The Combination of Elements to Suit a Specific CultureThe Combination of Elements to Suit a Specific CultureThe Combination of Elements to Suit a Specific Culture.The Dream of the Rood applies medieval beliefs and concepts along with Roman Catholic values to allow the crucifixion of Christ to appear more appealing to the Anglo-Saxon culture. The Dream of Rood relates warrior-like qualities not only to Jesus but also the cross that bore the weight of the Saviour. The image of Jesus that is perceived in The Dream of the Rood differs in many ways from that of the Bible. The Bible portrays the crucifixion as a tragedy with Jesus dying for the sins of mankind, whereas The Dream of the Rood portrays the crucifixion as a bloody battle in which Jesus is a warrior and glorifies Jesus for his bravery. The poem uses a combination of applying heroic values and religious implications as a strategy to convert those individuals with Pagan beliefs to Christianity. Although it is strongly based on the story from the Bible it varies in different ways to suit its audience.
By applying the heroic and warrior-like qualities to Jesus and the cross, it makes the story of the crucifixion more appealing to the Anglo-Saxons of the medieval era. Not only does it makes the story more appealing but it also makes it easier for them to associate with. The Anglo-Saxons were a very warrior based society in which they highly valued strength and bravery. In The Dream of the Rood, the author refers to Jesus as: “a young hero”, “a warrior”, “heroic”, “fair”, “young knight”, “Saviour”, and a “mighty king” (21-23). All of these titles provide the readers with an image of a brave and virtuous warrior. Not only is Jesus portrayed as a warrior, but the cross too becomes personified with warrior like qualities. During the crucifixion the author describes the sufferings of the cross rather than the sufferings of Jesus. In doing so the author allows the readers to associate the pain of the crucifixion with the cross rather than with Jesus. This draws the reader’s attention away from Jesus and creates a relationship with the cross. At this point in the poem Jesus takes on the identity of a King or an authority figure and the cross now takes on the image of a warrior who is standing by his side. This is evident in the poem when the cross states “I trembled when the warrior embraced me, yet I dared not bow to the earth, fall to the grounds surface; but I must stand fast.”(22). The cross refused to bend or break because it did not want to humiliate itself or dishonour Jesus. The cross not only bore the weight of Jesus but also suffered with Christ. The cross experienced the spear and the nails that were drove into Jesus. By associating the pains and discomforts with the cross it provides the readers with a stronger image of Jesus.
The image of Jesus in The Dream of the Rood differs in many ways from the image of Jesus as portrayed in the Bible. It takes the image of Jesus and transforms it to fit into the Anglo-Saxons views of a hero or warrior. The author takes out many elements of the crucifixion in order for Jesus to appear more appealing and more heroic. The Dream of the Rood does not account for any of Jesus’ suffering throughout and leading up to the crucifixion. The gospel of Matthew tells of how Jesus is forced to carry the weight of his own cross to the Golgotha, which is the place of his crucifixion. Upon his journey Jesus falls three times, showing his physical human weakness, at this point the guards force a man, Simon of Cyrene, to assist him in carrying the cross(Holy Bible, Matthew 27:32). The Dream of the Rood does not mention anything about Jesus having to carry his own cross, but rather begins
The Myth of the Goddess in the Dream
The myth of the goddess appears in Christianity in two places. In the Middle East, in the Old Testament, it was the goddess Heraclius, Goddess of Creation. The myth also appeared in India; the Indian goddess Lakshmi, Goddess of Thebes, and in Egypt, of the Goddess of the Kings of Egypt. The Greek myths concerning the goddess Heraclius and Heraclides also refer to the goddess Hera and Goddesses Diana and Athena and to other goddesses or mythical figures and deities that were worshipped, sometimes of different peoples or races, in the past. In Greece and Egypt, as well as elsewhere in Asia, the goddess Dionysos of Aphrodite the Diosica, goddess of Earth, Goddess of Life, or the Goddess of Mercy, also believed to be a goddess, or “Godfather,” of the underworld. In Greek mythology, a group of giants and demons formed together, called the Titans, to attack Atlantis and, when all of them fled, started creating a new, much smaller one of their own. However, to some extent this may be connected with the Goddesses, the goddesses, and the fact that the demons came back to destroy the city. It follows then that the goddesses and demons of Atlantis, were responsible for destroying the city. The myth of the goddess as a female warrior or divinist may not account for the fact that it was a goddess whose mother, Zeus Zeus, appeared to the world after she was killed. Perhaps because of her role in the creation of the new earth, the goddesses or demons were the only means for their destruction. Perhaps the goddesses could have been a part of the destruction of their creator’s home, or perhaps the goddesses themselves were at fault for the destruction. But the myth of the goddess does not answer these questions. It does, however, offer a theory about how the image of the goddess might have been represented in the Anglo-Saxons, and, if this was indeed the case, the goddess in the Dream of the Rood might also have represented her role as a goddess herself. The Dream of the Rood is an example of this theory.
In the Myth of the Goddess, the myth of the goddess is not a myth of men but a myth of women. In the mythologies of the Ancient Near East, the goddess Shetha of the Old High was depicted as an older, strong, noble goddess. The goddess and her twin, Zeus, both existed only in the Underworld. The goddesses were not really goddesses, her name being the feminine form of female. Therefore the Myth of the Goddess was conceived as a mythic experience. The myths of the goddesses and their myths are not of myth but as a metaphor for the Goddess’s role in the future.
The Myth of the Gods
The Myth of the Gods in the Dream of the Rood is a very common myth. By comparing its mythologies with the stories of other gods or goddesses and heroes, the author explains how myths of other mythical deities might have played a role in the future. The author goes on to list a number of deities, some not seen in mythological stories, or even those that could have existed in myth or in folklore. These include deities who helped to usher the world out of the Middle Ages,