Hymn
By Caedmon
Translated by Elaine Treharne
Now we ought to praise the Guardian of the heavenly kingdom,
The might of the Creator and his conception,
The work of the glorious Father, as he of each of the wonders,
Eternal Lord, established the beginning.
He first created for the sons of men
Heaven as a roof, holy Creator;
Then the middle-earth, the Guardian of mankind,
The eternal Lord, afterwards made
The earth for men, the Lord almighty.
Summary of Hymn
- Popularity of “Hymn”: Written by the earliest English poet, Caedmon, this poem is stated to have been written in or around the 8th However, it is unknown when this poem or other such poems of its ilk were penned down. One thing is sure these were written in Old English and collected by several people, including a monk, Bede. Elaine Trehare translated this hymn into modern English. It presents the views of the poet about God, heaven, the creation of the universe, and God’s mercy on mankind. These religious overtones have made this hymn popular among Christian readers across the globe.
- “Hymn” As a Representative of Religious Devotion: The hymn presents the views of the poet about God. He is of the view that we all should praise God Who has created His kingdom that the poet calls the “heavenly kingdom.” He is of the view that we should praise the might as well as the concept of the creator. This is the work of the glorious God, Who has created wonders for us. He presents the Christian idea of the creation of God and His creation of the “sons of men” with Heaven as the roof and middle earth sending humans to live on it. He also shows that Lord is eternal, and He lives forever. However, He has blessed man with the earth to live on it.
- Major Themes in “Hymn”: The power of God, the creation of God, and God’s blessings on man are the central themes of this hymn. The poet has beautifully presented the poet’s concept that God has created His kingdom. Therefore, we all should praise His might, His creation, and his blessings to prove that man is paying his due. He goes on to say how God created man, the skies, the middle earth, and the earth to shower His blessings on man. This is the admission from the man about the Creator, His Creative power, and His blessings. These blessings prove that Lord is eternal and almighty.
Analysis of Literary Devices Used in Hymn
Caedmon has used various literary devices to enhance the intended impact of his poem. Some of the major literary devices used in this “Hymn” are as follows.
- Allusions: It means to use references of historical, literary, social, or religious significance to stress the main idea. The poem shows the use of religious allusions such as God, Father, Creator, and Lord.
- Assonance: Assonance is the repetition of vowel sounds in the same line, such as the sound of /a/ and /o/ in “Now we ought to praise the Guardian of the heavenly kingdom” and the sound of /o/ in “Heaven as a roof, holy Creator.”
- Consonance: Consonance is the repetition of consonant sounds in the same line, such as the sound of /t/ in “He first created for the sons of men ” and the sound of /m/ in “The earth for men, the Lord almighty.”
- Imagery: Imagery is used to make readers perceive things involving their five senses. Caedmon Caedmons used imagery in this poem such as “The might of the Creator and his conception”, “Then the middle-earth, the Guardian of mankind” and “Heaven as a roof, holy Creator.”
- Metaphor: It is a figure of speech in which an implied comparison is made between objects that are different in nature. The poet has used the metaphor of Father who creates everything from man to the earth.
- Symbolism: Symbolism is using symbols to signify ideas and qualities, giving them symbolic meanings that are different from the literal meanings. The poem shows symbols, such as kingdom, Lord, men, roof, sky, and earth, to point out the creation of the universe.
Analysis of Poetic Devices Used in Hymn
Poetic and literary devices are the same, but a few are used only in poetry. Here is an analysis of some of the poetic devices used in this poem.
- Diction: It means the type of language. The poem shows formal and poetic diction with religious wording.
- Free Verse: It means to use verses without rhyme scheme or metrical pattern. The poem is an example of free verse.
- Stanza: A stanza is a poetic form of some lines. This hymn is a single stanza having nine verses.
- Tone: It means the voice of the text. The hymn shows a didactic and devotional tone with a religious tinge.
Quotes to be Used
The following lines are useful to quote the power of God.
Heaven as a roof, holy Creator;
Then the middle-earth, the Guardian of mankind,
The eternal Lord, afterwards made
The earth for men, the Lord almighty.
