Alliteration In Beowulf
Kayla M. Demaray
Mrs. Walker
Senior English
6 November 2009
Literary Merit and Its Significance to Beowulf Any acceptable novel has some type of significance enclosed in the structure of its story. So just what establishes this? These thoughts, expressions and meanings the author hopes to accomplish should always contain sophisticated literary merit. Well known epic poem, Beowulf, accomplishes its merit through masterfully infused figurative language, two of which are most common, alliteration and kennings. Beowulf is largely constructed around the monsters, condemned as outcasts, seeking out revenge. In Raffel’s translation he utilizes devises such as alliteration and kennings to emphasize and build fear of the monsters, add to suspense and accentuate action in the text. In lines 36-37 of the textbook’s, “From Beowulf,” Raffel …show more content…
In lines 122-125 Heaney also uses alliteration in describing Grendel’s powers of destruction, “Greedy and grim he grabbed thirty men…blundering back with the butchered corpses.” Heaney’s use of alliteration is used differently in consonant sounds but has the same overall effect to the reader. In lines 703-704 Grendel strikes the mead hall again, just before Beowulf awakes to Grendel’s defeat, “Then out of the night / Came the shadow-stalker, stealthy and swift…” Both alliteration and kenning are used in this quote, displaying his surreptitiousness as he hunts his prey in his maddening for blood. Grendel’s mother is also frequently used as kennings throughout the story. She is illustrated as a “monstrous hell-bride,” “bewildering horde,” “swamp-thing from hell,” and a “tarn-hag.” Each kenning acts as a stereotype and develops a high level of metaphoric energy. Heaney’s use of kennings here depicts an imaginative tone that succeeds in forming expressions of its characters in an interesting
Mrs. Walker
Senior English
6 November 2009
Literary Merit and Its Significance to Beowulf Any acceptable novel has some type of significance enclosed in the structure of its story. So just what establishes this? These thoughts, expressions and meanings the author hopes to accomplish should always contain sophisticated literary merit. Well known epic poem, Beowulf, accomplishes its merit through masterfully infused figurative language, two of which are most common, alliteration and kennings. Beowulf is largely constructed around the monsters, condemned as outcasts, seeking out revenge. In Raffel’s translation he utilizes devises such as alliteration and kennings to emphasize and build fear of the monsters, add to suspense and accentuate action in the text. In lines 36-37 of the textbook’s, “From Beowulf,” Raffel …show more content…
In lines 122-125 Heaney also uses alliteration in describing Grendel’s powers of destruction, “Greedy and grim he grabbed thirty men…blundering back with the butchered corpses.” Heaney’s use of alliteration is used differently in consonant sounds but has the same overall effect to the reader. In lines 703-704 Grendel strikes the mead hall again, just before Beowulf awakes to Grendel’s defeat, “Then out of the night / Came the shadow-stalker, stealthy and swift…” Both alliteration and kenning are used in this quote, displaying his surreptitiousness as he hunts his prey in his maddening for blood. Grendel’s mother is also frequently used as kennings throughout the story. She is illustrated as a “monstrous hell-bride,” “bewildering horde,” “swamp-thing from hell,” and a “tarn-hag.” Each kenning acts as a stereotype and develops a high level of metaphoric energy. Heaney’s use of kennings here depicts an imaginative tone that succeeds in forming expressions of its characters in an interesting