Glossary of Poetic Terms

Old English poetry dates from the 5th to the 11th centuries and embodies the earliest form of English literature. Works from this era reflect the history, belief systems, and heroic ideals of early Germanic societies. This period of literature is characterized by a distinct linguistic and metrical pattern that typically uses a four-stress line, alliterative verse, and complex kennings (compound expressions used as metaphors, such as “whale-road” to refer to the sea).  Examples of Old English include “Beowulf,” “The Wanderer,” and works by the poet Cynewulf.