ESC: English Studies in Canada

G O D ’ S H A N D M A E G E N V E R S U S T H E D E V I L ’ S C R A E F T I N G E N E S I S B ROBERT EMMETT FINNEGAN University of Manitoba ^R.ecent criticism has acknowledged the poet of Genesis B to be a master of words. Margaret Ehrhart’s analysis of the contrasting pairs Iceran/forlceran [to instruct/to deceive], rced/unrced [counsel/evil counsel], hyldo/unhyldo [favour/unfriendliness], wyrcan/forwyrcan [to work/to obstruct], and J. Hall’s treatment of geongordom [service] and hyldo [favour] suggest a ma­ nipulation of thematically significant terms the recognition of which is essen­ tial to an understanding of the poem. While I am sympathetic to Ehrhart’s argument that the poet sees the fall of man “as an instance of disciples listen­ ing to the wrong teacher” rather than as a struggle between vassals in the comitatus tradition,1 and agree with Hall that “geongordom and hyldo are cornerstone images in the narrative framework and value structure of Gen­ esis B,”2 I find another set of thematically important terms in the poem, crceft (269a, 272b, 402a, 416b, 449b, 453b, 492b, 500b, 618a, 823a) and handmcegen (247a), handgeweorc (241b, 494a, 628a; handweorc, 702b), and handgesceaft (455a) .3 These terms suggest different modes of action for God and Satan, vastly different motives for action, and different attitudes towards the object(s) of these actions, particularly Adam and Eve. The definition of crceft encompasses: power, might, strength as of body; an art, skill; craft of mind, cunning, knowledge, ability, virtue.4 It appears to be a denotatively positive term, with connotations more or less positive accreting to it in context. Its use in the Junius manuscript gives a fair range of its meanings in the poetic corpus. In Genesis A the word is used twice: in line 1674a crceft heora [their cunning] identifies the quality of spirit demonstrated by the builders of the Tower of Babel and thus has negative implications; in line 2127b herges crceftum [by the strength of the army] emphasizes the power by which Abraham’s soldiery are able to subdue Sodom and is thus positive. Exodus has one clearly positive use, the sodum crceftum [by true virtue] of line 30b which identifies the manner in which God strengthened Moses; one probably positive use, where the mcegnes crceft [power of strength] of line 245b refers to the ability of the Hebrew warriors; two neutral uses, where the ne . .. ealle crceft [not by any skill] of lines En g l ish Studies in C anada, vii, i , Spring 1981 83-84 and 436^37 emphasize the limited capacity of man to understand, in the first instance, the apparatus of mast and rigging supporting the sail-tent that protects the Hebrews from the burning sun during their desert journey, in the second case, that the progeny of Abraham will be as numberless as the sands of the seashore. In Daniel craft occurs nine times, twice with clearly negative connotations: it is to deofles craft [devil’s cunning] that the He­ brews turn in line 32b after they abandon God; in line 255b craftas indicates Nabuchodonosor’s wish that all his subjects, Hebrews included, worship the idol he has constructed on Dura’s plain. Craft in line 83b is problematic, since it points to those skills that Nabuchodonosor insists the most promising Hebrew youths learn. If we assume that this craft is nothing more than “secular” knowledge, the term is connotatively neutral. But so early in the poem, before the king has the benefit of knowing anything of the true God and His ways, Babylon’s craft probably has negative connotations. Daniel contains six clearly positive uses of the term: line 327a gecyd craft and miht [show forth skill and power] occurs in the “Song of Azarias” and is part of Azarias’s supplication that God manifest Himself, while line 393b haligra/ heortan craftas [virtues of holy hearts] occurs in the “Song of the Three Children” and is part of an affirmation that all creation praises God; line 485b snyttro craftas [wisdom’s skills...