Beowulf is considered an epic because it is a lengthy narrative poem that follows the adventures of a single great hero. It does not, however, reflect all of the formal characteristics of other great literary epics such as Homer's Iliad, Virgil's Aeneid, or Milton's Paradise Lost. Differences stem from the fact that Beowulf was originally composed, probably for oral recitation, in a Germanic verse form known as alliterative verse. In contrast to the poetry most familiar to modern readers—which is written in regular metered verse forms such as iambic pentameter and usually has end-rhyme—a line of alliterative verse has no set number of syllables.

Instead of end-rhyme, it uses an internal repetition of initial sounds.

This adaptation of Beowulf is unique among the several modern versions because it is written in poetry rather than in prose. Few others have attempted versifying this...