The Ruin

The Ruin is an old English poem that was written in the 8th century by an unknown author. It comes from the Codex Exoniensis a collection of lyrical words and riddles sayings. It is in the work to an elegy, is reported in a city whose buildings have fallen into ruins. And the view is directed by the author of the present state of decay back to those days, as it was praised for her beauty and wealth.

Content

In the poem The Ruin is reported of a city that should have been built by giants and of which only the crumbling ruins can be seen. The poet describes it thus: " [ ... ] The builders and their human kingdoms - passed away, perished and died. The protective wall fell there. Once it was there bright houses, bath houses, with high ceilings, where the cheers of the people as well as echoed in many a festival hall of the men. There was once some powerful man had proudly stood and wine drunk in his arms and looked at the treasure, silver, gems and many precious pearl. All this has passed and the world has darkened. "

Manuscript and background

The only surviving copy of this poem is by scorch marks partially illegible and some of the text was irretrievably lost. In the Book of Exeter, it is included between 34 previous puzzles reflection of the text Husband's Message ( Message of the husband ). The text is located at the end of the manuscript on two sides of the sheet, with the conclusion of the poem is on the next page. The section is partially damaged by a diagonal fire lane.

A question that is the reader of this poem employs: " From what city like here the speech be?" Heinrich Leo joined them in 1865 with the British city of Bath, which was also considered by other analysts of the text as probable. He relied on three clues: The hot springs, which are mentioned at the end of the poem, the numerous bathing halls and a circular landscaped pool. Another aspect was that it was reported on the state of the city of Bath in the 8th century, this was very dilapidated and ruined.

William C. Johnson sees in the description rather a mystery to the city as a kind of description of the human body and its decay. "The [ human ] body is like a building encloses and protects Because it its dwellers (the heart and soul ), it is like a city and the wall surrounding it, Which enclose and protect its Inhabitants. " ("The body is like a building because it includes its residents and protected ( the heart and soul), it's like a city and a surrounding rampart that protects its inhabitants and surrounds. " )

The Ruin fits well to the melancholy view of the world of that time, as is also evident in other works such as The Seafarer, The Wanderer, or Deor.

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