is a short Old English lyric poem (consisting of nineteen lines) that is preserved in the Exeter Book, a large anthology of mostly Christian verse.

itself is a purely secular poem, however, expressing human emotion and dealing with human relationship. Traditionally included in the group of Old English “elegies”, it is remarkable as one of only two surviving poems in Old English with a female speaker (the other being

) and it is also a rare example of an Old English poem with a stanza-like structure and use of refrain (features that it shares with

).

Wulf and Eadwacer is also remarkable for the allusiveness of its expression and for the obscurity of its treatment of narrative. The earliest modern readers found the poem to be so

1036 words

Citation: Magennis, Hugh. "Wulf and Eadwacer". The Literary Encyclopedia. First published 28 June 2006 [https://www.litencyc.com/php/sworks.php?rec=true&UID=8890, accessed 21 November 2024.]