Compare and Contrast the Wanderer and the Seafarer

When interpreting any type of literature, it is always important to attempt to divine the author's purpose in creating the work. The poems "The Wanderer" and "The Seafarer" are no exception to the rule. Far from being simple and easily interpreted, they are both packed with content, purpose and hidden meaning, but while they may contain the same types of goals, the content and meaning differ drastically in many areas, anywhere from actual feelings and …

…have almost no similarities in their concepts other than trust in God. Their arguments, while not being opposite, are not related in almost any manner except the way in which they are communicated. They use a setting of power, symbolism and meaning to accomplish their purposes. Much greater than being merely stories of seamen, these are the preserved remains of Anglo-Saxon concepts, a clear example of the thoughts which occupied them, with relevance even today.