ENGLISH LITERATURE (CBSE/UGC NET)

Detailed explanation-1: -Beowulf is a heroic poem, considered the highest achievement of Old English literature and the earliest European vernacular epic. It deals with events of the early 6th century CE and is believed to have been composed between 700 and 750.

Detailed explanation-2: -“Beowulf” is part of the tradition of epic poetry that began with the poems of Homer and Virgil, and it deals with the affairs and deeds of brave men, but, like its classical models, it makes no attempt to portray a whole life chronologically from beginning to end.

Detailed explanation-3: -What Is the Significance of Beowulf? Beowulf helps scholars trace the evolution of the English language as well as study the norms and traditions of the Anglo-Saxons in the medieval period. Beowulf gives a glimpse of England’s history and the earliest forms of literature of the people of England.

Detailed explanation-4: -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.

Detailed explanation-5: -Historical Importance. Being the oldest surviving English poem from the Anglo-Saxon period, Beowulf gives the reader insight into the history of England and what eventually became British Literature.