Stories of Beowulf

Henrietta Elizabeth Marshall achieved some notoriety in the early part of the 20th century for her historical works aimed at younger readers. Notable amongst these include "Our Island Story", which is a history of England from the time of the Roman Empire's invasion of England until the death of Queen Victoria, and "This Country of Ours", a history of America from the Revolutionary War through World War I. In this work, "Stories of Beowulf" the author turns her attention to a retelling of one of England's most famous works, the heroic epic poem "Beowulf". This anonymous epic poem, which is written in the tradition of Germanic heroic legend, comes to us from a late 10th century manuscript, although some scholars believed it may have been penned as early as the 7th century. A blending of historical as well as fictional and legendary elements makes this work one of the most fascinating tales of medieval Europe. The classic battles of this epic in which Beowulf fights the Ogre Grendel, the Water Witch, and the dragon are retold here masterfully by Marshall for a younger audience with several wonderful illustrations by J. R. Skelton. This edition includes a biographical afterword.