English - Elements of Epic Poetry, Literary Devices in Beowulf + Pardoner's Tale (MIDSEMS 9)

The hero, who embodies the values of a certain culture where the epic originated, always comes out victorious despite the perils encountered in the story

It has a plot that centers on an epic hero

The hero or heroine comes face to face with so many complications along their journey. This includes battling with strange/mythical creatures, divine intervention, and completing superhuman tasks

It contains impossible human feats

It has characters, situations, or images that are quite common and are easily recognizable across time and culture. This also refer to where story took place but also expands through unimaginable places in space, across land, seas, and the heavens

It contains archetypes and vast settings

The characters talk in a decorous oratorical manner, which makes the epic dignified and lofty in style

It is highly stylized

They allow the readers to easily remember their stories and make the oratorical piece more interesting

It uses literary devices

Figurative phrases that take the place of a noun

Kennings

A metrical pause or break in a verse where one phrase ends and another begins

Caesura

The repetition of usually initial sounds in 2 or more neighboring words or syllables

Alliteration

Beowulf’s poetic structure

Half-line/heimstitch

The use of symbols to represent ideas or concepts beyond their literal meaning

Symbolism

It is the contrast between expectations and reality. It’s meaning is different from the literal meaning and is hidden behind other words

Irony