Wanderer

"The Wanderer" Summary: The poem begins with the Wanderer asking the Lord for understanding and compassion during his exile at sea. He cannot avoid going to sea, however, because this life is his fate. The Wanderer goes on to recall the hardships he has faced in his life, like watching his kinsmen be ruined and even slaughtered. He knows that while he is lonely and isolated, he will think about these things constantly. There is no living person with whom the Wanderer can share what is in his heart. He knows that it is dignified for a man to keep his feelings to himself. He then argues that no matter how hard a man tries to contain his emotions, he can never avoid his fate. An ambitious man can conceal his sorrowful heart, but he cannot escape it.