BEOWULF, Wet-11-1)1f. An Old English poem, epic in theme and in tone, and one of the most interesting literary monuments of the Germanic race. The unique SIS. of the poem, now in the British Museum, is usually assigned to the Tenth Century. But the composition of the poem, in its present form, is placed as early as the Eighth Century. The poem also contains mythological elements of still greater antiquity. The scene is Denmark, apparently Zealand, and the opposite coast of Sweden. The monster Grendel — half man, half fiend — conies every night from the fens into the splendid hall of Hrothgar, King of the Danes. and carries off to his subterranean dwelling a number of the King's thegns and devours them. Beowulf, a prince among the Geats (of south Sweden), hearing of this, crosses the sea with fourteen companions to rid Hrothgar of the sea fiend. In a mighty strug gle in the hall at night performs his ex ploit; Grendel, after having an arm wrenched from the socket, flees to the fens to die. The next night Grendel's mother conies to the hall to avenge the death of her son, and hears away one of Hrotbgar's counselors. Beowulf, who is absent, is sent for in the morning,. lie descends to the caves of the sea and slays the water demon with a sword wrought by the giants. Beowulf returns to his country, where be be comes King and rules for fifty years. Then a
dragon, having been robbed of a cup from an immense hoard which he had guarded for three hundred years, becomes enraged and devastates the land. Beowulf, though weakened by his great age, puts the dragon to death with the aid of a kinsman. But, severely wounded, lie dies after viewing the treasures. Besides these three adventures, there are several episodes, and throughout graphic scenes of the social life of our ancestors before they left their ancient homes for Britain.
BIBLIOGRAPHY. The literature on Beowulf is Bibliography. The literature on Beowulf is immense. For an account of the poem, with bibliographies of editions and dissertations and other articles upon it, consult: Morley, English Writers, Vol. I. (London, 1887) ; Beowulf, trans lated by Garnett (Boston, 1885) ; Ten Brink, Early English Literal are, translated by Ken nedy (New York, 1883) : Beowulf, translated into English prose by C. B. Tinker (New York, 1902). For text, a facsimile of the MS., with transliteration and notes by Zupitza, made for the Early English Text Society (London, 1882). For editions of Beowulf consult: Thorpe (Lon don, 1875) ; Arnold (London, 1876) ; Grein, Bibliothek der A ngelsachsisehen Pocsie, Vol. I. (London, 1883) ; Wyatt (Cambridge. 1898). The editions of Thorpe and Arnold con tain translations. See ENGLISH LITERATURE.