Question

In "The Seafarer" the speaker displays an ambivalent attitude towards life at sea. On one hand, he is fascinated by it; on the other, he is terrified. Scholars have interpreted the sea as a re0resentation of the human existence. What is your opinion about this interpretation?

Answer 1

The Seafarer is an Old English poem and is one of the famous Anglo-Saxon elegies found only in The Exeter Book.

The protagonist talks about his life that he spent sailing in the open ocean, the hardships he faced while on the sea, the beauty of nature, and his love for seafaring. He thanks, God and asks for the righteous path to heaven.

The poem does have ambivalent expressions wherein he is fascinated on one hand but terrified on the other. It is a very common feeling for human beings to feel so.

There are times when a person is excited to try something new or about an upcoming event but is scared that it might turn out to be a disaster. It is all based on human feelings and emotions wherein a person is attached to someone or something and has a fear of losing himself or the other. It is based on anxiety and love for oneself.