Old English poetry is a type of Anglo-Saxon literature that was composed in England between the 7th and 11th centuries. It is characterized by a number of specific features, including:
1.) Alliteration: Old English poetry typically used alliteration as a key structural element, with the repetition of initial consonant sounds in stressed syllables within a line. For example, "beowulf bode in the burg of the scyldings".
2.) Kennings: Kennings are compound expressions that use metaphor to describe an object or person in terms of another object or person. They are a distinctive feature of Old English poetry, such as "whale-road" for the sea.
3.) Caesura: Old English poetry uses a strong pause or caesura in the middle of each line, dividing it into two half-lines. This helped to create a distinctive rhythm and emphasized the alliteration.
4.) Variation: Old English poetry uses variation in the repetition of key words and phrases, both to create a sense of balance and symmetry and to add interest and complexity to the language.
5.) Epithets: Epithets are descriptive phrases used to characterize a person or object, such as "ring-giver" for a king or "battle-famed" for a warrior.
6.) Oral Tradition: Old English poetry was composed and transmitted orally, and was often performed in a recitation or singing style. This meant that the poems were designed to be easily memorized and performed, and often used repetition and formulaic language to aid in this process.
Overall, Old English poetry is characterized by its use of alliteration, kennings, caesura, variation, epithets, and oral tradition. These features helped to create a distinctively rhythmic and powerful form of literature that is still admired and studied today.