Which of the following works is an example of Anglo Saxon poetry?

Prepare for the ETS Major Field Test in British Literature. Study with flashcards and multiple choice questions, each question includes hints and explanations. Boost your confidence for exam day!

Beowulf is an exemplary piece of Anglo-Saxon poetry, demonstrating the key characteristics of the genre, such as alliteration, caesura, and the use of kennings. It was composed in Old English and reflects the themes and values of the time, including heroism, loyalty, and the struggle between good and evil. As an epic poem, it not only tells the story of its titular hero's battles against monsters and dragons but also embodies the oral tradition of the Anglo-Saxon period, where such narratives were passed down through generations.

The other works listed are significant in their own right but belong to different literary periods. The Canterbury Tales, written in Middle English by Geoffrey Chaucer, reflects the social and moral fabric of medieval society; Morte Darthur is a 15th-century prose work by Sir Thomas Malory that deals with the Arthurian legends; and Utopia, written by Thomas More in the early 16th century, is a political and philosophical text, not poetry. Thus, only Beowulf fits the criteria of being an example of Anglo-Saxon poetry.

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