SOURCE: Tyler, Elizabeth M. “Style and Meaning in Judith.” Notes & Queries 39, no. 1 (March 1992): 16-19.

In the following essay, Tyler provides a brief study of the relationship between style and theme in Judith.

Even the most casual reading of the Old English poem Judith cannot help but reveal the poet's repetition of key words and phrases. In this paper I will consider the poet's use of heroic language and language which describes the state of the mind or spirit in the light of the importance of style for conveying meaning in Old English poetry. Close attention to the style of Judith, which brings to the surface levels of meaning the modern reader may see as secondary or indeed miss altogether, shows the poem to be a rich and complex work.

One of the most obvious features of Judith is the application of themes and language from traditional heroic poetry...