The Wanderer Essay

Monica
The Wanderer Essay
10/22/10
“Mourner, that dost deserve thy mournfulness,
Call thyself punished, call the earth thy hell;
Say, 'God is angry, and I earned it well-
I would not have him smile on wickedness:'”
(Punishment, MacDonald).
The Wanderer is a man who has lost absolutely everything; he has no friends, no family, and he lost his king, which is the person who gave him courage. He lives on an island, which is just like living in solitary confinement, which feels like a punishment to him. On an island, the wanderer feels punished because he has left home behind, he did bad things that have gotten him punished, and now he is cut off from his people.
“Cut off from free kinsmen, so far away from my own dear country; for I left the land, ploughed the icy waves with winter in my heart.” This statement is saying that he was washed away from the country that he stood up for and loved. When he ended up on the land, which he has no clue where he is, he feels isolated because he is all alone and has no one around.
“For him are the ways of exile, in no wise twisted gold! For him is a frozen body, in no wise the fruits of the earth! He remembers hall-retainers and how his youth he had taken treasure from the hands of his gold-friend.” The Wanderer is realizing what bad things he had done while he still had friends. He stole gold from people, and now not knowing where he is, the Wanderer feels like god has turned on him, and that is why he is out on the island.
“When I brood on the fate of many brave warriors, how they have suddenly had to leave the mead-hall, the bold friends and followers. So it is this world day by day dwindles, and passes away.” When the Wanderer starts to think about all the fate every warrior had to put into the battle, the were not rewarded. They were sent off and had to leave their home.

In conclusion in think this story is showing that people who had been doing good, can suddenly have their life turned upside down. Meaning that they could have been doing good things their entire life, but someone who obviously does not see that, could just mess up the other person’s life completely.