Examples Of Kenning In Beowulf

Beowulf, is an epic poem written during the Anglo-Saxon time. It is about Beowulf, who is a warrior that is summoned to battle Grendel, a man eating demon. The tale is told with remnants and style of old Anglo-Saxon poetry writings. The Anglo-Saxons used a figure of speech known as kenning. A kenning substitutes a noun with two other words that, when compounded together, describe the substituted noun. In Beowulf the three words that are described by using kennings are Beowulf, Grendel, and the sea. The first kenning found in Beowulf is the Son of Ecgtheow, meaning Beowulf. One example is found when Beowulf introduces himself as “Beowulf the prince of Weders the son of Ecgtheow” to Hrothgar. Another example of a kenning being displayed for Beowulf is when he is called the King of the Geatmen in the description of Higelacs slaughtering . “Twas of hand-fights not least where Higelac was slaughtered, When the king of the Geatmen with clashings of battle”. The final kenning example for Beowulf is when he is called Lord of the Weders. “Alive he should find the lord of the Weders Mortally wounded, at the place where he left him.” This quote is found at the end of the story when Beowulf kills the dragon and is in the process of dying. Throughout all of these examples multiple kennings were …show more content…
Whale-road is used in the beginning of Beowulf to describe how the men paid tribute to the King Scyld. Another kenning shown for sea is bight. This kenning is shown after the sea battle and Ecgtheow is swimming back to land. “Ecgtheow’s bairn o’er the bight-courses swam then.” A final kenning presented in describing the sea as a swan-road. It is used when Hygelac is informed of Grendel’s wrong doings. Hygelac orders his ships to be ready to sail the swan-road in order to retaliate and help Hrothgar. These three kennings whale-road, bight, and swan-road are all substituted in Beowulf to describe the word