Main text
The Wife's Lament
by Anonymous Author
Translated by André Babyn
I sing this song, full of sadness,
this song which is myself. I will tell, what I am able,
about what hardships I have faced—since I grew up,
recently or long ago, never more than now.
Always I suffer my misery of exile.
First my lord departed from my people,
over waves rolling; I had grief before dawn
thinking of the lands which held him, my people’s lord.
Then I set out, a friendless stranger, [...]
Key info
The Wife's Lament Key Facts
- Title: The Wife’s Lament
- Poet: Anonymous...
Summary
The poem The Wife’s Lament is a first-person monologue by a wife who shares her sorrowful story of exile and separation from her husband. She begins by expressing her deep sadness. The pain she feels from being alone is unlike anything she has experienced before...
Themes
Exile and Isolation
The poem's central theme is the wife’s physical and emotional exile. She is separated from her husband and kinsmen and forced to live in a desolate, unfamiliar land. Her isolation in a cave under an oak tree reflects her emotional state—cut off from the warmth of love, companionship, and community...
Notes