Literary Techniques In Beowulf
Beowulf, the famous epic poem written by an Anglo-Saxon poet around 700 C.E., was orally passed down through generations of generations reciting the poem for theater and entertainment. By using the literary devices such as, a kenning, alliteration, and personification the poet is able to create vivid detailed imagery and also enhance the experience of the reader/listener.
First, a kenning, two or three descriptive words sometimes separated by a dash, is used by the author to refer to different objects, places, and people while creating a detailed image of what the kenning is. This is very hard to find in modern writing because it was used mainly in Old English writing. There are many remarkable examples of a kenning throughout Beowulf; for …show more content…
For example, in Beowulf it says, “Heorot trembled, wonderfully built to withstand the blows, the struggling great bodies beating at its beautiful walls…” The repetition of the “b” depicts the beat of a drum down the hall, like a signal that a glorious battle was taking place. Instead of the author just saying that the beat of the drum is loud he uses alliteration to enhances the experience by painting that picture of the beat resounding through the hall.
Last, personification, adding human qualities to non-human things, is used to describe sea beasts, giants, and dragons. A phenomenal example from Beowulf is when he describes the monsters at the bottom of the sea. He says they are “vengeful creatures, seated to banquet at bottom of sea.” The hungry sea creatures are compared to humans ready for a meal. Another example is when the Beowulf’s sword is personified as a wild warrior. These personifications correlate unknown objects to known objects and enrich the understanding of what is really being told.
Although Beowulf can be difficult to understand because of the time period, the author is able to create vivid detailed imagery to enhance the experience of the reader/listener by using the literary devices such as, a kenning, alliteration, and personification. Through is journey Beowulf continues to fit the characteristics of
First, a kenning, two or three descriptive words sometimes separated by a dash, is used by the author to refer to different objects, places, and people while creating a detailed image of what the kenning is. This is very hard to find in modern writing because it was used mainly in Old English writing. There are many remarkable examples of a kenning throughout Beowulf; for …show more content…
For example, in Beowulf it says, “Heorot trembled, wonderfully built to withstand the blows, the struggling great bodies beating at its beautiful walls…” The repetition of the “b” depicts the beat of a drum down the hall, like a signal that a glorious battle was taking place. Instead of the author just saying that the beat of the drum is loud he uses alliteration to enhances the experience by painting that picture of the beat resounding through the hall.
Last, personification, adding human qualities to non-human things, is used to describe sea beasts, giants, and dragons. A phenomenal example from Beowulf is when he describes the monsters at the bottom of the sea. He says they are “vengeful creatures, seated to banquet at bottom of sea.” The hungry sea creatures are compared to humans ready for a meal. Another example is when the Beowulf’s sword is personified as a wild warrior. These personifications correlate unknown objects to known objects and enrich the understanding of what is really being told.
Although Beowulf can be difficult to understand because of the time period, the author is able to create vivid detailed imagery to enhance the experience of the reader/listener by using the literary devices such as, a kenning, alliteration, and personification. Through is journey Beowulf continues to fit the characteristics of