Anglo-Saxon Terminology

Question 1

Alliteration

Answer 1

Repetition of consonant sounds. Used to create an affect and rhythm in Anglo-Saxon poetry.

Question 2

Assonance

Answer 2

Repetition of vowel sounds - like Alliteration

Question 3

Half-Line

Answer 3

Each line of Anglo-Saxon Poetry is composed of two half lines. The alliteration scheme and the rhythm are often established by the first half line (A) and then the rhythm scheme and alliteration continue in the second half line (B)

Question 4

Anglo-Saxon

Answer 4

Often the term used to refer to the culture of Britain for the years 450 through 1066 AD. Culture established by the Angles, Saxons, and Jutes as they came to rule over areas of Britain during this time.

Question 5

Old English

Answer 5

Sometimes a synonym for Anglo-Saxon. Some critics prefer to use it purely for referring to the language of the Anglo-Saxons.

Question 6

Comitatus

Answer 6

The code by which Anglo-Saxon (and Germanic tribes) Lords and Thanes established their reciprocal responsibilities. Lords took care of the needs of the Thanes through gift-giving and banqueting and the Thanes were expected to stand by their Lord (and other thanes) in battle. And fight to the death to avenge the Lord’s honor.

Question 7

Wergeld

Answer 7

Literally man-price (or man money). By paying the man price for a slaying, one might avoid a cycle of tribes/families seeking revenge against one another.

Question 8

Kenning

Answer 8

Word Compound common in Anglo-Saxon poetry. Idea like Wale-Road meaning ocean or sea. Chest = breast-coffer.

Question 9

Peace Weaver

Answer 9

One of the few recurring roles for women in Anglo-Saxon literature. A peace-weaver is a woman (often the King’s daughter) who is married off to a rival tribe in order to create a bond of loyalty between the two different people.

Question 10

Flyting

Answer 10

A boasting/insult contest where warriors one-up each other by insulting each other with ideas based at least partially in truth.

Question 11

Wyrd

Answer 11

An Anglo-Saxon word for Fate. Sometimes meaning Fate, sometimes meaning God. Often not meaning just one solid concept but implying more. Sometimes established fates are influenced by men’s struggles.

Question 12

Litotes

Answer 12

Dramatic or ironic understatement expressing a situation by negating its opposite. Eg. [being wounded] was a gift that pleased him not at all.

Question 13

Christianized Paganism

Answer 13

Working Christian ideas into stories that were originally of a pagan origin–and attributing pagan characteristics to Christian persons in order to slowly introduce Christian ideas to the pagan world.

Question 14

Allegory

Answer 14

A form of extended metaphor with the objects, people, and events within a narrative to represent in an almost one to one relationship unified meanings to a subject outside of the text. Like symbolism on steroids.

Question 15

Intercession

Answer 15

The Catholic belief that one can relate more readily to a saint or object than to God and hence one often prays through a saint to get a message to God.

Question 16

Epic

Answer 16

A long narrative poem that recounts heroic deeds.

Question 17

Heroic Poetry

Answer 17

Poetry which may not contain enough of the conventions of the epic to be classified as Epic, but which follows some of the same conventions.

Question 18

Ubi Sunt

Answer 18

Literally “Where are they”. A type of lament, frequent to Anglo-Saxon poetry where the poet remembers past glories and laments that they are no longer part of his world. Alas the Bright Cup!

Question 19

Elegy

Answer 19

A sustained formal poem meditating on Death or some other solemn theme.

Question 20

King Alfred

Answer 20

First Great unifying King of the British Isles. Established codes of laws, organized for national defense and established peace with Viking Raiders. Circa 870.

Question 21

Translation

Answer 21

The process by which one text is converted into a different language–during which the interpretive biases of the translator cannot help but have an effect.

Question 22

Scop

Answer 22

The Anglo-Saxon word for poet or creator. A scop was a member of the lord’s court who performed poems or chants accompanies by the strumming of a harp.

Question 23

Oral Formulaic

Answer 23

The form of poems that were conceived of and composed through the poet’s speech. Tend to have elements that are the result of being orally composed, like repetition, kennings or epithets, sonic word play.

Question 24

Personification

Answer 24

Investing animals or inanimate objects with human abilities. Like giving the cross the ability to remember, feel, and speak.

Question 25

Digression

Answer 25

A segment of text within a poem that does not seem to advance the plot of the text, but may contain information related to the ideas in the text. Of course, sometimes a digression is just a digression and does little to further any understanding of the text.

Question 26

Symbol

Answer 26

A symbol is something represented within a text that can carry entirely different meaning than the words used. Symbols often add significant meaning to the text. A thing used to represent some other thing or idea.