Caedmon’s Hymn
Overview
Caedmon’s Hymn, also spelled Cædmon’s Hymn, is a short but significant piece of early English poetry, often hailed as one of the earliest surviving Old English poems. It is attributed to Cædmon, a Northumbrian herdsman who lived in the 7th century and, according to the Venerable Bede’s account, received the gift of poetic inspiration through divine intervention.
Style
Caedmon’s Hymn is characterized by a style that reflects the religious and oral tradition of its time. The poem is imbued with a sense of sacredness and reverence, as it praises the Creator in a tone of humility and devotion. The poet’s reverence for God is evident from the very beginning, as he opens with the line, “Nū scylun hergan hefaenrīcaes Uard” (Now let’s honor heaven’s Guardian). This opening sets the tone for the rest of the poem, where the language is both simple and elevated, reinforcing the idea of a divine hymn.
Rhythm
The poem’s rhythm is achieved through alliteration, a hallmark of Old English poetry. Caedmon’s Hymn follows the characteristic metrical pattern of Old English poetry known as “stressed verse,” in which stressed syllables are regularly interspersed with alliterating sounds, primarily occurring at the beginning of stressed words. This alliterative structure creates a sense of musicality and rhythm within the poem, enhancing its oral performance and memorability.
Image: Folio 129r of Oxford, Bodleian Library, MS Hatton 43: a page from Book IV, chapter 24 of Bede’s Latin Historia ecclesiastica gentis Anglorum, with an Old English text of Cædmon’s Hymn added in the lower margin [cropped]. © Bodleian Libraries, University of Oxford
Meter
While Caedmon’s Hymn does not adhere to a strict metrical form like later Old English poems such as Beowulf, it does follow a loose metrical structure. The poem consists of nine lines, each with varying numbers of stressed syllables, typically between three and four. This variation in the number of stressed syllables creates a rhythmic ebb and flow that adds to the poem’s charm and distinctiveness. Additionally, the use of alliteration and caesurae (pauses) within the lines contributes to the poem’s metrical organization.
Imagery
Caedmon’s Hymn is a hymn of praise to the Creator, and as such, it is rich in religious and cosmic imagery. The poet employs vivid and evocative imagery to describe the wonders of God’s creation. The imagery in the poem evokes the grandeur of the divine and the marvel of the natural world. For example, the poem describes God as “hefaenrīcaes Uard” (heaven’s Guardian), conjuring an image of God as a protector of the celestial realm. The poem also uses metaphors such as “Thā middungeard moncynnæs Uard” (Then middle-earth mankind’s Guardian/Ward) to depict the how God created earth for mankind to protect.
Caedmon’s Hymn
Now we honor the Guardian of heaven,
the measurer’s might and His purpose of mind,
the work of the Glorious Father, and his wonders praiseworthy,
the Eternal Lord fashioned in the beginning.
He first created for the children of men
heaven for a roof, holy creator.
Then middle-earth mankind’s Ward
eternal Ruler, afterwards created,
the earth for men, Lord almighty.
Note: This translation is compiled to make it easier for modern readers and is not a word-for-word translation.
Nū scylun hergan hefaenrīcaes Uard,
metudæs maecti end his mōdgidanc,
uerc Uuldurfadur, suē hē uundra gihuaes,
ēci dryctin ōr āstelidæ
hē ǣrist scōp aelda barnum
heben til hrōfe, hāleg scepen.
Thā middungeard moncynnæs Uard,
eci Dryctin, æfter tīadæ
fīrum foldu, Frēa allmectig.
Related Topics
Further Research & References
Bede. Ecclesiastical History of the English People. Translated by Leo Sherley-Price, Penguin Classics, 1991.
Bosworth Toller Anglo-Saxon Dictionary online – https://bosworthtoller.com/
Crossley-Holland, Kevin. The Anglo-Saxon World: An Anthology. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2009, 197.
Stenton, Frank. Anglo-Saxon England. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1971, 196.
Photos:
© Bodleian Libraries, University of Oxford, CC BY-SA 4.0 <https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0>, via Wikimedia Commons. [cropped]