ideals of the chivalric code: love, humility, and perfection, are evidenced in Christ's actions. The Dream of the Rood obviously depicts Christ as the masculine hero of his band of retainers, as shown by the passage "The Son was victorious in that foray, mighty and successful." (Norton Anthology of English Literature, Sixth Ed., p. 21) In a manner similar to leaders of Old English literature, Christ endowed gifts to his followers upon his death. Herein is a similarity between Showings and The Dream of the Rood: his gifts were not of gold and treasure to be found on this earth. Christ's death enabled man's everlasting life.Perhaps the most striking contrast between the Old English text of The Dream of the Rood and the Middle English text Showings is the depiction of Christ's actual death upon the cross. The Dream of the Rood does not allude to the odious suffering Christ endured for days as he hung upon the cross. However, Julian of Norwich tells us in Showings that Christ died upon that cross as all blood drained from his body and he became withered and beset by the pallor of death, with his final words begging forgiveness for his persecutors. The Old English hero would never beg for forgiveness; the heroic code mandated that his thanes avenge his death. Because Middle English society developed the chivalric code, in which love is a central theme, Showings is able to depict Christ's honor as a form of love: "For he is the endlesshead and he made us only to himself and restored us by his precious passion, and ever keepeth us in his blessed love" (Norton Anthology of English Literature, Sixth Ed., p. 296)Both The Dream of the Rood and Showings are depicted as visions. Yet, Julian of Norwich is referred to as a "mystic" in literature. The society of the Middle English period did not readily accept women as powerful beings. A woman could not be expected to write with any authority, unless there was something "supernatural" abo...
