Beowulf was the medieval poem J.R.R. Tolkien famously addressed in his 1936 lecture and essay.
Tolkien’s lecture, later published as “Beowulf: The Monsters and the Critics,” argued that the poem should be valued as a work of literature rather than treated mainly as historical evidence about Anglo-Saxon society. He emphasized its structure, symbolism, and artistic unity.
The poem tells of the hero Beowulf and his battles with Grendel, Grendel’s mother, and a dragon. Tolkien’s deep engagement with the text reflected his academic specialization in Old English and helped influence modern scholarly appreciation of Beowulf.
Tolkien’s interest in monsters, heroic legend, and ancient languages also resonated with his creative work. However, Beowulf is an Old English poem from the medieval tradition, not a story written by Tolkien.