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
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...
Notes