The World in Time / Lapham’s Quarterly

Episode 11: Matthew Hollis on "The Seafarer"

Aug 22, 2025
Matthew Hollis, a poet and translator of The Seafarer, shares insights on this poignant 10th-century Anglo-Saxon poem. He discusses the emotional turmoil of isolation at sea and the timeless themes of belonging and moral choices, resonating deeply with modern audiences. The conversation explores the poem’s improbable survival and its rich soundscape, enhanced by multimedia elements. Hollis also reflects on the challenges of translating ancient poetry while preserving its musicality and depth, emphasizing the cultural significance of the sea in Anglo-Saxon society.
Ask episode
AI Snips
Chapters
Books
Transcript
Episode notes
INSIGHT

Survival And Origins Of The Seafarer

  • The Seafarer is a 10th-century Anglo-Saxon poem preserved in the Exeter Book and likely written down in the early 1000s.
  • It blends oral-performance origins with literary craft, surviving via clerical scribes who sometimes altered texts.
ANECDOTE

Translation Sparked By A Photograph

  • Hollis began his translation after seeing a Norman McBeath photograph of a bow wave that evoked the poem.
  • The photographer and translator collaborated, pairing images that accompany rather than illustrate the text.
INSIGHT

Multiple Voices And Layering

  • The Seafarer likely comprises multiple hands: original secular lines and later Christian editorial additions.
  • Those layers create thematic shifts between lived sea-experience and moral/theological reflection.
Get the Snipd Podcast app to discover more snips from this episode
Get the app