Textuality » 3A Interacting
exercise pag 60.
1) The poem was composed in the 7th century, but the written version dates from the 10th century.
2) The Anglo - Saxon poet could compose his song without much preparation thanks to poetical devices like alliterations, rhymes and rhythm.
3) In an Anglo-Saxon poem the lines were divided into two parts that were bound together by alliteration.that is the repetition of the initial consonant sound in two or more words in a line or consecutive lines. The number of syllables per line was not important and rythm was based on the number of stressed syllables, two in each half-line.
5) The basic features of an epic poem like "Beowulf" are: The deeds' celebration of one nation's heroes, The style, which is useful to have the people remember, it starts with an invocation to a muse and the setting is extensive .
6) The poet in the Anglo - Saxon culture had a not very important role because people couldn't read and the poems were told by scops.