Lines 55-56 of "The Seafarer," the speaker says, "Who could understand, / In ignorant ease, what we others suffer." Based on evidence from the poem, what do the seafarer and people like him endure? Write one to two paragraphs in which you show that you understand what these seamen experience and why they go through such trouble. Be sure to use reasons and examples from "The Seafarer" to support your opinions.

"The Seafarer" is a 124-line poem, often considered to be a companion piece to "The Wanderer." It is written in Old English.

The first half of the poem mainly deals with the hardships the Seafarer experienced at sea. He is certain that land-dwellers cannot even understand these difficulties he faced during winter at sea. The Seafarer recounts the harsh and cold weather, the roaring of the waves as the only sound he could hear. He remembers how, during night watch, he would be frightened by the wildness of the waves. His feet frozen, he would feel extreme hunger.

He also describes his loneliness, the pain of being estranged from other people, which would sometimes cause him to pretend that the sounds of birds were actually the voices of sailors. The Seafarer also claims that land-dwellers live a more comfortable life in comparison to his life in isolation.