<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 . 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 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 . 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 author '' . </P>
who transcribed ( wrote down ) the earliest known manuscript of beowulf
who transcribed ( wrote down ) the earliest known manuscript of beowulf
an anonymous Anglo - Saxon poet , referred to by scholars as the `` Beowulf author ''
an anonymous Anglo - Saxon poet , referred to by scholars as the `` Beowulf author ''