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Beowulf, the epic poem, was written in England between the 7th and 10th centuries, in Anglo-Saxon or Old English, however the events described happened in Scandinavia. Beowulf (Bear-Wolf) was a hero among the Geats, a land in present day southern Sweden. Early on in the poem, Beowulf crosses over to the land of the Danes to kill Grendel, the man-eating monster. Grendel's mother later seeks revenge. Beowulf rules the Geats for five decades until a dragon terrorises the countryside, Beowulf kills the dragon yet meets his own death.

This poem has been subject to academic study and intense analysis and is now only read in English translation. The references to the Geats, Danes and Swedes has been used to link these dynasties and the displacement of a pagan heroic code of honour society with the rapidly establishing Christian religion and the soul's destiny in the afterlife.

This poem has been accepted as a work of art and is a clear account of an heroic past which used a creative writing style and a clear structure to provide a well balanced account of Beowulf's exploits. The Beowulf poet was an imaginitive writer and today, is much appreciated for his art and poetic style. A new reader of the poem is confronted by strange names and and no known present day locations for the action sequences. This firmly places Beowulf in the Dark Ages. The opening and closing scenes are a lingering and a haunting presence in the modern readers mindset. The three struggles in the poem where the forces of evil are unleashed on the heroic Beowulf, impinge on our archetypal sites of fear. The first millenium fierce struggle for life of Anglo-Saxon England forces itself into the total order of the third milenium. Some sections of the poem, such as the minstrel chanting Beowulf's celebrated achievements and the aside about the Danes and Frisians fighting at Finn, the Frisian King's stronghold, are distracting, however these digressions are central to the imaginitive worlds of the poem.

The poem interweaves the destinies of three peoples through the story of the central character. Beowulf saves the Danes and returning to his own country, Beowulf succeeds King Hygelac's disastrous war with Sweden. On Beowulf's passing the Swedes and others are massing on the border with no hero or lord to defend the Geats.

Beowulf is a work of creative imagination where conflicting realities are accommodated and reconciliation occurs in the last section where the hero of old must gather his strength for the final ordeal. This is Beowulf's final challenge.

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