an
epic (a long
narrative poem in a dignified, formal
style, about the deeds of a traditional or historical hero or heroes) in
Old English, estimated as dating from as early as the eighth century; the earliest long
work of literature in
English. The
critical events are the slaying of the monster Grendel and Grendel's
mother by the hero Beowulf, and Beowulf's battle with a dragon, in which he is mortally wounded.
a heroic poem
thought to have been written in the eighth century by an unknown author, considered the greatest poem of that era. The poem is more than three thousand
lines long and is written in
Old English (the
language spoken in
England from about A.D. 500 to 1100). Beowulf tells the story of a Scandinavian prince of the same name who visits the
king of Denmark and offers to rid him of an
evil monster (called Grendel)-for twelve years the
beast had been attacking and eating the
king's warriors. The
king accepts this
offer and Beowulf engages Grendel when he enters the hall that evening and attacks and eats a
man. The monster finds he cannot escape from the prince's powerful
grip.
Tearing off his own arm, he finally wrenches free and leaves mortally wounded. The
following evening while the warriors sleep, Grendel's
mother comes to avenge the
death of her son and
kills a
man. Beowulf thus
sets off to
track down the monster's
mother to kill her.
Successful, he
returns home, and in
time, becomes
king.