1. Elegiac Tone: The poem is written in a deeply mournful and sorrowful tone, reflecting the grief and despair of the speaker. This is typical of Anglo-Saxon elegies, which often focused on the transience of life, the loss of loved ones, and the inevitability of death. The wife's lament for her husband, her lost home, and her disrupted life perfectly captures this elegiac mood.
2. Strong Female Voice: While many Anglo-Saxon poems focus on male heroes and warriors, "The Lament" gives voice to a woman. She speaks of her own personal experiences and emotions, showcasing a powerful and independent female perspective. This makes the poem unique for its time and highlights the importance of women's voices within Anglo-Saxon culture.
3. Emphasis on Fate and Destiny: The speaker acknowledges the power of fate and destiny in shaping her life. She recognizes that her husband's death and her own exile are predetermined, reflecting the common Anglo-Saxon belief in Wyrd, the force that governs all things. This acceptance of fate contributes to the poem's somber and resigned tone.
4. Use of Kennings and Epithets: The poem employs kennings, poetic phrases that replace common nouns, and epithets, descriptive phrases used to characterize people or things. This technique was widely used in Anglo-Saxon poetry to create vivid imagery and enhance the poem's poetic richness. For example, the speaker refers to her husband as "the jewel of my life," a clear example of a kenning.
5. Alliterative Verse: The poem adheres to the standard Anglo-Saxon poetic form, with its distinctive alliterative verse. The repetition of consonant sounds at the beginning of words creates a rhythmic and memorable effect, further enhancing the poem's emotional impact.
Overall, the wife in "The Lament" is a powerful and moving example of Anglo-Saxon poetry, showcasing the genre's characteristic themes, tone, and stylistic elements. Her story, told with authenticity and raw emotion, serves as a poignant reminder of the universality of human grief and the enduring power of poetry to capture the complexities of the human experience.