Thinking about the Future: The Psychology of the Mind and Soul in Judgement Day I.

This article reexamines the Old English poem Judgement Day I from the Exeter Book, arguing that despite its modern title, the poem is not primarily focused on the Christian Day of Judgement but rather on encouraging present-day contemplation and moral action to safeguard the soul’s future. It situates the poem within a psychological framework of mind-body-soul, a model identified by scholars Malcolm Godden, Soon-Ai Low, and Leslie Lockett, where the mind and body are active agents in life responsible for the soul’s fate, which remains passive and unaware until death. The study highlights thematic and structural connections between Judgement Day I and other Exeter Book poems such as The Seafarer, The Wanderer, and Soul and Body, emphasizing shared motifs like the soul’s journey (siðfæt) and the importance of internal thought (geþencan) in shaping one’s destiny (wyrd). Ultimately, the poem is presented as part of a larger poetic sequence within the Exeter Book that meditates on present human subjectivity and ethical responsibility rather than solely on eschatological events.