Beowulf

In the most recent film version of this classic tale, the warrior Beowulf (played by Ray Winstone) sails to Denmark to help Hrothgar (Anthony Hopkins) rid his kingdom of monsters - Grendel (Crispin Glover) and Grendel’s Mother (Angelina Jolie).

The story, about Danes and Swedes, prompts this question: How did it become an Anglo-Saxon tale? The narrative is about Scandinavians, so why is it Britain’s national epic?

In this story behind the movie, step back in time to the Dark Ages. Take a virtual trip to the story’s setting, in Scandinavia, to see what life was like during Viking times. Visit a mead hall, inspect a buried Viking ship or learn about trolls. Examine the original Beowulf manuscript - the only known source of the story - and hear (and see) the tale performed in Old English by a modern scop.