Which manuscript contains the vast majority of the surviving Old English elegies?
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Correct answer: The Exeter Book codex
The Exeter Book (Codex Exoniensis), donated to Exeter Cathedral in the 11th century, is the largest surviving collection of Old English poetry. It contains 'The Wanderer,' 'The Seafarer,' 'The Wife's Lament,' 'The Ruin,' and 'Deor,' among others.
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More Heroic Elegies questions
- The 'Beasts of Battle' motif in elegies and heroic poems typically involves which three animals?
- In 'The Husband's Message,' what object is personified to speak to the wife?
- What is the primary function of 'maxims' or 'gnomic verses' often embedded within heroic elegies?
- In 'The Wanderer,' the speaker mentions 'winter-cearig.' What does this compound word literally mean?
- The poem 'Deor' refers to 'Weland the Smith.' Why is he included in an elegy?
- Which of the following is NOT a typical characteristic of an Old English elegy?