The Dating of Beowulf

The dating of Beowulf has been a central question in Anglo-Saxon studies for the past two centuries since it affects not only the interpretation of Beowulf but also the trajectory of early English literary history. By exploring evidence for the poem's date of composition the essays in this volume contribute to a wide range of pertinent fields including historical linguistics Old English metrics onomastics and textual criticism. Many aspects of Anglo-Saxon literary culture are likewise examined as contributors gauge the chronological significance of the monsters heroes history and theology brought together in Beowulf. Discussions of methodology and the history of the discipline also figure prominently in this collection.