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Length5h 13m
About this audiobook
It may be the oldest surviving long poem in Old English and is commonly cited as one of the most important works of Old English literature. A date of composition is a matter of contention among scholars; the only certain dating pertains to the manuscript, which was produced between 975 and 1025. The author was an anonymous Anglo-Saxon poet, referred to by scholars as the "Beowulf poet".
The poem is set in Scandinavia. Beowulf, a hero of the Geats, comes to the aid of Hrothgar, the king of the Danes, whose mead hall in Heorot has been under attack by a monster known as Grendel. After Beowulf slays him, Grendel's mother attacks the hall and is then also defeated. Victorious, Beowulf goes home to Geatland and later becomes king of the Geats. After a period of fifty years has passed, Beowulf defeats a dragon, but is fatally wounded in the battle. After his death, his attendants cremate his body and erect a tower on a headland in his memory.
Audiobook details
Rating★★★ 3.5 (613)
Includes Goodreads
GenreLiterary Classics, General Fiction
Length5 hrs 13 mins
Narrated byListen with 1,000+ voices
FormateBook with Audio
Publish dateSep 4, 2017
LanguageEnglish
Table of contents
1Introduction
2PREFACE.
3THE STORY.
4ABBREVIATIONS USED IN THE NOTES.: LIST OF WORDS AND PHRASES NOT IN GENERAL USE.
5LIST OF WORDS AND PHRASES NOT IN GENERAL USE.
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6BEOWULF.
7I.: THE LIFE AND DEATH OF SCYLD.
8II.: SCYLD’S SUCCESSORS.—HROTHGAR’S GREAT MEAD-HALL.
9III.: GRENDEL THE MURDERER.
10IV.: BEOWULF GOES TO HROTHGAR’S ASSISTANCE.
11V.: THE GEATS REACH HEOROT.
12VI.: BEOWULF INTRODUCES HIMSELF AT THE PALACE.
13VII.: HROTHGAR AND BEOWULF.
14VIII.: HROTHGAR AND BEOWULF.—Continued.
15IX.: UNFERTH TAUNTS BEOWULF.
16X.: BEOWULF SILENCES UNFERTH.—GLEE IS HIGH.
17XI.: ALL SLEEP SAVE ONE.
18XII.: GRENDEL AND BEOWULF.
19XIII.: GRENDEL IS VANQUISHED.
20XIV.: REJOICING OF THE DANES.
21XV.: HROTHGAR’S GRATITUDE.
22XVI.: HROTHGAR LAVISHES GIFTS UPON HIS DELIVERER.
23XVII.: BANQUET (continued).—THE SCOP’S SONG OF FINN AND HNÆF.
24XVIII.: THE FINN EPISODE (continued).—THE BANQUET CONTINUES.
25XIX.: BEOWULF RECEIVES FURTHER HONOR.
26XX.: THE MOTHER OF GRENDEL.
27XXI.: HROTHGAR’S ACCOUNT OF THE MONSTERS.
28XXII.: BEOWULF SEEKS GRENDEL’S MOTHER.
29XXIII.: BEOWULF’S FIGHT WITH GRENDEL’S MOTHER.
30XXIV.: BEOWULF IS DOUBLE-CONQUEROR.
31XXV.: BEOWULF BRINGS HIS TROPHIES.—HROTHGAR’S GRATITUDE.
32XXVI.: HROTHGAR MORALIZES.—REST AFTER LABOR.
33XXVII.: SORROW AT PARTING.
34XXVIII.: THE HOMEWARD JOURNEY.—THE TWO QUEENS.
35XXIX.: BEOWULF AND HIGELAC.
36XXX.: BEOWULF NARRATES HIS ADVENTURES TO HIGELAC.
37XXXI.: GIFT-GIVING IS MUTUAL.
38XXXII.: THE HOARD AND THE DRAGON.
39XXXIII.: BRAVE THOUGH AGED.—REMINISCENCES.
40XXXIV.: BEOWULF SEEKS THE DRAGON.—BEOWULF’S REMINISCENCES.
41XXXV.: REMINISCENCES (continued).—BEOWULF’S LAST BATTLE.
42XXXVI.: WIGLAF THE TRUSTY.—BEOWULF IS DESERTED BY FRIENDS AND BY SWORD.
43XXXVII.: THE FATAL STRUGGLE.—BEOWULF’S LAST MOMENTS.
44XXXVIII.: WIGLAF PLUNDERS THE DRAGON’S DEN.—BEOWULF’S DEATH.
45XXXIX.: THE DEAD FOES.—WIGLAF’S BITTER TAUNTS.
46XL.: THE MESSENGER OF DEATH.
47XLI.: THE MESSENGER’S RETROSPECT.
48XLII.: WIGLAF’S SAD STORY.—THE HOARD CARRIED OFF.
49XLIII.: THE BURNING OF BEOWULF.
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