Beowulf, an Anglo-Saxon poem of epic scope, dates back to the year 850 and marks the beginning of the English literary tradition. This revised edition of Michael Alexander's acclaimed verse translation makes accessible to modern readers the story of the Scandinavian hero Beowulf-slayer of the monster Grendel and Grendel's mother-who becomes a king of Greatland in old age and is mortally wounded in combat with a dragon. A richly allusive narrative, blending history with legend and folklore, Beowulf portrays an epic conflict of feast and feud, generosity and vengeance, life and death.In this new edition for Penguin Classics, Michael Alexander provides a new introduction, bibliography, notes, maps, an index of proper names, genealogical tables, and a fully revised text.