Composed at the end of the first millennium, "Beowulf" is the elegiac narrative of the Scandinavian hero who saves the Danes from the seemingly invincible monster Grendel and later, from Grendel's mother. Drawn to its immense emotional credibility, Seamus Heaney gives the great epic convincing reality for today's reader.In "Beowulf: An Illustrated Edition", John D. Niles brings Heaney's best-selling translation to life. Full-page illustrations-Viking warships, chain mail, lyres, spearheads, a reconstruction of a Great Hall-make visible Beowulf's world and the themes of his story: death, divine power, horror, heroism, disgrace, devotion and fame. This mysterious world becomes more amazing after viewing the objects and the landscape of its origins.