# Beowulf: An Anglo-Saxon Epic Poem

**Author:** Unknown
**Tags:** Monsters, Dragons, Epic poetry, English (Old)
**Price:** Free
**Formats:** DOCX, EPUB, FB2, PDF, TXT
**Downloads:** 46
**Added:** 10.07.2026
**URL:** https://samolit.com/books/95808

## Description

Beowulf stands as the oldest surviving epic poem in the English language, a cornerstone of Old English literature preserved from Anglo-Saxon oral tradition and eventually set down by an anonymous scop. This translation renders the ancient alliterative verse into modern measures, following the Heyne-Socin text, so contemporary readers can encounter the saga in something closer to its original rhythm and spirit. The poem follows Beowulf, a warrior of the Geats, who crosses the sea to rescue Hrothgar, king of the Danes, whose great mead-hall Heorot is terrorized nightly by the monstrous Grendel. After a brutal hand-to-hand battle leaves Grendel mortally wounded, his vengeful mother rises from her mere to continue the slaughter, drawing Beowulf into the murky depths for a second reckoning. Decades later, now king of his own people, an aged Beowulf faces his final and most devastating trial: a fire-breathing dragon roused from its ancient hoard. Blending pagan heroism with early Christian reflection, this tale of courage, mortality, and loyalty offers a haunting window into the values, warrior culture, and imagination of early medieval England, and remains essential reading for anyone drawn to myth, monsters, and the roots of English poetry.