Can you recognise this person from the descriptive kenning? The poem deliberately starts with the vague characteristics, and progresses towards the finer details that make the subject clearer.
Princely charmer
Sporting master
Language scholar
Gaming hunter
Music adorer
Skillful archer
Poetry lover
Empire builder
Navy commander
Proud egotis
Overeater
Ill health sufferer
Tudor rose wearer
Monastery taker
Serial marrier
Queen beheader
Masterful king
Did you guess that it was about King Henry the Eighth? A kenning is a good way to build up a picture of someone by using your skills of observation (or in this case, research!) It can make a good guessing game too if you build it up gradually. In this case, the person changed gradually from Prince to King, so it added another dimension to the kenning.
Click here for more facts about Henry VIII
Comments on this entry are closed.