- Beowulf is the conventional title of an Old English heroic epic poem consisting of 3182 alliterative long lines, set in Scandinavia, commonly cited as one of the most important works of Anglo-Saxon literature.
- Beowulf survives in a single manuscript known as the Nowell Codex. Its composition by an anonymous Anglo-Saxon poet is dated between the 8th and the early 11th century.
- Beowulf's narrative consists of two parts: The first relates the hero's successful fights with the water monster Grendel and with Grendel's mother; the second narrates Beowulf's victory in his old age over a dragon and his subsequent death and funeral.
- The events described in the poem take place in the late 5th century, after the Anglo-Saxons had begun migration and settlement in England.
- There have been some 65 translations of the work into modern English.
- The Beowulf movie (2007) was ranked #1 in the United States and Canada box office during its opening weekend date of November 18 grossing $27.5 million in 3,153 theaters.
- Giving Beowulf three out of four stars, the critic Roger Ebert argues that the film is a satire of the original poem.
- Beowulf: The Game, a video game based on the film for PC and consoles was released on November 13, 2007 in the United States. The characters are voiced by the original actors who starred in the film.
Facts abut Beowulf
