In the anonymously written poem "The Seafarer", a sailor, who has great faith in God and believes that God will keep him safe, ponders his beliefs and existence on earth. In this poem the sea represents more than a body of water. It is personified as another character, as the sailor says that the sea seems to have human characteristics.

In the poem the sailor says that the sea has shown him many things. He says that the sea has shown him sorrow, fear and pain. A person is full of sorrow, fear, and pain. He says that the sea dashes under cliffs just as a person would run for cover. The sea is feared by many sailors because of its unpredictable weather and tides, just as a human is unpredictable. The sea has tossed many ships and killed many people. That is a characteristic that both the sea and humans share. The sailor says that the sea tells him of "smashing surf" and since the sea cannot speak this too is a human characteristic. The sailor says, "My feet were cast in icy bands, bound with frost, with frozen chains, and hardship groaned around my heart." I think that this means the sailor is so attached to the sea it is as if he is bound to it by chains. This attachment to the sea is like love. No matter where the sailor is he will always want to be with the sea. But since the sea is an inanimate object he cannot spend his life only on the sea, because if he did he would surly die.

The sea is personified in many ways. It behaves in much the same manner as humans and shares some of the same characteristics. It seems to have a mind, heart, and soul. The sailor sees this and is deeply in love with the sea. It has been there for him in times of need and has been his means of support.