Old English Metre: An Introduction 1442642386, 9781442642386, 1442611294, 9781442611290

Table of contents :
Preface
Acknowledgments
1 Introduction
Overview
1.1 Alliteration
1.2 How Alliteration Affects Grammar and Word-choice
1.3 Rhythm
1.4 How Rhythm Affects Grammar and Word-choice
1.5 Textual Criticism
References and Suggestions for Further Reading
2 Alliteration
Overview
2.1 Consonantal and Vocalic Alliteration
2.2 Alliterative Patterns in the Line and Half-line
2.2.1 Anomalous Alliteration
2.2.2 Crossed and Transverse Alliteration
2.2.3 Explaining Alliterative Patterns
2.3 The Alliterative Rule of Precedence
2.4 Rhyme
References and Suggestions for Further Reading
3 Rhythm: The Basics
Overview
3.1 Stress-words, Particles, and Proclitics
3.2 Syllable and Foot
3.2.1 Syllable Length
3.2.2 Foot
3.3 Five Rhythmic Types
3.4 Anacrusis 45
3.5 Hypermetric Verses
References and Suggestions for Further Reading
4 Rhythm: Advanced Topics
Overview
4.1 The Four-syllable Principle
4.2 Accommodation of Apparently Ill-formed Half-lines
4.2.1 Contraction
4.2.2 Parasiting
4.2.3 Syncopation
4.2.4 Resolution and Kaluza’s Law
4.3 Types B and c Reconsidered
4.4 Interaction between Rhythm and Alliteration
References and Suggestions for Further Reading
5 Metre and Word
Overview
5.1 Preference for Shorter Words or Phrases
5.2 Choice between Morphological Variants
5.2.1 Adverbs of Time
5.2.2 Agent-nouns in '-end' and '-ende'
5.2.3 The Relative Infrequency of Agent-nouns in '-ere' in Old English Poetry
5.3 Constraints on Compound Formation
5.3.1 'Prosaic' 'Here-toga' and 'Poetic' 'Folc-toga'
5.3.2 'Hilde-' and 'Hild'-compounds
5.3.3 Absence of Some Possible Compounds
5.3.4 Compounds and Syntactic Phrases
References and Suggestions for Further Reading
6 Metre and Grammar
Overview
6.1 Nouns and Adjectives
6.1.1 Concord between Subject and Adjective/Participle
6.1.2 Weak Adjectives without a Demonstrative
6.1.3 weak 'Man'
6.2 Negation
6.3 Inflectional Forms and Prepositional Phrases
6.4 Principal and Subordinate Clauses
6.5 Word Order
6.5.1 How Alliteration Affects Word Order
6.5.2 How Rhythm Affects Word Order: Kuhn’s Laws
6.5.3 Syntactic Classification of Half-lines
References and Suggestions for Further Reading
7 Other Problems Related to Old English Metre
Overview
7.1 Metre and the Dating of Texts
7.2 Metre and Authorship
7.3 Verse and Prose
References and Suggestions for Further Reading
Appendices
A Suggested Answers to the Exercises
B Some Tips for Scanning Half-lines, with Sample Scansions
C Glossary of Metrical Terms
Bibliography
Index of Verses
General Index