Given that many people lack an understanding of how individuals in the past perceived themselves and their cultural environments, can contemporary readers genuinely connect with an art form and cultural viewpoint that feels so alien to postindustrial and postmodern sensibilities? Should we even attempt to interpret “The Seafarer” from the perspective of its original audience? If this seems unfeasible, then what approach should we take when reading this poem? Is it acceptable to employ a reader-response approach and interpret it in any way we choose?

Since “The Seafarer” is a type of lyric poetry known as an elegy—a personal reflection on the tragic and fleeting nature of life—how does it compare to elegies from later periods in English literature, such as John Milton’s “Lycidas” or Thomas Gray’s “Elegy Written in a Country Churchyard”? Is there a common thread that unites these poems despite the significant differences in their time periods and cultural contexts? If so, what specific elements in “The Seafarer” give it an elegiac quality?

Even if we no longer share the same cultural memories as the author of “The Seafarer,” we do share an awareness of the passage of the "good old days." Everyone has cherished memories of their own glory days, which evoke a mix of joy and regret. These might be adventures from the golden days of childhood or the swift fading of childhood’s happiness. Break into small groups and brainstorm your own elegies that mourn the passage of time and the loss of your own “Golden Age.”