he poem begins with the Wanderer asking the Lord for understanding and compassion during his exile at sea. He cannot avoid going to sea, however, because this life is his fate.
The Wanderer goes on to recall the hardships he has faced in his life, like watching his kinsmen be ruined and even slaughtered. He knows that while he is lonely and isolated, he will think about these things constantly. There is no living person with whom the Wanderer can share what is in his heart. He knows that it is dignified for a man to keep his feelings to himself. He then argues that no matter how hard a man tries to contain his emotions, he can never avoid his fate. An ambitious man can conceal his sorrowful heart, but he cannot escape it.
The Wanderer returns to his own example. His kind lord died of old age and as a result, the Wanderer has been exiled from his country. He left home with the coldness of winter in his heart and sailed the rough waves in search of a new lord. He was friendless, yearning for the comforts and pleasures of a new mead-hall, but found none.
The Wanderer relates his tale to his readers, claiming that those who have experienced exile will understand how cruel loneliness can feel. The Wanderer is freezing cold, remembering the grand halls where he rejoiced, the treasure he was given, and the graciousness of his lord. All of these joys have now disappeared. He claims that any man who stops receiving the wisdom of his lord will be filled with a similar sadness. Even when he sleeps, this lord-less man dreams of happier days when he could lay his hands and head upon his lord's knees. When he awakens, the lonely man will be forced to face his friendless reality, surrounded by the dark waves, frost, and snow. The rich happiness of a man's dreams make his solitude even more miserable. He will imagine the faces of his kinsmen and greet them joyfully with song, but alas, the memories are transient. A seaman's spirit goes through these bouts of agony every time he finds himself alone, which makes his overall sorrow more acute.
The Wanderer then goes on to contemplate how lords are frequently forced out of their halls and away from their kingdoms. He questions why he feels so unhappy when comparatively, the tribulations lords face are usually much more severe. He then realizes that the world is constantly fluctuating and a man's life experiences, good and bad, are ultimately what make him wise. The Wanderer lists the lessons that he has learned; that a wise man must not be hasty in speech, rash or fickle in battle, and he must not be nervous, greedy, or boastful. A wise man must not boast until he is free of doubt. A wise man must accept that riches fade, buildings fall, lords die, and their followers die or disperse. The Wanderer offers a few examples of the latter, citing men who died in battle, men who drowned, one man who who was carried off by a bird, and another who was killed by a wolf.
