Names and Naming in 'Beowulf'

''Beowulf'', one of the earliest poems in the English language, recounts a tale of heroism played out against the backdrop of Scandinavia in the 5th to 6th centuries AD. And yet, this Old English verse narrative set in Scandinavia is – a little surprisingly, perhaps – populated with names of German descent.

This insight into the personal names of ''Beowulf'' acts the starting point for Philip A. Sh...