“The Dream of the road” 1. Who are the speakers in the poem? (Is the person saying "1"
the same throughout the poem?)
2. Does the relationship between the speakers change at
different points in the poem?
3. Why might the Rood be characterized as he is? What
purposes would this characterization serve?
4. The subject matter of the poem is explicitly Christian. Do you
see any traces of pre-Christian religious practice or beliets? How
are pagan symbols converted into Christian ones?
5. How is Christ portrayed in this poem? Notice the military
language used to describe Christ. Would it be appropriate for a
religious poem in our culture? What values does this
characterization suggest? Pick out nouns, adjectives and verbal
forms which convey a military flavor.
6. Highlight parallels between the experience of the Rood and
that of the Dreamer.
7. Highlight parallels between the Rood and Christ. What are the
implications of these parallels? Why would the poet present
some aspects of the story of Christ's Crucifixion from the
perspective of the Rood rather than of Christ?
8. The Rood's words to the dreamer are enclosed within a
narrative "frame" in which the dreamer addresses his audience directly.