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Struggling to Understand the Style of the Canticle of the Winged Sisters

TheStoneThinker··9 votes·7,078 views

Disclaimer: I have only a limited knowledge of epic poetry, derived from study of the Hebrew Bible (Protestant-Christian Old Testament) and High School British Literature. End Disclaimer.

I'm struggling to find any sort of cohesion in the Canticle. Firstly, there seems to be no rhyme scheme, neither across lines, or pairs of lines, or corresponding lines between verses (i.e. I - 1 , II - 1 being paired, etc). That I accept; rhyme is unnecessary for great poetry, John Milton presiding over that judgment. But there's also no meter; the lines are so varied in length that it feels like it was originally written by a storyteller who was merely trying to find the most dramatic way to say each sentence.

After finding these things working against my comprehension, I turned to the definition of a canticle: From Wikipedia (it serves my purpose better): A canticle (from the Latin canticulum, a diminutive of canticum, "song") is a hymn, psalm or other song of praise taken from biblical or holy texts other than the Psalms.

"Wonderful," I think, dredging up a little bit of knowledge about Ancient Hebrew Poetry (i.e. the book of Psalms or the Song of Solomon). Generally, the style is composed of couplets, with an introductory line making a point and then the second line reinforcing, expanding, or explaining the first. Looking through the Canticle of the Winged Sisters, I could see the couplets. Then I found the first line out of place. Then the next. At many points throughout the canticle there are lines that would be couplets but are separated by periods. There are other lines that have no couplet, confusing me as to the intent outside of needing/wanting to say something and being unable (or undesirable) to find a pair line for it.

Thus I am stuck. Is this a canticle proper and I don't know it? Is it some sort of modern style I don't know? Are there levels to Hebrew poetry I'm forgetting? Is this simply a modern poem that eschews established style to forge a new path? Remember I'm no English major, and while I love poetry, I most definitely don't know everything.

For me, personally, this poem struck no chords. I couldn't get into it, and want to know more so that I can yet attempt to respect it (or maybe at least the ?experimental nature? of it).

9 Comments

Binding Eclipse4 votes

It's just called a canticle because canticle is a cool word that fits vaguely with the motif of Demacia. That's all.

Yets42402 votes

RIOT used a word where it doesn't fit, because the word is edgy and sounds cool, and most players they are targeting the game at aren't even through with middle school so its not as if the they would know what the word even means.

Colour me surprised.

[zombie-brand-clap]

Maisanai1 votes

can·ti·cle Dictionary result for canticle /ˈkan(t)ək(ə)l/ noun noun: canticle; plural noun: canticles; singular proper noun: Canticles; noun: Canticles; singular proper noun: Canticle of Canticles 1. a hymn or chant, typically with a biblical text, forming a regular part of a church service.

how the hell is a church word edgy?

Sillae1 votes

{quoted}

RIOT used a word where it doesn't fit, because the word is edgy and sounds cool, and most players they are targeting the game at aren't even through with middle school so its not as if the they would know what the word even means.

Colour me surprised.

[zombie-brand-clap]

Canticle is an edgy word?

Do you know what edgy means or are you just trying to be edgy by pretending to understand something in a way that "normies" can't?

Yets42402 votes

"Edgy: Adjective. Taking coolness to its extreme and generally beyond the realm of actual possibility, while at the same time seemingly unaware of how ridiculous it is."

The were trying to call it a canticle not because it actual is one. As the post goes into detail explaining, it simply is not a canticle, nor does it fit any definition of one. In fact, it runs afoul of every definition of a canticle by not having nor following core elements of what makes a work of poetry a canticle. RIOT is calling it a canticle not because it is one, but because they think it sounds cool to call it so. Them calling it a canticle when it clearly isn't just because they want the association of the word with their shitty piece of poetry is certainly in my mind, "Taking coolness to its extreme and generally beyond the realm of actual possibility, while at the same time seemingly unaware of how ridiculous it is." because its impossible for that piece to be a canticle, its already beyond the realm of possibility, and at the same time, its utterly ludicrous.

Sillae1 votes

{quoted}

"Edgy: Adjective. Taking coolness to its extreme and generally beyond the realm of actual possibility, while at the same time seemingly unaware of how ridiculous it is."

The were trying to call it a canticle not because it actual is one. As the post goes into detail explaining, it simply is not a canticle, nor does it fit any definition of one. In fact, it runs afoul of every definition of a canticle by not having nor following core elements of what makes a work of poetry a canticle. RIOT is calling it a canticle not because it is one, but because they think it sounds cool to call it so. Them calling it a canticle when it clearly isn't just because they want the association of the word with their shitty piece of poetry is certainly in my mind, "Taking coolness to its extreme and generally beyond the realm of actual possibility, while at the same time seemingly unaware of how ridiculous it is." because its impossible for that piece to be a canticle, its already beyond the realm of possibility, and at the same time, its utterly ludicrous.

Imagine using urban dictionary to back up an argument, and even ignoring the fact the examples they use for their definition don't match the situation.

But if you really want to use Urban Dictionary, so can I.

"Edgy- A word that now no longer means "trying to be cool by being violent ECT." But is now a word that annoying internet gooers type when they see anything negative they don't like"

PB4UAME1 votes

"It's just called a canticle because canticle is a cool word that fits vaguely with the motif of Demacia. That's all." -Aurelion Smol

Basically what every other poster here is saying, that you and Maisanai seem to be the only commenters failing to grasp.

Its simply put, not a canticle, but RIOT is still trying to call it that, either A, in total ignorance of the word, what it means, and the type of poetry it describes, or (and much more likely) B, they used the word because they think it sounds cool, even despite knowing that it doesn't fit, and its flat out the wrong word to use. But, rule of cool trumps proper usage of words, and so they are using the wrong word, intentionally, just because they think it sounds "cooler" and its a more interesting word because people aren't likely to have seen it.

It's like those pins and buttons from the 90's and 2000's that simply said "antic" in goth lettering or different fonts. The word means "grotesque or bizarre" but people would put it on shit and wear it around just because other people didn't know what it meant and so they thought it was cool.

Sillae1 votes

{quoted}

"It's just called a canticle because canticle is a cool word that fits vaguely with the motif of Demacia. That's all." -Aurelion Smol

Basically what every other poster here is saying, that you and Maisanai seem to be the only commenters failing to grasp.

Its simply put, not a canticle, but RIOT is still trying to call it that, either A, in total ignorance of the word, what it means, and the type of poetry it describes, or (and much more likely) B, they used the word because they think it sounds cool, even despite knowing that it doesn't fit, and its flat out the wrong word to use. But, rule of cool trumps proper usage of words, and so they are using the wrong word, intentionally, just because they think it sounds "cooler" and its a more interesting word because people aren't likely to have seen it.

It's like those pins and buttons from the 90's and 2000's that simply said "antic" in goth lettering or different fonts. The word means "grotesque or bizarre" but people would put it on shit and wear it around just because other people didn't know what it meant and so they thought it was cool.

Don't quote Aurelion Smol when I wasn't talking about his use of the word edgy, especially considering he didn't even say it. It's irrelevant and I agree with him anyway.

Yets didn't say the "canticle" was edgy. He said, in his original post, the word itself was edgy, and Riot used it BECAUSE it was edgy. What you mean when you talk about it doesn't matter because that's not what I was addressing.

Riot's incorrect usage of the word canticle doesn't mean canticle is edgy. They used it because it sounds older and more venerable, the image they are trying to project, not because they're releasing another Yasuo skin.

Also, really? You're going to try to use "well everyone else thinks x so you must be wrong" ?

Argumentum ad populum. And in any case, only like 3 people have posted.

PureMystic1 votes

I personally enjoyed it. If not for the imagery alone put into each sister's spiral towards a chasm between one another, it was for the feel you get as to why they become who they are from their interactions with the people they descended down to help in their battle. Only to ascend later into battle with each other by the end of the poem.. it was quite beautiful imo.Kayle item 3070 Morgana

As for the structure of it by definition and whatnot .. i can't help as to that at all.

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