No matter how you interpret "The Wife's Lament," it's hard to ignore the themes of love, and love lost, that appear throughout the poem. Let's be real: it's a poem about heartbreak. So, whether you believe that the husband abandons his wife voluntarily, or is forced to leave his love and homeland behind, love inevitably factors into the equation. Folks in Anglo-Saxon England could be heartbroken just like the rest of us. Though, you'd think they would have had more protection with their chainmail armor and massive shields.
Questions About Love
- Who is the person described in lines 18-26? Is it her husband, or another man? Why do you think so?
- Why might the speaker suggest that a young heartbroken man should always hide his sorrow?
- What is happening for the speaker at "uhtceare," this period of intense loneliness just before dawn? Is it sexual desire, or something else?
Chew on This
Try on an opinion or two, start a debate, or play the devil’s advocate.
The whole poem is really an allegorical riddle, in which the object of the speaker's love is actually—wait for it—Jesus Christ.
The husband was exiled involuntarily, and thus his love for his wife is still strong.