Rethinking the Red Sea in the Old English Exodus

The drowning of the Egyptians in the Red Sea is one of the most memorable scenes in the Old English Exodus. The Exodus-poet represents the Egyptians’ deaths as a lean (“reward”) for their dægweorces (“day’s work”). That the Egyptians have apparently earned their treatment—and the Israelites their safety—is linked to the will of God. By representing the drowning in this way the poet constructs the Red Sea as God’s agent, punishing those whom he wishes to see disciplined. This article argues that the sea in Exodus is not a mere instrument and highlights the complexity with which Old English biblical poetry engages with nature and the environment. The Red Sea in Exodus is compared with biblical and Latin sources to demonstrate how the poet presents a complex and unique version of the episode, one which points to the layered understanding of nature in early medieval England.

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