Elegies, and Exploration Summary

The "Elegies" section consists of six poems or fragments of poems, in which a speaker mournfully compares their own situation with the sad destiny of all human efforts, which lead to death and decay. "The Wanderer" tells the story of a retainer who has suddenly been exiled and sentimentally extols the glories of getting to serve his lord. The wanderer hopes against hope that somewhere he can find another lord to serve but for now, he is keenly aware of the icy waters surrounding him. He points out that all people die and their glories pass away. This poem is quite similar to "The Seafarer," which is about a man who feels compelled by some force to continually go on journeys across the ocean. The seafarer does not explain why he must wander but he imagines all the pleasures...