Research Paper on:
A Comparison of the Dream of the Rood and Caedmon's Hymn

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There are a number of significant differences in form and structure between Caedmons Hymn and The Dream of the Rood, even though they deal with the same topic,  early Christianity. Caedmons Hymn, for example, is much shorter and deals solely with the Creation, whereas the Dream of the Rood is a much longer piece which describes in detail  the Crucifixion, from the point of view of the cross itself. According to the Venerable Bede, Caedmon lived in the seventh century, and was miraculously granted the ability to put  religious concepts into verse. Prior to this, he had demonstrated no ability in poetry or music: in fact, on the night when he was granted the power of versifying, he  had left the main hall early because the custom was that each should sing or play in turn, and he was aware that he could not take part in this  entertainment. He fell asleep, and dreamed of a mysterious person who asked him to  sing: to his own surprise, in his dream he was able to compose beautiful verses to the glory of God, and when he awoke this ability did not leave him.  He demonstrated this to the abbess and many learned men, and was requested to abandon the secular life and join the monastery, where he continued to compose religious poetry until  his death at a comparatively youthful age. The fragment of verse which is known as  Caedmons Hymn deals with the Creation. It begins with an exhortation to praise the Guardian of Heaven, asserting that human beings should praise not only the Creator himself, but also