The Dream of the Rood : Summary
The Dream of the Rood is a notable literary work by Anonymous. A complete discussion of this literary work is given, which will help you enhance your literary skills and prepare for the exam. Read the Main texts, Key info, Summary, Themes, Characters, Literary devices, Quotations, Notes, to various questions of The Dream of the Rood.
Summary
The Dream of the Rood is a poem about a dream or vision where the narrator sees a magnificent tree, which turns out to be the cross (or “rood”) on which Christ was crucified. The tree is decorated with gold and jewels, but it also bears the marks of blood and suffering.
In the dream, the tree begins to speak. It tells the story of how it was once a simple tree that was chosen to become the cross for Christ’s crucifixion. Although it didn’t want to be used for such a purpose, it obeyed God’s will. The tree shares how it suffered along with Christ, feeling the nails and the shame as Christ was lifted up on it for everyone to see. Despite the pain, the rood is proud to have been part of Christ’s sacrifice to save humanity.
The cross describes Christ as a strong and brave warrior who willingly faced His death for the sake of mankind. After Christ’s death, the cross was taken down and buried, but later it was found again and honored as a sacred symbol of faith and salvation.
At the end of the vision, the cross tells the narrator to spread the message of Christ’s sacrifice and to live faithfully. When the narrator wakes up, he feels inspired to live a righteous life and share the hope of salvation with others.