The Cattle Raid of Cooley

What is the author's style in the epic, The Cattle Raid of Cooley?

.

Asked by
Last updated by Jill W
1 Answers
Log in to answer

The Táin Bó Cúailnge is unusual in the epic tradition in that it is written largely in prose with inset passages of syllabic verse. Some of these passages, for example, the prophecy of the Morrígan, the unrhymed, alliterative rosc(ad) or rhetoric gives the impression of being older than the surrounding prose text. It has been suggested, however, that they are the products of poets who are trying to compose in what they thought was an ancient style. This text was probably not an attempt to confuse the audience about the age of their compositions, but to create the proper atmosphere of antiquity and give an exalted and heroic quality to the characters who spoke them.

Source(s)

The Cattle Raid of Cooley/ BookRags