In the Old English Genesis B, the poet speaks in his or her "own" voice
several times, and usually about Eve or her actions, although the
apostrophe is directed to the audience rather than to Eve herself. For
example, in the section beginning at line 588 (Bradley's translation in
Anglo-Saxon Poetry--sorry, I don't have the Old English version here with
me), of the fiend's seduction of Eve, the poet departs from the narrative
to comment, "A deed more evil was not defined for men. It is great wonder
that eternal God, the Prince, would ever tolerate it that so many a servant
should be led astray by lies as happened because of those counsels." (p.
29)
And then in the section beginning at line 626, when Eve goes to persuade
Adam, the poet warns the audience that "Misery replete will befall the man
who does not keep on his guard while he enjoys self-determination." (p. 30)
Most of the poet's or scop's other comments to the audience are focused on
explaining that Eve was just doing what she thought God wanted her to do
rather than in Milton's case, excoriating her. So, in the section beginning
with line 704, the poet says, "Yet she did it out of loyal intent. She did
not know that there were to follow so many hurts and terrible torments for
humankind because she took to heart what he heard in teh counsellings of
tha abhorrent messenger; but rather she thought that she was gaining the
favour of the heavenly King with those words which she presented to the
man. . ." (p.32). Milton clearly has less patience with his Eve than did
the Anglo Saxon poet with his/hers.
I know that scholars see little likelihood that Milton could have spent
enough time with his friend Junius's Anglo-Saxon manuscript to have been
closely influenced by Genesis B, but nevertheless, there are parallels, if
only in this case inverted ones.
At any rate, the tradition of the poet's speaking to or about a character
within the poem may well have its roots in the oral performances of the
scop, fili, or bard of Pre-Norman literatures.
Susan Oldrieve
Baldwin-Wallace College
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