Beowulf

Beowulf ’s origins are mysterious. While we do not know the identity of the author, and we are unsure of its precise dateof composition, most scholars believe it was composed by a single Christian author for a Christian audience in Anglo-Saxon England anywhere from the eighth to eleventh century. Beowulf was composed in the oral poetic tradition. Whetherit was originally written or oral is not known. The poem, filled with biblical allusions to the Old Testament, is alsoinfluenced by Germanic oral tradition and Old Norse myth and legend.Beowulf is well suited for upper-grade high school students of all abilities. Adolescent readers will enjoy its action andadventure. Television shows, such as Xena: Warrior Princess and Hercules, and movies like The 13th Warrior (based onMichael Crichton’s Eaters of the Dead), have helped pique student interest in stories of feudal heroes.Most upper-grade high school students previously have been introduced to epic poetry and its related concept of the epichero in such works as The Odyssey. Lower-ability students should be able to read and understand Beowulf with the help ofplot summaries and class discussions. All students will