In summary the narrator recalls a vision experienced through dreams, whereby the interaction with Christ being crucified. The aspect of crucifixion brings out the concept of metaphoric as shown through battle, and also the rood to be warrior of status equivalent to the heroes of Anglo-Saxon. Pagan culture seems to prevail through the animistic features of the rood endowed by a living spirit. The concept of personification seem to resemble beliefs of the ancient Celts whereby nature was considered as to be living, a feeling and conscious unit. This is described through "entirely cased in gold; the beautiful gems stood/ at the corners of the earth" (6-8). The narrator later asserts that it is by "the means of the rood each soul/ who thinks to dwell with the Ruler/ must seek the kingdom from the earthy way/ I prayed to the three with a happy spirit then" (199-122). The letter shows an entirely empathy pagan …show more content…
Other aspects of style that have been noted are imagery and heroic diction. A theme of triumph is seen through both the suffering since Christ and the cross undergo a change, from defeat to win. In the book it is summarized by the words "the Crucifixion is pictured as a battle and both Christ and the Cross as warriors, whose deaths are victories, and whose burials are preludes to the triumph of their Resurrections." The latter can be viewed as a heroic perception of the theme crucifixion, also considered unique for Christians.
The author also used the aspect imagery of warfare so as to enable the audience to understand and well adapt the concept of heroic verse. Liturgical influence has also played role in the poem in some aspects of language of Christianity have been mentioned in the poem through the words "could hardly rid his mind of all the echoes of the hymns and responsive utterances and the liturgical offices which he was accustomed to hear at various times during the church