The Wanderer (Old English recitation)

'The Wanderer' has long been regarded as one of the finest poems of the Anglo-Saxon period, though there has been no general agreement on its theme, structure or genre. It is found on folios 76b-78a of the Exeter Book (Codex Exoniensis), an anthology compiled towards the end of the tenth century which contains the most varied collection of poetry that has survived from the Anglo-Saxon period.

'The Wanderer' is one of a group of Old English poems similar in elegiac tone and lyrical feeling. Without going too far into a scholarly interpretation of the poem's themes and content, it would be fair to say that the speaker is not so much saddened by what he sees in the world, but that he is cognisant of the fact that the things of this world are calculated to make him sad. All people depart. Creation daily decays. Dwellings are swept by snow and the ones we love are buried in holes beneath the ground, only to be forgotten. The personal elegy broadens and becomes an elegy for all. But amongst the all the trudging disintegration, hope beckons -- at the end of things, a fortress stands, offering succour to all who have attained the wisdom of self-control; self-knowledge.

Narrator: Stephen Clothier
Musical improvisation: Stephen Clothier
Modern English translation: Stephen Clothier
Mixing and mastering: Jamie Boorman

Recorded at Tūhura/The HIVE at Johnsonville Library, Wellington, New Zealand. With thanks to Wellington City Libraries.

[Hail_Full_of_Grace]

this poem reaches across time and connects me to my ancestors, thankyou for such a beautiful and haunting rendition.

[nolenkennedy]

6:24 is the start of section that J.R.R. Tolkien's Lament for the Rohirrim is based on.

[audreydimmel]

Amazing! I have wanted to read The Wanderer for a while now, and to finally read it while hearing it read (so expressively!) in the original Anglo-Saxon was beautiful. I can tell the translation is super precise, too, as so many kennings were preserved. I wish I could say thanks in Anglo-Saxon, but I hope a nordic "Takk, " will be close enough. 😉

[BenTaylor]

Beautifully done. This, and "The Dream of the Rood" are two of my favorites. Thank you for this.

[michaelshull]

Great recitation and music! Thank you for this.

[tomjoyce]

Excellent pronunciation and articulation!

[Rudey]

Amazing, harrowing, haunting, mesmerising.

[NephilaClavata]

I just got a book of Old English poetry; it was amazing hearing the actual rhythm and sound of the language in this beautiful poem! Thank you!

[UTFR]

Old english is so beautiful, i wish it was still spoken today

[pseudokanada]

What is that beautiful illustration/symbol in the opening slide?

[BeeBop]

my prof started playing this in class and i thought my brain wasn't working for a min, anyway great poem

[munirwilliam]

!Wundorlīċ, Wel-ġedōn
👏❤❤.Iċ ðæt lufie

[drivers]

It’s hard to listen closely to other languages’ specific sounds when music is added.

[mehnazhossain]

I didn't understand read the translation, I like it.

[richardsanchez]

It's crazy how some words if you look at the translation, can see how they haven't changed too much. For example maerg is horse, nowadays you call a female horse mare. Coincidence or did it evolve to describe a particular horse?

[jameswoodard]

Wow! That's *very* Ecclesiastes.

[Jintmetalhead]

Here 'cwicra ' implies the sense of alive right?

[RichardWaugaman]

I may be the only listener who would prefer hearing the words without the creepy music.

[florianpierredumont]

After I read this aloud, I had summon JRR Tolkien spirit...

[wickedalice]

Who else came from easy peasy home schooling