Alliterative Verse · English Literature

What happens if alliteration is absent in a line of Old English verse?

  1. The line is reclassified as prose composition
  2. The line fails its metrical requirements
  3. The poem adopts a more lyrical tone
  4. The caesura pause disappears entirely
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Correct answer: The line fails its metrical requirements

Alliteration is essential to the structure of Old English verse. Without it, the line fails to conform to the traditional metrical rules.

Difficulty: Medium Question 16 of 20

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