When was beowulf originally written

It was written in England some time between the 8th and the early 11th century. The poem is set in Scandinavia.

After a period of fifty years has passed, Beowulf defeats a dragon, but is fatally wounded in the battle. Thus, sadly, the author of one of the greatest works of English literature remains anonymous.

However, historians do know about the author of Beowulf , even if they do not know who the author was. This map illustrates where each of the tribes mentioned in Beowulf resides. Although historians cannot identify the individual author of Beowulf , they can provide information about the type of poet who crafted this epic.

First, let us consider when the poet lived. The most heroic events in Beowulf --the protagonists fights with the monsters--are clearly fictional, but many of the poem's characters are historical figures who lived during the late 5th century AD. Consequently, the narrative must have been written after that date. The oldest surviving Beowulf manuscript was written c. According to J. Tolkien--best known for his Lord of the Rings saga but also a respected literary scholar-- Beowulf was almost certainly written by an 8th-century Anglo-Saxon poet shortly after England's conversion to Christianity.

The Anglo-Saxons were not indigenous to England; the Angle and Saxon tribes had emigrated from Europe, invaded England, conquered the native Britons, and settled there themselves. Thus the Anglo-Saxons had a similar heritage to the Geats, Swedes, and Danes--a few of the tribes who appear in the Beowulf narrative. This context explains why the author of Beowulf --himself a resident of England--chose Scandinavian and not English events as the basis for his poem.

Since Beowulf was most likely written shortly after England converted to Christianity, the Anglo-Saxon poet would have been familiar with both paganism and Christianity. This theory helps explain why the poem's characters at times appear to waver between pagan and Christian beliefs and practices. Some historians and literary critics go even further, alleging the story of Beowulf may have existed before England's Christian conversion, perhaps as an oral narrative or poem.

The version done by Francis B. Gummere in is out of copyright and freely available at several websites. Many more recent translations, in both prose and verse form, are available today. Actively scan device characteristics for identification. Use precise geolocation data. Select personalised content. Create a personalised content profile.

Measure ad performance. Select basic ads. Create a personalised ads profile. Select personalised ads. Apply market research to generate audience insights. Measure content performance. Develop and improve products. List of Partners vendors. Share Flipboard Email. Melissa Snell. History Expert. Covers all aspects of literary theory, from definitions of technical terms to characterizations of literary movements.

Geared toward students, teachers, readers, and writers alike, this reference work explains jargon, different schools of literary theory, literary forms, and genres.

This is a page from the "Beowulf Resources" website created by retired academic librarian Araby Greene. The website is a helpful guide on many topics related to the study of Beowulf. Check out the "Beowulf Pages" menu of the website for more helpful resources. Explains what to look for when reading, how to analyze a poem or literature, and how to develop an idea when deciding what to write about.

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