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Similarities Between The Wanderer And The Dream Of The Rood

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Comitatus in The Wanderer and The Dream of the Rood The Wanderer and The Dream of the Rood are two Old English poems that demonstrate the link between lord and thane. This bond, also known as the comitatus, is highlighted with imagery to effectively portray the physical intimacy involved. The idea that everything is fleeting is emphasized to show the significance of the comitatus. Furthermore, the beauty of the relationship is shown by contrasting the shame that the Wanderer feels at the end of the poem to the honour and glory that is thrown upon the cross after it willingly suffers along with Christ. In all, the ideals of the comitatus during the Medieval Times are clearly advocated through the illustration of the physical intimacy, shame and honour involved in the two poems. To start off, the two poems of interest both share the central idea that everything in life is fleeting. The Wanderer is a lament on the lost ways of life. The Wanderer thinks back to the times he was free from exile. He nostalgically compares his life then to the one he has now and comes to realize how quickly the time has gone by. From lines 73 to 77, it says “The wise man must realize how ghastly it will be when all the wealth of this world stands waste, as now here and there throughout this middle-earth walls stand blasted by the wind, beaten by frost, the buildings crumpling.” There is a lack of hope in this passage. The idea that things that seem concrete are very temporary is emphasized when

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