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Gruffling Posted 10 years ago
God and Old English poetry
If you have ever read any Old English poetry, you will notice that there are many ways of referring to God, but the word "God" itself is hardly ever used.
In prose contexts it is used widely, so I was wondering whether there was a reason for it being nearly absent from the poetry. I have my own theory which I will share, but I would like to know what other people make of this without skewing the discussion.
In prose contexts it is used widely, so I was wondering whether there was a reason for it being nearly absent from the poetry. I have my own theory which I will share, but I would like to know what other people make of this without skewing the discussion.
Top answer
Apparently, in those days, verse was considered to be by far the premier mode of written expression, and the best writing was reserved for it. The word "***" - the same in OE as in modern English - is very ordinary-looking (and ordinary-sounding) compared to the ornate and highly inflected words of OE, and it apparently was considered too dull-looking (and dull-sounding) for the precious medium of verse.
- Apparently, in those days, verse was considered to be by far the premier mode of written expression, and the best writing was reserved for it.
- The word "***" - the same in OE as in modern English - is very ordinary-looking (and ordinary-sounding) compared to the ornate and highly inflected words of OE, and it apparently was considered too dull-looking (and dull-sounding) for the precious medium of verse.
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3 Answers
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Apparently, in those days, verse was considered to be by far the premier mode of written expression, and the best writing was reserved for it. The word "***" - the same in OE as in modern English - is very ordinary-looking (and ordinary-sounding) compared to the ornate and highly inflected words of OE, and it apparently was considered too dull-looking (and dull-sounding) for the precious medium o
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Hi, Gruffling. Welcome to EnglishForward.
Given the Anglo-Saxon fondness for kennings, it wouldn't be surprising. That said, I'm not sure it's entirely accurate to say that "***" is hardly ever used in OE poetry. Although Caedmon's Hymn manages to mention *** eight times without saying "***", other poems don't shy away from using the word. "***" is mentioned several times in Beowul
Given the Anglo-Saxon fondness for kennings, it wouldn't be surprising. That said, I'm not sure it's entirely accurate to say that "***" is hardly ever used in OE poetry. Although Caedmon's Hymn manages to mention *** eight times without saying "***", other poems don't shy away from using the word. "***" is mentioned several times in Beowul
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Many thanks for that Blue Jay, I have joined the group.
I think the anonymous contributor was close to my reading of it in describing the word "***" as being "boring" in a poetic sense, when you can have words like wuldorfæder or heofonweard.
I think that there is a metrical problem with the word ***, which has the same form in the nominative and accusative, becoming Go
I think the anonymous contributor was close to my reading of it in describing the word "***" as being "boring" in a poetic sense, when you can have words like wuldorfæder or heofonweard.
I think that there is a metrical problem with the word ***, which has the same form in the nominative and accusative, becoming Go
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