Beowulf is the oldest surviving long poem in Old English, composed sometime between the eighth and eleventh centuries. The epic follows the warrior Beowulf as he defeats the monster Grendel, Grendel’s mother, and finally a fire-breathing dragon — exploring themes of heroism, loyalty, and the transience of earthly glory that resonate across a thousand years.
This edition pairs the full epic with The Fight at Finnsburh, a brief but vivid fragment that illuminates the same heroic world. The free EPUB is cleanly formatted with the verse structure carefully preserved throughout.