Topic : The Dream of the Rood

Main text

The Dream of the Rood by Anonymous Poet Translated by Roy M. Liuzza Listen! I will speak of the sweetest dream, what came to me in the middle of the night, when speech-bearers slept in their rest. It seemed that I saw a most wondrous tree raised on high, wound round with light, the brightest of beams. All that beacon was covered in gold; gems stood fair at the earth’s corners, and there were five up on the cross-beam. All the angels of the Lord looked on; fair through all eternity; that was no felon’s gallows, but holy spirits beheld [...]

Key info

The Dream of the Rood Key Facts

• Title: The Dream of the Rood
• [In this poem, the narrator is having a dream. In this dream or vision he is speaking to the Cross on which Jesus was crucified.]
• Author: Anonymous...

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...

Themes

Sacrifice and Redemption

The poem emphasizes Christ’s crucifixion as a moment of profound sacrifice, both by Christ and the cross (rood). Christ willingly embraces His suffering to redeem humanity from sin, an act of selfless love and ultimate devotion...