Written by the Fiveable Content Team โข Last updated September 2025
Verified for the 2026 exam
Verified for the 2026 examโขWritten by the Fiveable Content Team โข Last updated September 2025
Definition
Beowulf is an epic poem written in Old English that tells the story of a heroic warrior named Beowulf who battles monsters and dragons to protect his people.
Related terms
Epic Hero: A protagonist in an epic poem who possesses noble qualities and undertakes great adventures.
Anglo-Saxon Literature: The body of literature written in Old English during the Anglo-Saxon period, which includes works like Beowulf.