Anonymous: Deor

Philip Shaw (University of Sheffield)

Deor is the name given by modern scholars to a short Old English poem which is preserved in a single manuscript, the large miscellany of Old English verse known as the Exeter Book (Exeter Dean and Chapter MS 3501). The poem consists of six stanzas of variable length, each terminated by a one-line refrain, “Þæs ofereode, þisses swa mæg”, which may be loosely translated as “that [sorrow] passed away; this [sorrow] can also pass away”. Each stanza provides an elliptical and allusive narrative of the misfortunes suffered by individuals involved in various episodes in Germanic legendary history. In each case, the poem focuses particularly on the emotional response of the sufferer to misfortune.

The first stanza deals with the

This article in full comprises 942 words but only the first 150 or so words are available to non-members. All our articles have been written recently by experts in their field, more than 95% of them university professors. To read about membership, please click here.

First published 20 November 2002

Citation: Shaw, Philip. "Deor". The Literary Encyclopedia. 20 November 2002

[http://www.litencyc.com/php/sworks.php?rec=true&UID=5683, accessed 30 July 2010.]

Life, Works and Times

Dates:

c. 975 (Published)

Places:

England (Country of Origin)

Genres and Modes:

Poetry