The Old English poem Beowulf describes a world of kings, knights, demons, and epic battles between the forces of good and evil. Through vivid descriptions of Germanic society, the anonymous Beowulf poet also describes the complex, often-violent world of a people still making the transition from paganism to Christianity. This useful and comprehensive volume offers students of the poem a guide to the history of its creation, as well as a summary of its plot, characters, and principal themes.
