Question

What insights does the poem "The Wife's Lament" give you into Anglo-Saxon bonds of kinship, the importance of loyalty, and the role of women?

Answer 1

The insights drawn from the "The Wife's Lament" can number in many ways due to different interpretations of the poem!
In my honest opinion, the bonds of Anglo-Saxon kinship are fickle and serve only to help one's personal gains. The wife was led astray by her husband and kinsman for reasons we can only assume that the kin of the husband did not accept his wife. As much as the wife tried to reach out to those around her, the loyalty of kin is greater than the acceptance of outsiders. The role of women is that of the wife, not a leader, but rather to be a mother, a caretaker, and a lover.