Author Description

Cynewulf is one of twelve Anglo-Saxon poets known by name today, and one of four whose work survives today. He was likely a "man in holy orders, " and the deep Christian knowledge conveyed through his verse implies that he was well learned in ecclesiastical and hagiographical literature, as well as the dogma and doctrine of the Roman Catholic Church. His apparent reliance on Latin sources for inspiration also means he knew the Latin language. He is famous for his religious compositions, and is regarded as one of the preeminent figures of Old English Christian poetry. Posterity knows of his name by means of runic signatures that are interwoven into the four poems which comprise his scholastically recognized corpus. These poems are: The Fates of the Apostles, Juliana, Elene, and Christ II (also referred to as The Ascension). In Elene, Saint Helena endures her quest to find the Holy Cross and spread Christianity.