, worked in me an awful
spectacle, ordered me to heave up their
criminals. Those warriors bore me on
their shoulders until they set me down
upon a mountain. Enemies enough
fastened me there. I saw then the Lord
of Mankind hasten with much courage,
willing to mount up upon me.”