LRJ1: Beowulf Values, Alliteration, and Kennings

In Beowulf, many values are expressed. The value of great strength is represented in lines 9-11, "In the end each clan on the outlying coasts/beyond the whale-road had yield to him/and begin to pay tribute. That was one good king" (Heaney). The kings men had great respect for him and had appreciation, which shows the great strength that his leadership imprinted on on them. The strength and goodness of king Hrothgar is also shown in lines 71-72: "...it would be his throne-room and there he would dispense/his God given goods to young and old-..." (Heaney). Hrothgar distributed his talents to all his people, bringing them together.



Alliteration is frequently used throughout Beowulf to make the story more dramatic, especially because it was originally told orally. "There was Shield Sheafson, Scourge of many tribes..." (Heaney line 4) is an example of the repeated consonant. It makes the paragraph flow. Another example of alliteration is in lines 301-302, "The ship rode the water,/broad-beamed, bound by it's hawser" (Heaney). Alliteration allows for rhythm and ease while reading Beowulf.



The purpose of kennings in Beowulf is to give an ordinary noun imagery by rephrasing it in a hyphenated form. In lines 650-651 a kenning is used: "...came stealing forth/under the cloud-murk." (Heaney) In this sentence, cloud-murk is referring to the dark, cloudy, sky. Another kenning can be found in line 848. "... of waves and gore and wounds-slurry" (Heaney). In this battle scene, wounds-slurry is used to provide imagery for an injury of Grendel's, with its guts spilling out. Overall, kennings are a fun way to portray an ordinary noun.