The Echo-Word in Beowulf with a Note on the Finnsburg Fragment

Extract

cyninges Ðegn,
guma gilphlæden, gidda gemyndig,
sē Ðe ealfela ealdgesegena
worn gemunde —word ōÐer fand
sōÐe gebunden— secg eft ongan
sīÐ Bēowulfes snyttrum styrian,
ond on spēd wrecan spel gerāde,
wordum wrixlan; wēlhwylc gecwæÐ,
Ðæt hē fram Sigemunde(s) secgan …
(Beowulf, ll. 867^b–875)

GRENDEL is overcome. The warriors who urged their horses along the trail of bloody tracks are returning to Heorot. A poet-warrior sings, adding the name of Grendel's conqueror to the roll of Germanic heroes. The author of Beowulf gives a brief but precious account of the principles of his poetry. One word finds the other, rightly bound, and there is a varying with words. The inevitable alliteration of Old English poetry, as in the second line above, is obviously the most conspicuous way in which one word found the other, rightly bound. Likewise, varying in words aptly describes the principle underlying the “Kenning” or epic epithet. This principle of style consists in the repetition of words or phrases to round out a full poetic picture by presenting an idea from varying points of view. Examples are cyninges Ðegn, guma gilphlæden, and secg, all of which refer to the poet-warrior in the quoted passage.