• Course begins August 15, 2026

  • Live sessions with the instructor each week from 12:00 - 2:00pm Eastern U.S. time

  • All sessions are recorded and available to view for up to 2 weeks after the last live session

Session 1

Beowulf and the Bible

We start with reading lines 1 – 1037 of Beowulf with a focus on Grendel. In addition we will read the biblical and apocryphal texts that informed the Beowulf-poet.

Session 2

Beowulf and Women

Next, we read lines 1038 – 1849 of Beowulf, primarily looking at Grendel’s Mother. In addition we will examine the representation of women in a selection of other Old English analogues and texts.

Session 3

Beowulf and Monsters

This week we read lines 1850 – 2665 of Beowulf, the final third of the poem, which details the dragon fight. We will also consider some other important representations of marvelous and mythological creatures.

Session 4

Beowulf's Germanic Analogues

In the final session we will consider a selection of excerpts from similar texts in Old and Middle High German and Old Norse.

Meet Your Instructor


Dr. John Gallagher researches and teaches Old English and related North Sea literatures and languages, including Old Saxon, Old Norse-Icelandic, and Latin, among others. John has taught various courses on Old English and medieval literature for the University of St. Andrews, University College Dublin, the Orthodox Academy of Crete, and Medievalists.net. 

  • Continued access to course materials is available for 2 weeks from the last course session

More About This Course

  • No previous knowledge of Old English is required. All material will be read in translation and provided in advance. 


  • The course is open to all, from complete novices who are curious about Beowulf and are reading it for the first time to more seasoned readers who know the text well. It is also open to anyone who might have taken my previous guided reading course, Reading Beowulf (2025).


  • The course will be accessible, informal, and emphasize discussion. The discussion format requires that you come to each class having read the allocated lines and texts and are prepared to discuss them. 

What John's students say

“John Joseph Gallagher is an absolute God send! He is professional, knowledgeable, genuine and engaging.”

“John is an excellent teacher; his lectures were always interesting, and his personal and patient way of engaging with students showed his dedication to teaching.”

“I was thrilled to be in Dr. Gallagher’s class. The provided materials were fascinating and ones I wouldn’t have encountered on my own.”