Of unknown authorship Beowulf is an Old English epic poem which incites contentious debate and
has been endlessly interpreted over the centuries. This Reader's Guide provides a much-needed
overview of the large body of Beowulf criticism moving from eighteenth-century reactions to
twenty-first-century responses. Jodi-Ann George:- charts the changes in critical trends and
theoretical approaches applied to the poem- includes discussion of J. R. R. Tolkein's
pioneering 1936 lecture on Beowulf and Seamus Heaney's recent translation- analyses Beowulf
in popular culture addressing the poem's life in film versions graphic novels music and
comics.Clear and engaging this is an indispensable introductory guide to a widely-studied and
enigmatic work which continues to fascinate readers everywhere.
