How we cite our quotes: (Line)
Quote #1
ða ic me ful gemæcne monnan funde,
heardsæligne, hygegeomorne,
mod miþendne, morþor hycgendne.
Bliþe gebæro ful oft wit beotedan
þæt unc ne gedælde nemne deað ana
owiht elles; eft is þæt onhworfen,Then I found that my most fitting man
was unfortunate, filled with grief,
concealing his mind, plotting murder
with a smiling face. So often we swore
that only death could ever divide us,
nothing else—all that is changed now; (18-23)
In this oft-debated section of the text, the narrator speaks of a man with whom a relationship went very sour. It's unclear if she's referring to her husband in the past tense, or another man whom she met during her husband's absence. What is clear is the heartbreak and anguish suffered by the speaker when this man betrays her trust. Even the most suitable of suitors, or "gemæcne," can go on to break your heart. You shouldn't have to go live in a cave afterwards, though.
Quote #2
Ful oft mec her wraþe begeat
fromsiþ frean. Frynd sind on eorþan,
leofe lifgende, leger weardiað,
þonne ic on uhtan ana gongeHere my lord's leaving
often fiercely seized me. There are friends on earth,
lovers living who lie in their bed,
while I walk alone in the light of dawn (32-35)
While living in the solitude of the cave, the speaker imagines lovers lying together in their beds. It is clear that she laments a loss of romantic companionship, as loneliness takes hold. The use of the Old English term "uhtan" (check out "Symbols: Uhtceare") implies feelings of sexual deprivation and longing. The connotations of romantic love are clear: the speaker walks alone by the light of dawn, missing the company of her lover.
Quote #3
A scyle geong mon wesan geomormod,
heard heortan geþoht, swylce habban sceal
bliþe gebæro, eac þon breostceare,
sinsorgna gedreag,
May the young man be sad-minded
with hard heart-thoughts, yet let him have
a smiling face along with his heartache,
a crowd of constant sorrows. (42-45)
It's unclear whom the speaker addresses with this thought, whether it's directed at her husband, or intended as a general word of advice to heartbroken young men. The message itself, however, is clear. You must hide your heartbreak in the world and keep smiling, even when the world has got you down. We're not sure if the speaker would make the best love advice columnist, but that seems to be the gist of her sentiment.