Question

read the passage from beowulf.

they marched in step,
hurrying on till the timbered hall
rose before them, radiant with gold.
nobody on earth knew of another
building like it. majesty lodged there,
its light shone over many lands.

which feature of old english poetry did this modern translation maintain?

alliteration
full lines
rhyme
short pauses

Explanation:

Analyze the poetic structure of the translation

The passage is divided into lines with distinct mid-line pauses (caesuras), represented by commas:

• "They marched in step,"
• "hurrying on till the timbered hall"
• "rose before them, radiant with gold."
• "Nobody on earth knew of another"
• "building like it. Majesty lodged there,"
• "its light shone over many lands."

Evaluate the multiple-choice options

• alliteration: The translation does not maintain a strict, consistent alliterative pattern across the lines.
• full lines: Old English poetry is characterized by half-lines separated by a caesura, rather than continuous "full lines" in a modern metrical sense.
• rhyme: Old English poetry does not use end rhyme as a structural device, and this translation does not rhyme.
• short pauses: The translation maintains the characteristic mid-line pauses (caesuras) of Old English poetry, marked clearly by punctuation (commas and periods) within or at the end of the rhythmic units.

Answer:

• alliteration
• full lines
• rhyme
• short pauses (Correct answer)