Jump to ratings and reviews
Rate this book

Beowulf

Rate this book
An “old English poem” written in days gone by, sophisticated in a way modern “epic poems” are lacking.

Beowulf by Anonymous is an example of classic warrior poetry first published in c. 975 – 1025AD in the United Kingdom (or 700 - 1000AD - there is a measure of doubt). This translation was first published in 1897.

A true book of worth, a classic that lives on in an era of timeless distinction. Early books exude an excellence unlike any from modern times. You will not be dissatisfied with this work. A poetic saga at its finest.

A Glimpse Inside

The famous race of Spear-Danes.
Lo! the Spear-Danes’ glory through splendid achievements
The folk-kings’ former fame we have heard of,
How princes displayed then their prowess-in-battle.
Scyld, their mighty king, in honor of whom they are often called Scyldings. He is the great-grandfather of Hrothgar, so prominent in the poem.
Oft Scyld the Scefing from scathers in numbers

From many a people their mead-benches tore.
Since first he found him friendless and wretched,
The earl had had comfort he got for it,
Waxed ’neath the welkin, world-honor gained,
Till all his neighbors o’er sea were compelled to

Bow to his bidding and bring him their
An excellent atheling! After was borne him
A son is born to him, who receives the name of Beowulf—a name afterwards made so famous by the hero of the poem.
A son and heir, young in his dwelling,
Whom God-Father sent to solace the people.

Synopsis

Beowulf is an Old English or Anglo-Saxon epic poem. It is not exactly known when it was written, but it is thought to have been between about 700 to 1000AD.

It is an example of alliterative verse and it is about the battles fought by the hero Beowulf from his youth to his old age. It is set in a pagan Scandinavia of the 6th century.

It is regarded as one of the most important works in the literature of Old English but the author is unknown.

There is only one copy of the original manuscript known - and it is lucky we have this as it was damaged in 1731 in a fire.

"A stunning reprint" from Wombrook Publishing. We have made every attempt possible to ensure the original integrity of this book has been upheld to the highest standard. This means that the text in this edition is unedited and unchanged from the original author’s publication, preserving its earliest form for your indulgence. This title is one of the best classic works of poetry of all time. Its words are strung together with such literary precision, in a way that you just do not see in alliterative poems from the modern age. This title will make an excellent gift for the classic poetry buff in your life, or a fantastic addition to your current collection. We are ready to ship this book off to you today at lightning speed , so that you can indulge in this title without delay.

Beowulf

◆ Original 1000AD text translated by J Lesslie Hall
◆ Epic battle poetry
◆ 5 x 8 Inches
◆ Matte Cover
◆ White Paper

169 pages, Paperback

Published October 23, 2021

10 people are currently reading
31 people want to read

About the author

Anonymous

791k books3,369 followers
Books can be attributed to "Anonymous" for several reasons:

* They are officially published under that name
* They are traditional stories not attributed to a specific author
* They are religious texts not generally attributed to a specific author

Books whose authorship is merely uncertain should be attributed to Unknown.

See also: Anonymous

Ratings & Reviews

What do you think?
Rate this book

Friends & Following

Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!

Community Reviews

5 stars
4 (16%)
4 stars
4 (16%)
3 stars
16 (64%)
2 stars
1 (4%)
1 star
0 (0%)
Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews
9 reviews
April 22, 2025
I understand how impressive it is for what it is and when it was created, but reading it today it is okay. Yes an epic, fascianting stories, but I don't love the structure and lyricism is a bit lacking (the changed language likely doesn't help), and it reminds me somewhat of the illiad of how descriptive it is, rather than action focuses (even for such a short book). It is worth reading though,fascinating to understand where many drew inspiration from for today's epics
Profile Image for Gabriel Tamaș.
135 reviews13 followers
February 23, 2023
The rating is for the translation alone. The story obviously gets 5/5 stars.

Yet the translation, albeit trying to sound genuine, with all te aliterations and skaldic metaphors, it comes short in conveying the narration itself. Especially for a non-native speaker, this version is a slow and teadious read, with many segments of the story left unclear.
Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews

Can't find what you're looking for?

Get help and learn more about the design.