Caedmon on the Continent: The Heliand Prefaces and Bernlef

Abstract

Abstract Firstly, this article addresses the influence of the story of the Anglo-Saxon singer Caedmon by Bede on two texts about religious poets on the continent: the Bernlef episodes in the Lives of Liudger and the Heliand Prefaces. Secondly, the question will be addressed whether a connection between the Heliand Prefaces and the Bernlef episodes can be found. Finally, a new light is shed on the discussion about the identity of the poet of the Heliand. The result of a comparison between the profiles of the Heliand poet and Bernlef is as follows: 1) they were laymen, the Heliand poet at least at the time of his divine vocation; 2) they were held in great esteem by their people/neighbours as a poet/singer; 3) they were considered the best/a very good poet in the Thiudisc language; 4) after a divine miracle they focus on the adaptation of passages from the Holy Scripture; 5) the testimony of these miracles should not be doubted because of the ‘studium’ of the poets; 6) references to the story of Caedmon by Bede; 7) tradition of their stories on the continent between approximately 845 and 875. These similarities could imply that Bernlef was the author of the Heliand. At the very least, the poet of the Heliand (according to the Prefaces) was someone that closely resembled Bernlef.