Anglo-Saxon Literature Lyric Poetry Jennifer Bennett, Sanderson High School, Raleigh, NC

Anglo-Saxon Poetry Genres Narrative poem Tells a complete story Example: Heroic epic (Beowulf) Lyric poem Expresses the observations and feelings of a single speaker Presents an experience or single effect (does not tell a full story) (orig.) A song accompanied by a lyre Planctus Elegy

General Poetry Terminology Speaker Who is the voice of the poem—the character who tells the poem? Do NOT say it’s the author! Give a description. What can you infer about the speaker from within the poem? Subject (story) What is the speaker telling about—what’s going on in this poem? (where? When? What?—if supplied) Tone What is the speaker’s attitude about the subject/story? Mood What is the poem’s atmosphere—what the audience feels? Theme What message about life, about the human experience, does the poem present?

Anglo-Saxon Lyric Poetry Elegy A solemn and formal lyric poem about death Mourns the passing away of an individual person or reflects on a tragic theme, such as the passing of youth, beauty, or a way of life (adj.) elegaic Planctus Medieval literary genre Means “complaint” Distinguished from elegy— Fictional speaker Mourns a loss other than death

Anglo-Saxon Threads Exile: separation or banishment from one’s native country, region, or home Expressed with memorable sadness and pain Wraecca—wretch, stranger, unhappy man, and wanderer Allegiance: pledging loyalty to a particular lord or king (hlaford –“lord”) Source of sustenance (hlafweard—“guardian of the [bread] loaf”) Dispenser of wealth Guarantor of the security of his followers in a dangerous and uncertain world

More Thematic Threads Longing for home and comfort Mead hall The lord and his followers shared the warmth of a fire, the comfort of food and drink (mead), and the pleasures of recited poetry (scops) Prevailing philosophies & religious beliefs evident: Uneasy mix of Christian and pagan elements (images, symbols, beliefs) One pagan belief included fatalism: a belief that humans are not in control of their own destinies; Fate is. An opposing Christian belief: humans have free will, the freedom to choose their own paths

Anglo-Saxon Literary Characteristics Kennings Appositive phrases (rename something or someone)—act as nouns, not adjectives (not simply describing; they must rename) All kennings are appositives, but not all appositives are kennings (see next bullet). Often a colorful metaphor Examples: The ocean: “the whale’s home” Grendel: “shepherd of evil, guardian of crime”

Anglo-Saxon Literary Characteristics Caesura A natural break/mid-line pause in the middle of a line of Anglo-Saxon poetry Divides each four-stress (4 strong beats) line in half Essential to the rhythm (meter) of the poem Example: . . . My feet were cast In icy bands, bound with frost With frozen chains, and hardship groaned Around my heart. Hunger tore At my sea-weary soul.

Anglo-Saxon Literary Characteristics Alliteration Repetition of initial consonant sounds in words in close proximity in a line or lines of poetry Examples: “I feel my fate in what I cannot fear.” “This tale is true, and mine. It tells . . .” Anglo-Saxon convention (tradition) is to use alliteration with a heavy hand (today we would consider it a bit over-the-top)