English Literature CLEP Prep Practice Exam

Who wrote the epic poem "Beowulf?"

1. Alfred Tennyson

2. Geoffrey Chaucer

3. John Milton

4. Anonymous

The correct answer is: Anonymous

Beowulf is an old English epic poem that dates back to the first half of the 8th century. While Alfred Tennyson, Geoffrey Chaucer, and John Milton are all well-known poets in English literature, Beowulf was written by an unknown author and is often referred to as an "anonymous" work. This poem was passed down through oral tradition until it was finally written down and published in the 19th century. Thus, none of the other options are correct as they did not write Beowulf.