<P> Beowulf ( / ˈbeɪoʊwʊlf / Old English : ( ˈbeːo̯ˌwulf ) ) is an Old English epic poem consisting of 3,182 alliterative lines . 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 '' . </P>
<P> Beowulf ( / ˈbeɪoʊwʊlf / Old English : ( ˈbeːo̯ˌwulf ) ) is an Old English epic poem consisting of 3,182 alliterative lines . 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 '' . </P>
when was the poem beowulf first written down
when was the poem beowulf first written down
between 975 and 1025
between 975 and 1025