Beowulf, often referenced as the highest achievement of Old English Literature, is a heroic poem. Heroic poetry was usually transmitted orally, and not written down for many generations. Poems were performed and expanded upon for audiences, and heroic poems specifically centered around superior beings performing feats of skill and courage. Beowulf may have been composed the first time as early as 700 CE, and evolved through generations. One factor that indicates this progression is the inclusion of both pagan and Christian aspects within the story. For modern day epics that reimagine the tradition, including a new translation of Beowulf, read on here or here.

Beowulf's survival was threatened at times by damp, neglect, poor organization, and the fire mentioned in this video. The Cotton Library's journey of preservation is chronicled in this article. In 1845, the pages of the manuscript were mounted in paper frames to avoid further damage, which protected the pages but resulted in some letters around the edges being obscured. In 1993, the British Library created the Electronic Beowulf Project, which used special infrared and ultraviolet lighting techniques to reveal the covered letters and make electronic images of the manuscript.

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