Respond in a paragraph. The answer is written in complete sentences.
Compare and contrast the lyric poetry of the Anglo-Saxon period to the Renaissance based on the selections you read in the Anglo-Saxon Period: 449–1066 unit and the Renaissance: 1485–1660 unit. Describe what literary devices were commonly used and what themes were most frequently addressed in both periods. Include at least one specific example from each period. Your response should be at least one paragraph long.
The lyric poetry of the Anglo-Saxon period and the Renaissance both display distinct characteristics but also share a few similarities. In the Anglo-Saxon period, lyric poetry was characterized by the use of alliteration and kennings. Alliteration involves the repetition of consonant sounds at the beginning of words, such as in lines like "The Seafarer" where the poet writes, "Mood for a sailor was always easy." Kennings, on the other hand, were creative metaphors used to describe familiar objects, like "whale-road" for the sea. These devices were used to convey themes of heroism, loyalty, and the transience of life. In the Renaissance, lyric poetry featured sonnets that followed strict form and rhyme scheme. One of the prominent themes in this period was love, particularly unrequited love, as seen in Shakespeare's sonnet 18 where he writes, "Shall I compare thee to a summer's day?" Both periods dealt with themes of the human experience, but while the Anglo-Saxon period focused on the hero and the transience of life, the Renaissance emphasized love and its various aspects.
