Anglo-Saxon Riddles & Literary Devices:

1. Anglo-Saxon Riddles & Literary Devices: Alliteration and Kenning

2. What is a Kenning? • A kenning is a two word poetic phrase constructed of nouns that is substituted for the usual name of a person or things • The word “kenning” is derived from am Old Norse phrase kennaeittvio, “to express a thing in terms of another” and is found throughout Norse, Old English, and Celtic Literature. • Used for memorization and to make descriptions interesting • Example: In Old English the sea could be called: • The sail road • The swan road • The bath way • The whale way

3. Let’s Play A Game!!!!Guess the Kenning! Tree Breaker Flame Farewell Raven Harvest Blood-worm Taming Wand

4. Alliteration • Alliteration is the repetition of initial consonant sounds in neighboring words. • Ancient poets often used alliteration instead of rhyme. • Examples: • The sweet smell of success. • A dime a dozen. • Bigger and better. • “While I nodded, nearly napping” – Poe • “And sings a solitary song, that whistles in the wind”- Wordsworth

5. Identify the three alliterations in this excerpt from Beowulf: Now Beowulf bode in the burg of the Scylding, Leader beloved, and long he ruled in fame with all folk since his father had gone