Examples Of Alliteration In Beowulf By Charles W. Kennedy

As stated by Derek Walcott “The English language is nobody’s special property. It is the property of the imagination: it is the property of the language itself.” Perhaps for this reason, given the same original epic poem written in a language so primal that it may as well be considered a different one, so many different translations could have branched off. The translation of Beowulf written by Charles W. Kennedy creates a modern poetic feel by using imagery and stimulating language to best convey the meaning while also combining this with techniques used by the original unknown author to create the most accurate translation. Usage of poetic elements used it the original version are essential in modern translations, but translation in the most literal form loses effectiveness in modern comprehension. Only by mixing elements of the original into a modern translation is the writing most effective in the gratification of the original. …show more content…
In the original version of Beowulf, alliteration, a way of writing where a sound is repeated at the beginning of closely connected words, is commonly used throughout the poem. Kennedy matches this in his own translation, making it a more authentic interpretation. A more prominent example of the alliteration used by Kennedy would be “Under clouded heavens he held his way.” While the repeated beginning sound does not affect the meaning of the text, the inclusion of alliteration is necessary. To create the most accurate modern translation, the style of the original must remain. By taking out the alliteration, the meaning may stay the same, but the original style lost, therefore, making it a less accurate portrayal. Kennedy’s, however, does encounter this problem. With his inclusion of alliteration, the style is retained through its modern