Critical editions of the Old English poem Judgement Day II, its Latin source, Bede's poem De die iudicii, and the homily in Oxford, Bodleian, Hatton 113, which is based on the vernacular poem, are offered in this volume: Judgement Day IIis thus presented in its manuscript context, highlighting its links with the poems found there, and casting new light on its interpretation. The editions are accompanied with translations, a commentary on points of linguistic and literary interest, and a glossary.
The introduction includes detailed descriptions of the manuscripts in which the works appear; the function of the poems as penitential verse; and a discussion of eschatological thought in the the early middle ages, especially with regard to Bede. There are also sections on the language, style and metre of the Old English poem, and a full literary analysis. Professor GRAHAM D. CAIE is Head of the School of English and Scottish Language and Literature at the University of Glasgow.