Beowulf First page of Beowulf in Cotton Vitellius A. xv Author (s) Unknown Language West Saxon dialect of Old English Date c. 700 -- 1000 AD (date of story), c. 975 -- 1010 AD (date of manuscript) State of existence Manuscript suffered damage from fire in 1731 Manuscript (s) Cotton Vitellius A. xv First printed edition Thorkelin (1815) Genre Epic heroic writing Verse form Alliterative verse Length c. 3182 lines Subject The battles of Beowulf, the Geatish hero, in youth and old age Personages Beowulf, Hygelac, Hrothgar, Wealhþeow, Hrothulf, Æschere, Unferth, Grendel, Grendel 's mother, Wiglaf, Hildeburh.
when is beowulf believed to have been written
c. 700 -- 1000 AD