How are kennings used in Old English poetry?
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Beowulf
Beowulf preparing to cut off the head of the monster Grendel, illustration from Hero-Myths & Legends of the British Race, 1910.
In Old English poetry, such as the epic Beowulf, a kenning is a concise, metaphorical compound word or figurative phrase used to replace a common noun.12
These devices function as allusions that enrich the imagery of the verse. Common examples include:
- "Whale-path" or "swan-road" for the sea12
- "God’s beacon" for the sun1
- "Ring-giver" for a king1
The term is derived from the Old Norse word kenna, meaning to perceive, know, or name. While they are characteristic of Old Germanic, Old Norse, and Old English poetry, they share a functional similarity with the Homeric epithet, such as "rosy-fingered dawn," though kennings are distinct in their compound structure. Over time, many of these allusions have become difficult for modern readers to interpret without context.1