The Tale of Beowulf, sometime King of the Folk of the Weder Geats

An English translation of the tale. Beowulf is one of the first literary masterpieces of the English language, written in Old English in the eleventh century. The story itself is thought to have been originally composed sometime between 700 and 750.

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Citation

The Tale of Beowulf, sometime King of the Folk of the Weder Geats, trans. William Morris and A.J. Wyatt (London: Longmans, Green, and Co., 1910).

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John Ronald Reuel Tolkien (Author)

He was a beloved author, Anglo-Saxon and Medieval scholar, and professor at the University of Oxford. Beowulf was among his many passions. He authored a translation and commentary of the poem.

Seamus Heaney (Author)

He was a well known Irish poet. His new verse translation of Beowulf is enjoyed by scholars and readers alike.

Critical Responses

Book

The Beowulf Poet: A Collection of Critical Essays

Donald Fry, editor

In this collection, Fry compiles ten articles from various authors concerning the critical analysis, interpretation, and context of Beowulf. Among them is JRR Tolkien’s famous essay “Beowulf: the Monsters and the Critics.”

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Connected Readings

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The Nibelungenlied

George Henry Needler

Nibelungenlied is an epic poem written in the Germanic heroic tradition which dates back to the 13th century. Like Beowulf, it contains themes of heroism, revenge, and monster-slaying.

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Book

The Hobbit

John Ronald Reuel Tolkien

Among his many scholarships, JRR Tolkien was a faithful student of Beowulf. The influence the poem had on his own work is seen in The Hobbit and his The Lord of the Rings trilogy.

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Video

What Makes a Hero

Matthew Winkler

In this short video, Matthew Winkler discusses the pattern of hero stories and how it relates to everyday life based on Joseph Campbell’s work, The Hero with a Thousand Faces.

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Book

The First Book of Moses, called Genesis (KJV)

Moses

This traditional Hebrew text offers the detailed backstory of Grendel’s accursed ancestor Cain and his villainous murder of Abel.

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Podcast

Zach Weinersmith on Beowulf and Bea Wolf

Zach Weinersmith and Russ Roberts

EconTalk Podcast

In this interview with cartoonist Zach Weinersmith, Russ Robert and Weinersmith discuss Beowulf, morals in children tales, and the role of poetry in today’s culture.

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