<P> Beowulf ( / ˈbeɪəwʊlf / ; Old English : ( ˈbeːo̯wulf ) ) is an Old English epic story consisting of 3,182 alliterative lines . It may be the oldest surviving long story in Old English and is commonly cited as one of the most important works of Old English literature . The 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 author '' . </P>
<P> Beowulf ( / ˈbeɪəwʊlf / ; Old English : ( ˈbeːo̯wulf ) ) is an Old English epic story consisting of 3,182 alliterative lines . It may be the oldest surviving long story in Old English and is commonly cited as one of the most important works of Old English literature . The 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 author '' . </P>
the only one full-length folk epic which has survived in english literature
the only one full-length folk epic which has survived in english literature
Beowulf
Beowulf