In this poem,Christ is portrayed as the young warroir striding to embrace death and victory,while the rood(cross) itself takes on the burden of his suffering. In addition to these religious compositions,Old Engish poets produced the national epic poem,Beowulf,and a number of more or less lyrical poems of shorter length ,which do not contain specific Christian doctrines but evoke the Anglo-Saxon sense of the harshness of circumstance and sadness of the human lot.The Wanderer,Deor,The Seafarer,and The Wife's Complaint are among the most beautiful in this secular group.The harsh climate of North Sea strongly affected the tone or mood of the poets.The life is sorrowful,and the speakers are fatalistic,though at the same time courageous and determined.