Literature written in Old English 0441; 650 0441; 1100.
Anglo-Saxon poetry survives almost entirely in four manuscripts. Beowulf is the oldest surviving Germanic epic and the longest Old English poem; other great works include The Wanderer , The Seafarer , The Battle of Maldon , and the Dream of the Rood . The poetry is alliterative; one of its features is the kenning, a metaphorical phrase used in place of a common noun (e.g., "swan road" for "sea"). Notable prose includes the Anglo-Saxon Chronicle , a historical record begun about the time of King Alfred 's reign (871899) and continuing for more than three centuries. See also Caedmon ; Cynewulf .