Examples Of Figurative Language In The Dream Of The Rood

Every country has a variety of literature that reveals many things about the culture at the time each piece was written. As time passes and more pieces of literature are made, shifts and continuities in the culture become more noticeable by each piece through their use of literary elements. This can especially be seen in Scotland, through the three Scottish pieces of “The Dream of the Rood,” “View of Scotland/Love Poem,” and “How Muriel Spark Came Home to Scotland.” The literature of Scotland uses diction, first person point of view, diction, figurative language, and theme to convey how cultural aspects such as dialect and religion changed overtime in Scotland and the constant presence of nationalism in Scotland. In each text, the authors

In “The Dream of the Rood,” the author uses an oxymoron to show their beliefs. “Once I became the cruelest of tortures, most hateful to all nations, till the time I opened the right way of life for people” (“The Dream of the Rood,” lines 101-103). It is an oxymoron because the author states that God will free people by being the most hated and cruelest of torture, which is not freeing. This shows that the people at the time had a strong belief in Christianity because this oxymoron refers to the Christian God meaning that he professes that the Christian God will free him and all people though doing this as drastic as becoming the cruelest torture. A profession like this requires a lot of faith and with this passage passing the test of time, dating back to the sixth century, means that people constantly passed it down and believed it. Additionally, in “The Dream of the Rood” the author uses biblical allusion to demonstrate the strong faith of Scotland. “ Almighty God and all his angels with him, will come onto this earth again to seek mankind on doomsday, when the final judge will give his verdict upon everyone, what is this transitory life he shall have earned” (“The Dream of the Rood,” lines 119-122). The author alludes to and professes his faith in the biblical event of

In “The Dream of the Rood,” the people of Scotland showed nationalism through its unity under God. “In glory: when almighty God, the ruler, Came into his homeland.” God's power over the people of Scotland shows nationalism because they all came together in unison of belief in this God which is shown by the strong professions in this passage and homeland most likely referring to Scotland. If they believe that God's homeland is Scotland, they most likely form together under them in nationalism. Furthermore, the second passage, “View of Scotland/Love Poem,” shows the theme of nationalism through the celebration and happiness for the new years festival. “Everyone puts on their best spread of plenty” (Lochhead, line 40). The celebration and joyfulness of new years shows nationalism because this new year is specific to Scotland, meaning they want to put on their best and be prideful and happy for their own country on its own new years. Finally, in “How Muriel Spark Came Home to Scotland” the author, Kristy Gunn, shows the theme of nationalism because the Scottish people take high pride in the achievements of people from their state. “This was Scotland commencing its year of celebrating the novelist Muriel Spark’s centenary–a writer born in Edinburgh, but who lived for most of her life in other places and died in northern Italy,