Beowulf

Beowulf, the most famous poem that has come down to us from the earliest period of English literature, is a great artistic achievement. Written in Old English, the language of a thousand years ago, in a rich, complex style, the poem has been translated many times into Modern English since it first appeared in print in 1815. Although Beowulf reflects the aristocratic taste of the Christian Anglo-Saxons, its heroes are neither English nor Christian ; indeed, the story is set in the ancient, pagan past, before the Anglo-Saxons invaded and settled in Britain. The eponymous hero is a Germanic warrior who battles against fearsome, half-human monsters as well as a fire-breathing dragon, finally giving his life to save his people. Preserved in a single manuscript which was copied out around the year 1000 AD, the poem was in fact composed at a much earlier date. But as Beowulf remains unsigned and undated, when exactly it was first composed, where and by whom, are matters of controversy. These and other questions-of structure and sources, theme and genre, historical context and audience-are discussed in the present introduction, which aims to contribute to a greater understanding of Beowulf, especially among readers previously unfamiliar with Old English poetry.