Literary Terms: Anglo Saxon Period
Alliteration: The repetition of similar sounds, usually consonants or consonant clusters, in a group of words. An example from Beowulf is found in the line: “And the heathen’s only hope, Hell”
Allusion: A reference to a person, a place, an event, or a literary work that a writer expects the reader to recognize and respond to. An allusion may be drawn from history, geography, literature, or religion. Examples of Allusions.
Caesura: A break or pause in a line of poetry. In these lines from Beowulf, the caesuras are indicated by double lines: //
Alone shall fight for me, // struggle for life
Against the monster. // God must decide
Elegiac Tradition: One of the two most important types of Anglo-Saxon Poetry (The Heroic Tradition being the other). The elegiac tradition includes all poems mourn the passing of earlier, better times. The most well known Anglo-Saxon example of this type of poem is “The Seafarer”.
Epic: A long narrative poem telling about the deeds of a great hero and reflecting the values of the society from which it originated. May epics were drawn from oral tradition and were transmitted by song and recitation before they were written down. Two of the most famous epics of Western civilization are Homer’s “Iliad” and “Odyssey”. The great epic of the Middle Ages is the “Divine Comedy” by the Italian poet Dante. The two most famous English epics are the Anglo-Saxon “Beowulf” and John Milton’s “Paradise Lost”, which employs some of the conventions of the classical epic.
Heroic Tradition: One of the two most important types of Anglo-Saxon poetry (The elegiac tradition being the other). The heroic tradition includes all poems that focus on the bravery of a central hero. The most well known Anglo-Saxon example of this type of poem is “Beowulf”.
Kenning: In Old English poetry, a kenning is an elaborate phrase that describes persons, things, or events in a metaphorical and indirect way. The Anglo-Saxon poem “The Seafarer” contains kennings, such as “whales’ home” for the sea. Note: kennings are ONLY found in Anglo-Saxon poetry, so “Beowulf” is the only poem in this course that will contain kennings.
Alliteration: The repetition of similar sounds, usually consonants or consonant clusters, in a group of words. An example from Beowulf is found in the line: “And the heathen’s only hope, Hell”
Allusion: A reference to a person, a place, an event, or a literary work that a writer expects the reader to recognize and respond to. An allusion may be drawn from history, geography, literature, or religion. Examples of Allusions.
Caesura: A break or pause in a line of poetry. In these lines from Beowulf, the caesuras are indicated by double lines: //
Alone shall fight for me, // struggle for life
Against the monster. // God must decide
Elegiac Tradition: One of the two most important types of Anglo-Saxon Poetry (The Heroic Tradition being the other). The elegiac tradition includes all poems mourn the passing of earlier, better times. The most well known Anglo-Saxon example of this type of poem is “The Seafarer”.
Epic: A long narrative poem telling about the deeds of a great hero and reflecting the values of the society from which it originated. May epics were drawn from oral tradition and were transmitted by song and recitation before they were written down. Two of the most famous epics of Western civilization are Homer’s “Iliad” and “Odyssey”. The great epic of the Middle Ages is the “Divine Comedy” by the Italian poet Dante. The two most famous English epics are the Anglo-Saxon “Beowulf” and John Milton’s “Paradise Lost”, which employs some of the conventions of the classical epic.
Heroic Tradition: One of the two most important types of Anglo-Saxon poetry (The elegiac tradition being the other). The heroic tradition includes all poems that focus on the bravery of a central hero. The most well known Anglo-Saxon example of this type of poem is “Beowulf”.
Kenning: In Old English poetry, a kenning is an elaborate phrase that describes persons, things, or events in a metaphorical and indirect way. The Anglo-Saxon poem “The Seafarer” contains kennings, such as “whales’ home” for the sea. Note: kennings are ONLY found in Anglo-Saxon poetry, so “Beowulf” is the only poem in this course that will contain kennings.