How many primary stressed syllables typically occur in each line of Old English alliterative verse?
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Correct answer: Four
Each line usually contains four primary stresses, two in each half-line. These stresses form the basis of the verse’s rhythm.
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More Alliterative Verse questions
- Which syllables are linked by alliteration in an Old English poetic line?
- In a standard alliterative line, which stresses usually alliterate?
- How are vowel sounds treated in Old English alliteration?
- Which consonant combination is treated as a single sound for alliteration?
- What distinguishes Old English alliterative verse from later Middle English rhymed poetry?
- Which genre most commonly employs alliterative verse in Old English literature?