Search
Log in
  • Home

  • Categories

  • Audiobooks

  • E-books

  • For kids

  • Top lists

  • Help

  • Download app

  • Use campaign code

  • Redeem gift card

  • Try free now
  • Log in
  • Language

    🇩🇪 Deutschland

    • DE
    • EN

    🇧🇪 Belgique

    • FR
    • EN

    🇩🇰 Danmark

    • DK
    • EN

    🇪🇸 España

    • ES
    • EN

    🇫🇷 France

    • FR
    • EN

    🇳🇱 Nederland

    • NL
    • EN

    🇳🇴 Norge

    • NO
    • EN

    🇦🇹 Österreich

    • AT
    • EN

    🇨🇭 Schweiz

    • DE
    • EN

    🇫🇮 Suomi

    • FI
    • EN

    🇸🇪 Sverige

    • SE
    • EN
  1. Books
  2. Historic and folklore novels
  3. Historic novels

Read and listen for free for 14 days!

Cancel anytime

Try free now
2.5(2)

Beowulf

Beowulf is an Old English epic poem in the tradition of Germanic heroic legend consisting of 3,182 alliterative lines. It is one of the most important and most often translated works of Old English literature. The date of composition is a matter of contention among scholars; the only certain dating is for the manuscript, which was produced between 975 and 1025. Scholars call the anonymous author the "Beowulf poet". The story is set in pagan Scandinavia in the 6th century. Beowulf, a hero of the Geats, comes to the aid of Hrothgar, the king of the Danes, whose mead hall in Heorot has been under attack by the monster Grendel. After Beowulf slays him, Grendel's mother attacks the hall and is then defeated. Victorious, Beowulf goes home to Geatland and becomes king of the Geats. Fifty years later, Beowulf defeats a dragon but is mortally wounded in the battle. After his death, his attendants cremate his body and erect a tower on a headland in his memory. Scholars have debated whether Beowulf was transmitted orally, affecting its interpretation: if it was composed early, in pagan times, then the paganism is central and the Christian elements were added later, whereas if it was composed later, in writing, by a Christian. Beowulf is written mostly in the West Saxon dialect of Old English, but many other dialectal forms are present, suggesting that the poem may have had a long and complex transmission throughout the dialect areas of England.No definite sources or analogs of the poem can be proven, but many suggestions have been made, including the Icelandic Grettis saga, the Norse story of Hrolf Kraki and his bear-shapeshifting servant Bodvar Bjarki, the international folktale the Bear's Son Tale, and the Irish folktale of the Hand and the Child. Persistent attempts have been made to link Beowulf to tales from Homer's Odyssey or Virgil's Aeneid. More definite are Biblical parallels, with clear allusions to the books of Genesis, Exodus, and Daniel.


Author:

  • unknown

Narrators:

  • Geoffrey Giuliano
  • The Ark

Format:

  • Audiobook
  • E-book

Duration:

  • 2 h 40 min
  • 82 pages

Language:

English

Categories:

  • Historic and folklore novels
  • Historic novels
  • Classics and poetry
  • Classics

More by unknown

Skip the list
  1. Beowulf : The Original Manuscript

    Unknown

    audiobook
  2. Bibi & Tina, Folge 3: Klangreise auf dem Martinshof

    Unknown

    audiobook
  3. Bibi & Tina, Folge 2: Klangreise Nachts im Schloss

    Unknown

    audiobook
  4. 12 Days Of Christmas : The Night Before Christmas

    Unknown, Clement Clarke Moore

    audiobook
  5. The Yoga Of Egyptian Book Of The Dead :

    Unknown

    audiobook
  6. The Writings : Book 1

    Unknown

    audiobook
  7. The Egyptian Book Of The Dead : The Complete Text

    Unknown

    audiobook
  8. The Mysticism Of The Egyptian Book Of The Dead :

    Unknown

    audiobook
  9. The Diamond Sutra : The Lost Knowledge Of The Buddha

    Unknown

    audiobook
  10. Brama Samhita : The Eternal Veda

    Unknown

    audiobook
  11. The Book Of Enoch :

    Unknown

    audiobook

Others have also read

Skip the list
  1. Beowulf : Hall Translation

    John Lesslie Hall

    audiobook
  2. Beowulf

    The Beowulf Poet The Beowulf Poet

    audiobook
  3. Legacy of Bronze

    Bryce O'Connor, TL Greylock

    audiobook
  4. Beowulf : The Original Manuscript

    Unknown

    audiobook
  5. Beowulf - An Anglo-Saxon Epic Poem (Unabridged)

    J. Lesslie Hall

    audiobook
  6. Sorcery in San Francisco

    Auburn Tempest, Michael Anderle

    audiobook
  7. Within the Sanctuary of Wings

    Marie Brennan

    audiobook
  8. Beowulf

    Stephen Mitchell

    audiobook
  9. Beowulf

    Uncredited

    audiobook
  10. The Serpent and the Wolf

    Rebecca Robinson

    audiobookbook
  11. Beowulf

    Anonymous

    audiobookbook
  12. Beowulf

    Anonymous

    audiobook

Help and contact


About us

  • Our story
  • Career
  • Press
  • Accessibility
  • Partner with us
  • Investor relations
  • Instagram
  • Facebook

Explore

  • Categories
  • Audiobooks
  • E-books
  • Magazines
  • For kids
  • Top lists

Popular categories

  • Crime
  • Biographies and reportage
  • Fiction
  • Feel-good and romance
  • Personal development
  • Children's books
  • True stories
  • Sleep and relaxation

Nextory

Copyright © 2025 Nextory AB

Privacy Policy · Terms · Imprint ·
Excellent4.3 out of 5