The horror . . . the horror . . . of Beowulf!

Monsters. Violence. Blood and gore. Heart-pounding suspense. The Old English poem Beowulf is not only the earliest epic written in the English language, it's the earliest horror story. Don't be afraid of the length of the poem or the fact that it was written in an archaic language! Check out this overview of the story, and imagine what it must have been like to hear a good storyteller relate the tale on a dark, spooky night. Then check out some of the versions available in print or online.

Beowulf Resources
• What You Need to Know About Beowulf
• The Beowulf Story
• Primary Characters in Beowulf
• Beowulf Quiz

The image is of the first page of the Beowulf manuscript, and is in the public domain. A larger version of the page is available.