Old English literature | Anglo-Saxon, Epic Poetry, Beowulf (2024)

Old English literature, literature written in Old English c. 650–c. 1100. For a description of this period in the context of the history of English literature, see English literature: The Old English period.

Beowulf is the oldest surviving Germanic epic and the longest Old English poem; it was likely composed between 700 and 750. Other great works of Old English poetry include The Wanderer, The Seafarer, The Battle of Maldon, and The Dream of the Rood. This poetry is alliterative; one of its features is the kenning, a metaphorical phrase used in place of a common noun (e.g., “swan road” for “sea”). Two known poets from this period are Caedmon, considered the first Old English Christian poet, and Cynewulf. Old English poetry has survived almost entirely in four manuscripts: the Exeter Book, the Junius Manuscript, the Vercelli Book, and the Beowulf manuscript.

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English literature: The Old English period

Old English prose works include legal writings, medical tracts, religious texts, and translations from Latin and other languages. Particularly notable is the Anglo-Saxon Chronicle, a historical record begun about the time of King Alfred’s reign (871–899) and continuing for more than three centuries.