Beowulf

Original title: Beowulf

Anonymous (anonymous epic), trans. Francis B. Gummere

Translation en 34974 words First published 1000 England

The oldest surviving epic in English literature, composed around the eighth century in Old English alliterative verse. Beowulf, a young warrior of the Geats, sails to Denmark to rid King Hrothgar's hall of Grendel, the monster that has ravaged it for twelve years; he slays the beast with his bare hands, pursues its vengeful mother to her underwater lair, and, as an old king, meets his final foe in a fire-breathing dragon. A poem suspended between the glory of heroes and the mutability of fate, it is the fountainhead of the Germanic heroic tradition. This edition uses Francis B. Gummere's classic verse translation.

Text sourced from Project Gutenberg (public domain in the United States); the Project Gutenberg trademark and license text have been removed on import. Public-domain status determined by the author's death year + 50 years rule.

Beowulf

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