<P> The events in the poem take place over most of the sixth century, after the Anglo - Saxons had started their journey to England and before the beginning of the seventh century, a time when the Anglo - Saxons were either newly arrived or were still in close contact with their Germanic kinsmen in Northern Germany . The poem may have been brought to England by people of Geatish origins . Many suggest that Beowulf was first composed in the 7th century at Rendlesham in East Anglia, that the Sutton Hoo ship - burial also shows close connections with Scandinavia, and that the East Anglian royal dynasty, the Wuffingas, may have been descendants of the Geatish Wulfings . Others have associated this poem with the court of King Alfred the Great or with the court of King Cnut the Great . </P> <P> The poem deals with legends, was composed for entertainment, and does not separate between fictional elements and real historic events, such as the raid by King Hygelac into Frisia . Though Beowulf himself is not mentioned in any other Anglo - Saxon manuscript, scholars generally agree that many of the other personalities of Beowulf also appear in Scandinavian sources . (Specific works are designated in the following section). This concerns not only individuals (e.g., Healfdene, Hroðgar, Halga, Hroðulf, Eadgils and Ohthere), but also clans (e.g., Scyldings, Scylfings and Wulfings) and certain events (e.g., the Battle on the Ice of Lake Vänern). The dating of the events in the poem has been confirmed by archaeological excavations of the barrows indicated by Snorri Sturluson and by Swedish tradition as the graves of Ohthere (dated to c. 530) and his son Eadgils (dated to c. 575) in Uppland, Sweden . </P> <P> In Denmark, recent archaeological excavations at Lejre, where Scandinavian tradition located the seat of the Scyldings, i.e., Heorot, have revealed that a hall was built in the mid-6th century, exactly the time period of Beowulf . Three halls, each about 50 metres (160 ft) long, were found during the excavation . </P> <P> The majority view appears to be that people such as King Hroðgar and the Scyldings in Beowulf are based on real historical people from 6th - century Scandinavia . Like the Finnesburg Fragment and several shorter surviving poems, Beowulf has consequently been used as a source of information about Scandinavian personalities such as Eadgils and Hygelac, and about continental Germanic personalities such as Offa, king of the continental Angles . </P>

When was beowulf recorded in writing and why is it studied today