Beowulf Terms and Exeter Book Notes

Epic Poetry

has its roots in oral, rather than literate tradition. These stories were originally passed on by bards, or professional poets who made their living by singing folk tales and epic poems to audiences. 

While the details of the poem often shifted from one telling to the next, the most important elements of the story always remained the same.

Epic Hero

main character in an epic poem--typically one who embodies the values of his or her culture.

Scop

Anglo-Saxon singer or musician who would perform in a mead hall. Cf. bard.

Epithet

short, poetic nickname--often in the form of an adjective or adjectival phrase--attached to the normal name.Wyrd

Wyrd

Often translated as "fate," wyrd is an Anglo-Saxon term that embodies the concept of inevitability in Old English poetry. 

Unlike destiny, in which one imagines looking forward into the future to see the outcome of one's life, wyrd appears to be linked to the past.

Gielp

The root of yelp is the Old English word gielp, which means “boast.”