Beowulf is an example of Anglo-Saxon poetry that stands out in its heavy use of alliteration. Simply put, alliteration is the repetition of initial sounds of words. For example, notice the initial h sounds in the following line: "The harrowing history haunted the heroes." In the original Beowulf, alliteration is used in almost every line. A line of the poem actually consists of two half-lines with a caesura (pause) between them. Usually, spacing indicates that pause. In the following example, notice how the words of the first half-line alliterate with each other and the first word of the second half-line. (We've put in a dash to show where the pause happens.)

839 ferdon folc-togan — feorran ond nean

839 chieftains came — from far and near

Sometimes the alliteration is more complicated and has been the subject of many advanced studies. The point to remember is that alliteration is as important in Beowulf as rhyme is for some later poets. Beowulf has no consistent pattern of rhyme, although occasional internal rhyme sometimes is effective and seems more than accidental.