1. KENNINGS What is a Kenning?
A Kenning is a compressed metaphor or description using two nouns to describe a subject, place or object.

2. Examples - Using a Kenning in a Sentence
Story keeper - Book.
Word fisher - Poet.
Web maker - Spider.
Sky climber - Mountain.
Kenning is used in poetry to create different effects, They can be combined to make a poem called a Kennings in which a collection of kenning lines are combined to describe an object.
Why don't you try writing a poem using a kenning and enter it into one of our poetry competitions.
For information on poetry terms other than a kenning visit our poetry glossary – poetry terms

3. There are many examples of kennings in Beowulf and they are used with great variety throughout the story. Some more examples include: “helmet bearers” for warriors, “earth-hall” for burial mound or barrow, “stone-cliffs” for rocks, wall, cliffs of stone, “stout-hearted” for bravery and “shield-warrior” for fighter behind the shield. Many of these words appear in other readings of Anglo Saxon poetry.

4. Beowulf: The Poetry of Beowulf
The kenning is another poetic device that was used by the oral poet.
Examples of kennings from Beowulf:
gold-shining hall= Herot
guardian of crime= Grendel
strong-hearted wakeful sleeper= Beowulf
cave-guard and sky-borne foe= dragon

5. Beowulf: The Poetry of Beowulf
Create modern-day kennings for things you see around you.
giver of words
word-wand ?