CHAPTER II

THE ALLITERATIVE VERSE IN OLD ENGLISH

§ 14. General remarks 15 15. Theories on the metrical form of the alliterative line 15 16. The four-beat theory 16 17. The two-beat theory 19 18. Accentuation of Old English 24 19. The secondary accent 28 20. Division and metrical value of syllables 29 21. Structure of the whole alliterative line 30 22. The structure of the hemistich in the normal alliterative line 31 23. Number of unaccented syllables of the thesis 33 24. Order of the verse-members in the hemistich 35

ANALYSIS OF THE VERSE TYPES.

I. _Hemistichs of four members._

25. Type A, with sub-types A 1-3 36 26. Type B, with sub-types B 1, 2 41 27. Type C, with sub-types C 1-3 42 28. Type D, with sub-types D 1-4 42 29. Type E, with sub-types E 1, 2 43

II. _Hemistichs of five members._

30. Type A*, with sub-types A* 1, 2; Type B*; Type C*; Type D*, with sub-types D* 1-3 44 31. Principles adopted in classification 45 32. Combination of hemistichs by means of alliteration 45

PRINCIPLES OF ALLITERATION.

33. Quality of the alliteration 46 34. Position of the alliterative words 48 35. Alliteration in relation to the parts of speech and to the order of words 50 36. Arrangement and relationship of verse and sentence 54

THE LENGTHENED VERSE.

37. The lengthened line; alliteration 55 38. The origin and structure of the lengthened verse 57 39. Examples of commonly occurring forms of the lengthened hemistich 59

FORMATION OF STANZAS AND RHYME.

40. Classification and examples 62