Allusive name forms in Cynewulf’s poems

This study focuses on Cynewulf’s signed poems (Fates of Apostles, Christ II, Elene and Juliana). It aims to investigate the Cynewulfian use of proper names derived from Christian culture and considers the possibility that the poet may have interpreted some of the names of the characters in his historical texts to better suit their personality, following Medieval theory of the name as integral to the very nature of the thing, selecting the name forms or even adapting them to his purpose. This study focuses on Elene and Juliana, where some interpretations are proposed. A partire dai poemi firmati, si analizzano alcuni casi di nomi propri cristiani nella poetica cynewulfiana, esaminando la possibilità che Cynewulf abbia interpretato alcuni di questi nomi storici reinterpretandoli per armonizzarli al carattere dei personaggi, secondo la sensibilità medievale sul rapporto tra i nomi e le cose. L’analisi si concentra in particolare su Elene e Juliana.