Understanding Kennings in Poetry: Examples and Significance
Kennings are compressed metaphors using two nouns to describe a subject, popular in Anglo-Saxon poetry like Beowulf. They add depth and imagery, with examples like "sky-climber" for a mountain. Explore how kennings enhance poetic expression and try creating modern kennings.
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What is a Kenning? A Kenning is a compressed metaphor or description using two nouns to describe a subject, place or object.
Examples - Using a Kenning in a Sentence Story keeper - Book. Word fisher - Poet. Web maker - Spider. Sky climber - Mountain. Kenning is used in poetry to create different effects, They can be combined to make a poem called a Kennings in which a collection of kenning lines are combined to describe an object. Why don't you try writing a poem using a kenning and enter it into one of our poetry competitions. For information on poetry terms other than a kenning visit our poetry glossary poetry terms
There are many examples of kennings in Beowulf and they are used with great variety throughout the story. Some more examples include: helmet bearers for warriors, earth-hall for burial mound or barrow, stone-cliffs for rocks, wall, cliffs of stone, stout- hearted for bravery and shield- warrior for fighter behind the shield. Many of these words appear in other readings of Anglo Saxon poetry.
Beowulf: The Poetry of Beowulf The kenning is another poetic device that was used by the oral poet. Examples of kennings from Beowulf: gold-shining hall= Herot guardian of crime= Grendel strong-hearted wakeful sleeper= Beowulf cave-guard and sky-borne foe= dragon
Beowulf: The Poetry of Beowulf Create modern-day kennings for things you see around you. giver of words word-wand ? ? ? ?
