Old English Poems and RiddlesIncluding riddles, charms, the major elegies, religious meditations such as The Dream of the Rood, epics such as The Battle of Maldon, and several long sections from Beowulf, this book of translations indicates the variety and attractiveness of pre-Conquest forms of literary composition. Even a specimen passage of rhythmical prose is included; a kind of semi-verse that supports the view that Old English offered many structural possibilities for those wishing to compose memorable and distinctive literary works. Above all, the translator tries to show that Old English verse was not merely crudely alliterative, but a set of stylistic techniques which allowed for great subtlety, thematic pacing, and even tenderness. |
Common terms and phrases
alliterate alliterative Anglo-Saxon manuscripts armour Battle of Maldon beloved Beowulf Beowulf and Grendel Bruce Hayes Byrhtnoth CHRIS MCCULLY combat corselet courage Danes dare dear death doom earth Elegies endured Exeter Book Fight at Finnsburg fighters Finnesburg Fragment FyfieldBooks Geats glittered gold Grendel grip half-line hall heaven helmet Heorot Higelac's hoard honour Hrothgar Hrunting hypermetric journey kinsman Klaeber Library live lord malice Manchester University Press Manuscript the Exeter merit metrical metrists middle-earth mind mortal never ocean Offa Old English poem Old English verse once original Oxford Patrick McGuinness pattern perished poet poetic praise present-day English prince promise prose ravening Rood Scylding Seafarer Selected Poems edited Selected Writings edited shield Sievers sometimes sorrow spear spoke stood stressed syllable stricken structure sword terror thanes time's translations treasure troop Unferth Val Warner Vercelli Book vicious Viking Wanderer warrior weapons who'd Wife's Lament wounded wretched þæt