This carefully presented edition offers modern readers access to one of the foundational works of the Western literary tradition. Beowulf is one of the most important works of Old English literature. This epic poem is believed to have been composed between 700 and 750; its author is unknown. It tells the story of the hero Beowulf and his battles against the monster Grendel (and Grendel's mother) and against an evil dragon. It recounts primarily the mythical-and to some extent the historical-past of the Scandinavian world in the 6th century. Its diversity, complexity, and profundity, together with its timeless themes of power, courage, love, and fidelity, make Beowulf one of the most compelling and memorable works of world literature. As in the classical tradition of epic poetry (Homer's Odyssey, Virgil's Aeneid, Ferdowsi's Epic of Kings), the poem is concerned with human values and moral choices. This book has entertained generations of readers, and it continues to fascinate.