The King walks boldly into the Camp of the Danes in guise of a wandering minstrel with his harp on his shoulders. We are introduced to Guthrum, the Danish leader and his earls each of whom take the harp and play, each of whom represents and expresss one of the self-serving or nihilistic and despairing philosophies which were about to crush the twentieth century and to which GKC saw Christianity opposed and answering. He projects them back into the mouths of the danes and then in the last part Alfred gives a powerful answer on behalf of the faith. In some ways I think this book is the hear of the poem.