Jesus the Warrior in The Dream of the Rood Essay -- Poetry Analysis

The image of messiah nailed to a wooden cross by the palms of his hands and with a invest of thorns wrapped around his head is one that has transcended all time barriers. It has inclusive been replicated into figure form that is utilized in various ways but whose primary function is to serve as a constant monitor of the physical suffering endured by the Nazarene. In The Dream of the Rood however, the intelligence of Jesus Christ as non only the son of deity and savior of cosmos but also as a homo with the capacity to feel pain, is subverted when through the perspective of a personified cross he is conveyed as a warrior in the midst of combat. The portrayal of Jesus in this way immediately evokes the image of an ideal stereotypical hero who is strong, courageous, and adamantine in appearance. Nevertheless, it can be said that this type of hero is more inclined towards fantasy than it is based on reality because these idealized lordly figures have only ever truly existed in a pretended universe. The depiction of Jesus as a warrior thus, undermines forms of heroism that stem from denotive suffering that is not concealed but rather expressed by the individual. In the text, Jesus is made out to be a warrior in a literal manner in order to accentuate his act as of heroism. Although it can be argued that Jesus was in fact a warrior, this blood is only valid if speaking in figurative terms since world a warrior and fighting in battles was not his profession. Jesus is first set as a warrior during a particular moment when the cross observes as, the unripe Hero stripped himselfGod Almightystrong and stouthearted. He climbed on the mellow gallows bold in the sight of many when he would free mankind (28). By referring to Jesus as a h... ...eying these emotions. It is the expression these emotions that is mistaken for weakness. However, trance it is true that warriors for the most part are viewed as heroic figures, it is not the armor or the seemingly courageous appearance that they put up in front of a crowd that defines them as heroes. The way that Jesus is presented in the bible does not make him any less of a hero when compared to the way he is portrayed in the poem. It is the action and creator behind the action that ultimately determines who is heroic.Works CitedGreenblatt, Stephen, and M. H. Abrams. The Dream of The Rood. The Norton Anthology of English Literature. eighth ed. New York W.W. Norton, 2006. 27-29. Print.Mark. The Holy Bible. The New King James Version ed. doubting Thomas Nelson, 1985. Print.Mathew. The Holy Bible. The New King James Version ed. Thomas Nelson, 1985. Print.