The Dream of the Rood - Essay Example

While the exact date of the authorship of "The Dream of the Rood" is unknown, there are remnants of the work on the Ruthwell Cross dating back to the 8th century. The ‘rood’ itself refers to a cross. The poem’s content explores a man’s dream in which he speaks to the Cross that Jesus was crucified on. Like all great literature, the poem is highly textured and replete with a number of symbolic and thematic concerns. One of the most prominent of these concerns is the blurring of the line between warrior and savior.

This essay examines how and why Christ is depicted as a warrior in "The Dream of the Rood".Throughout "The Dream of the Rood" Christ is depicted as a warrior. There are many explanations for Christ’s characterization in such a manner, such that they must be considered within each specific context. The first articulation of Jesus as a warrior figure occurs early in the poem when the writer states, He stripped himself then, young hero/ - that was God almighty - strong and resolute; he ascended on the high gallows,/ brave in the sight of many when he wanted to ransom mankind…I trembled when the       warrior embraced me; even then I did not dare to bow to earth (39-42) The wood that Jesus was hanged on seemingly narrates this account.

The statement openly indicates that Jesus is a warrior; its linguistic implications present him as a strong and resolute figure. Rather than indicating that Jesus was the victim of the crucifixion, articulating Jesus as this warrior figure functions as a cornerstone element of the Christian religion. In these regards, the crucifixion is repositioned not as a tremendous setback, but as a heroic step that had to be taken by a warrior leader. Another prominent articulation of Jesus as a warrior figure occurs in reference to accounts that arise after Jesus is removed from the Cross.

The text states, “They began to fashion a tomb for him,/ warriors in the sight of the slayer; they carved that from bright stone,/ they set the Lord of victories in there” (65-67). In many regards, the earlier symbolic meaning is carried over into this portion of the text as well. In these regards, Jesus is again portrayed as a warrior figure as a means of repositioning his death. In a sense, it appears that at these early stages of Christian literature writers are still struggling to develop a voice for the events surrounding Jesus' demise.

In making continued reference to Jesus as a warrior it seems that the writer is making reference to another aspect of Medieval society wherein death is witnessed as an honorable and worthwhile event, namely warfare.The final instance of Jesus as a warrior figure is witnessed in terms of the Lord presiding in judgment over humanity. In these regards, the text states, “he will ask in front of the multitude where the person might be/ who for the Lord's name would/ taste bitter death, just as he did before on that tree” (112-114).

In this incarnation of Jesus as a warrior, the main understanding is that Jesus is being used as a rhetorical tool. One considers similar parallels in wartime depictions where bravery is able to inspire others in battle. In terms of Jesus, the nature of his act as a warrior allows the writer to present Christianity as a sort of war, wherein individuals must bravely live their lives with Christian principles. In this context Jesus’ death on the cross is not simply an aspect of dying for one’s sins but is also used as an inspirational tool, imploring individuals to live their lives with similar zeal.

This rhetorical understanding is echoed throughout the text and maybe the reason this epic was written down by a Christian scribe.