Caedmon and Cynewulf as religious poets old english literature

 Caedmon and Cynewulf as religious poets of old english literature

Caedmon & Cynewulf as a religious poets|Old English Literature

Caedmon and Cynewulf are found to represent the two distinct schools of English poetry, fostered by the people. Both these schools are Christian in thought and inspiration and not rarely muwkish in approach. Both the makers of these schools are found to belongs absolutely to their own age and bear palpably a pagan outlook on life something of Beowulf seems to permit them all through as the typical products  of a fierce and fatalistic age. Yet, they are to be acknowledged as the innovation of a new trend in old English poetry.

 Difference between Caedmon And Cynewulf




The contribution of both Caedmonian and Cynewulf to the growth of Anglo-Saxon Christian poetry is in fact undeniable. Yet these two poets as their works indicate are not of the same order or type one is a native poet with a spontaneous inspiration while the other is an artist, with scholarly acquirement and artistic imagination whereas Caedmonian poetry may be Characterised as old Christian poetry, Cynewulf stands as the new Caedmon represent a groups of poems earlier in tone and feelings than that which is generally attributed to Cynewulf.

The distinctions between these two classes of Christian poetry however is clearly discernible In Caedmonian poetry , the representation is of the Bible in the old form, as the old testament is Caedmon’s materials in Cynewulf, the representation of Christ and the account of his suffering and triumph are made with a sort of epical grandeur. The new testament is the materials for his works.

Cynewulfian poetry marks definitely an advance upon the Caedmonian school. Caedmon’s poetry is a sort of hymns in praise of the creator and his creation, whereas Cynewulf is the self-ravelation of a soul in the pursuit of spiritual life . In Cynewulfian poetry, the inspiration of Christianity , are not simply Christ. The poet is found here mainly concerned with the stories of saints and martyrs of the inspiration of the new testament. Christ is celebrated in new poetry as a savior and the poetic spirit here is rather elegiac than epical . Again, Caedmonian poetry is narrative and relates the story of creation and other biblical accounts. But cynewulfian poetry is reflective and as indicated in the Dream of the Rood, lyrical. The advance of the latter group is also frequently marked in the description of nature. There is seen the spiritual vision of nature in Cynewulf , but this is very rare in Caedmon. It is the poetry of future, and not of the past and present only .

There is also the distinction between the two in regard to the poetic style. Caedmon’s natural poetry is simple, straight forward and definitely easily convincing. But Cynewulf is a poetic artist and his poetry is rich in artistic graces. In variety profundity and sonority , cynewulfian poetry is definitely superior to caedmonian .