The Hermit's Song

Christianity verses Paganism has been the focus of many Irish poets and writers ever since Christianity washed up on the shores of Ireland. Looking at early Celtic monk poetry there becomes a noticeable difference in Irish Christianity and the rest of the Christian world due to this religious tension. There is a worldly or natural blending in Irish Christianity. Kuno Meyer's translation of the 9th century Celtic monk poem “The Hermit's Song” offers a unique prospective of powerful Christian elements, subtle Pagan themes and how they fuse or mix together beautifully to create an unparalleled and ideal spiritual experience. In “The Hermit's Song” Christian elements are everywhere. Within the first line on the first stanza the speaker calls
The key to all poetry is word choice, meaning every word matters and is there for a reason. Here the speaker is calling to Jesus the son of God. The poet quickly and strategically calls to Jesus but uses “living God” and “eternal King” instead as a way to show christianity's superiorness. What better way to show superiorness than to use the words “God” and “King” in the beginning of the poem, both meaning powerful and divine. The speaker of the poem goes on to tell how he wishes for a “clear pool to wash away sins Through the grace of the Holy Spirit” (Meyer 7-8). This washing away of sins through the Holy Spirit represents Baptism. Baptism is one of Christianity's most fundamental and important Sacraments. Bring up one of the most sacred elements of the Christian religion illustrates how the speaker is praising and marketing christianity, which is a very mighty statement to make. Here the word “Holy Spirit” is used. The Holy Spirit is one of the three forms of God. It is used as another way to show Christianities power by talking about all the forms of God. Next the
The speaker asks “for a hidden little hut in the wilderness” (Meyer 3). Paganism is all about nature and the natural world in which we live in. “Wilderness” is a purposeful word choice that highlights the Pagan theme of nature and the untamed. The speaker yearns for “[q]uite near, a beautiful wood...To nurse many-voiced birds” (Meyer 9-11). The want to get away from the load busy world and to return to the quite woods is a pagan theme. The sound of birds and other things hidden in the forest is also a pagan theme of returning back to the mystery of the forest. Here the word “nurse” is used when referring to pagan themes. The use of nursing has to do with how paganism is slowly being killed by the christian belief and must be revived. The speakers continues and says how he wants to be part of “a choice land with many gracious gifts such as be good for every plant” (Meyer 15-16). The speaker is painting a vivid image of a beautiful land where rivers flow and plants thrive.This again is a pagan message of being natural and embedding oneself within the plants and the trees. Though the pagan themes are not as powerful and noticeable as the Christian element they still have a strong effect on the meaning of the