A huge cultural and ideological conflict between the Greeks and Anglo-Saxons was their differing view on fate. The Greeks believed in moira, a belief in which fate could not be overcome in any way. On the other hand, even after the Anglo Saxons transitioned into Chrsitianity their idea of Wyrd still carried on, a belief in which there was some way to over come one’s fate especially with the help of God.
In the SeaFarer, the narrator shows that he believes in both moira and wyrd. The poem describes the thoughts of a minstrel-like thane that has been isolated from his mead-hall, the center of life for Anglo-Saxons. He laments his loneliness and his failure to protect his "lov'd master" from death. Throughout the poem the narrator oscillates from believing that his fate brought his bad luck and that it could not be overcome to the idea that through god's salvation he could overcome his misery. The narrator claims that, "the weary-minded cannot fate withstand" which means that he believes he may never be happy again because his ill fate was preordained by some otherworldly force.
However, he beliefs if that if he "seeketh mercy comfort, at the Father in heaven," God's eternal love for those who suffer will save them. Thus he goes to say that "all the world's wealth shall stand waste," representing the very Christian idea that things of this world are very fleeting or temporary. He understands that the "creator men" has the power to destroy "the horse, man, treasure-giver, festive sitting, and joys of the hall" and that he must not think of material items of internal moral goodness.
Wyl.p5.t4 – Matthew Wong, Kevin He, Lilian Coie, Joyce Alexander
ReplyDeleteYour response slightly contradicts itself in that you mention that Anglo-Saxons believe that there were ways to overcome their fate.
I understand that the Greeks had a strong belief in moira, and did not believe that choosing one's own destiny was possible. Yet not much evidence is brought up to back this statement up. Most of the synthesis was presented on the idea that the Anglo-Saxons had a view that fate could be altered, and little to nothing was dedicated to proving that the Greeks had a firm belief in their non-escapable destiny.
However, when you said that Anglo-Saxons could choose their fate, evidence was also presented that was counter-intuitive. The quote "the weary-minded cannot fate withstand" solidifies the argument against your own. Then it continues to say “seeketh mercy comfort, at the Father in heaven,” to say that the time on this world is only temporary. This idea has nothing to do with the argument that your fate is not sealed as an Anglo-Saxon Christian. It only says that your time in the afterlife is not set in stone. But that was not the main point of the synthesis. It even goes on to state the “Creator” has all the power. Does that not improve the argument of the other side?
Overall, a very poor use of evidence; but to a simple reader, the persuasiveness might have sounded convincing.