Andreas (poem)
Andreas is an
Origins
Although the author of Andreas is unknown, there are more general theories concerning its origins. Andreas is the first poem in the Vercelli Book, and is followed by a poem entitled The Fates of the Apostles, written by Cynewulf. Since both works have similar subjects, and because of their proximity in the Vercelli book, they were at first thought to be written by the same author. Andreas is often tied to Cynewulf because of its religious theme; although the exact identity of Cynewulf is unknown, all of the proposed identities were religious figures of the late 8th to early 10th centuries. This clearly ties to Andreas' religious theme, and leads scholars to make a connection between the two.[1] Andreas is included in a group of twelve poems, often referred to as "the Cynewulf group". Still, only four poems are truly attributed to Cynewulf, which are those that are directly marked with runic symbols of his name.[2] Other scholars argue that Andreas may have been written by a disciple of Cynewulf, which would explain the parallels between the two works.[3] However, still other researchers argue that they are different authors because of the drastic differences in the writing style. Some scholars even deduce that Andreas was influenced by Beowulf, as there are many likenesses between the two works in style, language, and theme.[4][5]
Content
The poem itself is a 1,722 line poem that tells the story of St. Andrew, as he rescues
The first five hundred lines of the poem tell of St. Andrew's time spent at sea rescuing Matthew, which was his mission from God. Matthew had been blinded and held captive by a troop of cannibals in Mermedonia. Jesus and two angels accompany St. Andrew on the ship, masked as a helmsman and two sailors. As this is a tale of discipleship, St. Andrew, or Andreas preaches to the helmsman about the good news of the Bible and the stories of the life of Christ. He is unaware of the true identities of his crew as he speaks with Christ about His life. Andreas' followers loyally stay by his side through the turbulent seas. This ties into the alleged Greek influence on Andreas, as some scholars interpret this a "comitatus", which Riedinger defines as "the traditional aristocratic warrior band." Andreas holds loyal faith in God's power to calm the seas, and the ship and the seas begin to settle. Andrew and his men drift off to sleep, and awaken outside Mermedonia. Christ and His two angels had raised them up and placed them outside the city while they slept. This event allowed St. Andrew to realize their identities.
Then, in epic and heroic style,
The Andrew legend in Old English prose
The story also appears in a briefer prose version in the Blickling Homilies (no. 19). A somewhat different treatment of the apostle is found in the prose Life by Ælfric of Eynsham, who relates Andrew's martyrdom in Achaia.[8]
Notes
- ^ Bjork 1998, p. 227.
- ^ Bjork 1998, p. 228.
- ^ Thurston 1908.
- ^ Riedinger 1998, p. 34.
- ^ Fulk, Bjork & Niles 2008, p. clxxv.
- ^ Cameron 1982, p. 279.
- ^ Scragg 1999, p. 32.
- ^ Clemoes 1997.
Bibliography
- Editions
- Bintley, M.; North, R., eds. (2016), Andreas: An Edition, Liverpool: Liverpool University Press, ISBN 9781781382714.
- Clayton, Mary, ed. (2013), Old English Poems of Christ and His Saints, Dumbarton Oaks Medieval Library, vol. 27, translated by Clayton, Mary, Cambridge: Harvard University Press, ISBN 9780674053182.
- Brooks, Kenneth R., ed. (1961), Andreas and The Fates of the Apostles, Oxford: Clarendon Press, OCLC 1011249.
- Foys, Martin; Ernst, Olivia; Friedman, Sarah; Ukropen, Alex; Smith, Kyle; Amundson, Sarah (2022), Foys, Martin; et al. (eds.), Old English Poetry in Facsimile project (digital facsimile edition with modern English translation), Madison, WI: UW-Madison Center for the History of Print and Digital Culture, .
- Jebson, Tony, ed. (1994), "Andreas", The Labyrinth: Resources for Medieval Studies, Georgetown University, archived from the original on 2009-01-09
- Krapp, G., ed. (1906), Andreas and The Fates of the Apostles, OL 7096389M.
- Krapp, G., ed. (1932), The Vercelli Book, Anglo-Saxon Poetic Records, vol. 2, New York: Columbia University Press, ISBN 9780231087667.
- Translations
- Clayton, Mary, ed. (2013), Old English Poems of Christ and His Saints, Dumbarton Oaks Medieval Library, vol. 27, translated by Clayton, Mary, Cambridge: Harvard University Press, ISBN 9780674053182.
- Bradley, S.A.J., ed. (1982), Anglo-Saxon Poetry, translated by Bradley, S.A.J., London: Littlehampton Book Services, pp. 110–53, ISBN 9780460107945.
- Hostetter, Aaron K. (ed.), "Andreas", Anglo-Saxon Narrative Poetry Project, translated by Hostetter, Aaron K., Rutgers.
- Kennedy, Charles W., ed. (2000), "Andreas" (PDF), In parentheses Publications, Old English Series, translated by Kennedy, Charles W., Cambridge, ON: York University.
- Secondary literature
- Bjork, Robert E. (1998), "Cynewulf", in Paul E. Szarmach; M. Teresa Tavormina; ISBN 9780824057862.
- Cameron, Angus (1982), "Anglo-Saxon Literature", Dictionary of the Middle Ages, vol. 1, translated by Joseph R. Strayer (9th ed.), American Council of Learned Societies, pp. 279, 287–8, ISBN 9780684190730.
- Clemoes, P., ed. (1997), Ælfric's Catholic Homilies. The First Series, EETS, supplemental, vol. 17, Oxford: Oxford UP, ISBN 9780197224182.
- Fulk, R. D.; Bjork, Robert E.; Niles, John D., eds. (2008), Klaeber's Beowulf (4th ed.), Toronto: University of Toronto Press, ISBN 9780802098436.
- Riedinger, Anita R. (1998), "Andreas", in Paul E. Szarmach; M. Teresa Tavormina; ISBN 9780824057862.
- Scragg, Donald (1999), "Andreas", in Michael Lapidge (ed.), The Blackwell Encyclopedia of Anglo-Saxon England, Malden, Massachusetts: Blackwell Ltd, p. 32, ISBN 9780631224921.
- Scragg, D.G. (1998), "Vercelli Book", in Paul E. Szarmach; M. Teresa Tavormina; ISBN 9780824057862.
- Thurston, Herbert (1908), "Cynewulf", The Catholic Encyclopedia, translated by Paul Knutsen.
- Walsh, Mary (1981), "St. Andrew in Anglo-Saxon England: The Evolution of an Apocryphal Hero", Annuale Mediavale, 20: 97–122, OCLC 191706935.