The beginning and ending of this poem relates to the middle part through the Wanderer's contemplation of man's ultimate fate and the inevitability of hardship and death. In the beginning of the poem the Wanderer prays to God for relief from his long-suffering of wandering the lonely seas, but he knows that it is his destiny and he cannot escape it. The conclusion of this poem reprises this thought and states that the destiny of all things is to die away, but not to worry and trust in God; he is the master of all men's fate. In the middle part of the poem, the speaker laments about the loss of his friends, family, and King; his lonesome journey to find a new country, but still finds himself exiled and alone sailing the harsh ocean. He "broods over the fate of many brave warriors," how they all eventually passed away. …show more content…
Beginning with line 62 there is a shift in the poem. How would you relate the first part of the poem to the latter part?
In the first part of the poem, the Wanderer is lamenting about his hard isolated life on sea, and how he misses the old days serving in the mead-hall of his King. Then it shifts to observations of the fleeting human existence, and characteristics that make a wise man. While the Wanderer reflects on his past hardships, he realizes that they have made him wiser. Though life is painful and all things are destined to pass away, he has gained wisdom and understanding that he must seek God and find security in him that surpasses all earthly