Bring on the tough stuff - there’s not just one right answer.
- Do you think the poem was written by a man or a woman? How can you tell?
- What's the deal with the husband's kinsmen, and why are they so darn mean?
- Why is this cave chosen as her place of exile? Who do you think sent her there?
- What is the purpose of the final eleven lines? Is it gnomic? A riddle? A curse? Why do you think so?
- Do you think "The Wife's Lament" fits into a larger, lost narrative? Why or why not?
- Is the poem a riddle? If so, what might the answer be?