In this course, you will learn to write Old English poetry. Our focus in this class will be on mastering the poetic vocabulary, acquiring an intuitive understanding of alliteration and metre, and learning to deploy typical poetic figures such as variation, kennings, and litotes. We will do this by reading a selection of short poems together and doing graded composition exercises, building up ultimately to writing original poetry.
Course details:
- Sessions last 1.5 hours
- 1 session per week
- Course lasts 14 weeks
- Term runs Aug. 31, 2025 – Dec. 13, 2025
How ALI courses work:
- ALI courses are live, online classes run by ALI Old English professors. Learn Old English from anywhere.
- Classes run on a trimester basis.
- Fall: September – December
- Spring: January – April
- Summer: May – August
- We want to make sure you’re completely satisfied. If you don’t love your first Old English class, we guarantee a 100% refund. After that, in weeks 2 – 4, refunds will be made on a pro rata basis, based on however many class sessions you’ve attended. We cannot issue refunds after the fourth week of classes.
- Read more on our FAQ page and check out our academic calendar page to see a more detailed schedule
