Trade paperback. This 2nd edition has been thoroughly revised to take account of recent scholarship and to provide a clear and accessible introduction for those encountering Old English literature for the first time.

1. The social and political background Nicholas Brooks; 2. The Old English language Helmut Gneuss; 3. The nature of Old English verse Donald Scragg; 4. The Anglo-Saxon world view Daniel Anlezark; 5. Germanic legend in Old English literature Roberta Frank; 6. Heroic values and Christian ethics Katherine O'Brien O'Keeffe; 7. Pagan survivals and popular belief John D. Niles; 8. Beowulf Andy Orchard; 9. Preaching and teaching Mary Clayton; 10. Perceptions of transience Christine Fell; 11. Perceptions of eternity Milton McC. Gatch; 12. Biblical literature: the Old Testament Malcolm Godden; 13. Biblical literature: the New Testament Richard Marsden; 14. The saintly life in Anglo-Saxon England Michael Lapidge; 15. Literacy and the uses of the vernacular Mechthild Gretsch; 16. The world of Anglo-Saxon learning Patrizia Lendinara; 17. Old English after 1066 Christopher Jones; Further reading; Index.