Recent visitors to the museum might have noticed that our newest temporary exhibition, Here Be Dragons: Anglo-Saxon Influence on Fantasy is now open to visit. This exhibition celebrates the impact of Anglo-Saxon culture and literature on our world today.
2026 is the National Year of Reading and so to celebrate, this exhibition ties what often feels like a distant part of history with stories that are relevant to people today.
From the works of Tolkien, a scholar of Anglo-Saxon literature and the author of some of the most beloved works in the fantasy genre, to Game of Thrones and other Western fantasy stories, this exhibition explores the legacy of the Anglo-Saxons on stories loved by people today.
It is well-known that Tolkien took some inspiration from Beowulf, an Old English poem which he translated and even gave a famous lecture on in 1936. Beowulf, he said, was a work of art in itself and should be appreciated as such, and teaches us about fate and legacy.
So why do old stories and pieces of folklore still capture our imagination? Why should they still matter to us today? We asked students from Durham University’s Mythology and Folklore Society, and you can read excerpts from their responses below:
“Old stories remain important to a modern readership because they explore experiences that are fundamental to being human. Societies change, but people are still grappling with the same questions of ambition, love, grief, mortality, and power. Despite being written over 1000 years ago, stories like Beowulf pose questions that are still relevant: What makes a good leader? What do we owe to our society? What legacy do we leave behind? Questions in old stories have no simple answers, which leads each new generation to find new meaning in them.”
“Modern fantasy, such as that seen in the twentieth century, draws heavily on Anglo-Saxon heroic poetry, folklore, and legend. Scholar and author J. R. R. Tolkien was deeply influenced by Beowulf and devoted much of his academic career to the study of Old English literature. Many familiar fantasy elements have roots in much older Anglo-Saxon traditions: dragons, ancient ruins, forgotten languages, heroic quests. Tolkien even took middangeard (‘middle-earth’) from Old English, transforming it into the setting of his fantasy world. Works such as The Lord of the Rings ensured the recycling of ancient symbols and motifs into modern fantasy literature, films, and games.”
“Old stories survive because they continue to speak to lasting human concerns while remaining open to novel interpretations. They are not merely relics of the past but living stories that help us understand ourselves and our history. In this sense, these stories are still shaping the tales we tell today.”
Read the full response here
“Old stories remain important to a modern readership because they explore experiences that are fundamental to being human. Societies change, but people are still grappling with the same questions of ambition, love, grief, mortality, and power. Despite being written over 1000 years ago, stories like Beowulf pose questions that are still relevant: What makes a good leader? What do we owe to our society? What legacy do we leave behind? Questions in old stories have no simple answers, which leads each new generation to find new meaning in them.
Old stories are a window into the past, revealing how preexisting societies understood themselves. Beowulf illustrates Anglo-Saxon values and fears through a world in which honour and loyalty are essential to social cohesion, whilst simultaneously being deeply concerned with the fragility of human achievement. Great warriors and kingdoms are still vulnerable to mortality. Although societal values have transformed over time, Anglo-Saxon works remind us that each generation inherits a world shaped by those who came before.
These stories and legends are a part of our cultural memory. They preserve historical experiences, collective fears, and founding myths to the extent that they are still visible today. Terms such as ‘Trojan horse’ or ‘Arthurian’ are widely circulated because the stories behind them continue to hold meaning and influence over how we communicate. Old stories essentially connect the past to the present, conveying the sense that the world is much larger and older than the current moment, a sentiment that has long fascinated readers.
Modern fantasy, such as that seen in the twentieth century, draws heavily on Anglo-Saxon heroic poetry, folklore, and legend. Scholar and author J. R. R. Tolkien was deeply influenced by Beowulf and devoted much of his academic career to the study of Old English literature. Many familiar fantasy elements have roots in much older Anglo-Saxon traditions: dragons, ancient ruins, forgotten languages, heroic quests. Tolkien even took middangeard (‘middle-earth’) from Old English, transforming it into the setting of his fantasy world. Works such as The Lord of the Rings ensured the recycling of ancient symbols and motifs into modern fantasy literature, films, and games.
Old stories are equally powerful because they function symbolically rather than didactically. The dragon in Beowulf represents not only a monster but also greed, chaos, and the unknown. Likewise, a quest may symbolise self-discovery, growth, or moral testing. The continuing popularity of these motifs reflects the world in which modern fantasy emerged. The twentieth century was marked by industrialisation, urbanisation, world wars, and rapid technological change. Many readers looked to older stories for alternative visions of life that felt closer to nature, conscious of mortality, and connected to place, language, and tradition.
Old stories survive because they continue to speak to lasting human concerns while remaining open to novel interpretations. They are not merely relics of the past but living stories that help us understand ourselves and our history. In this sense, these stories are still shaping the tales we tell today.”
“Stories like Beowulf, an Anglo-Saxon epic that is focused on mythological enemies and great heroes […] are still important to us because, despite their age, they display themes that are timeless in nature, due to how unbelievably human they are. Despite the distance between the time that this story was written and first read and modern readers, we still read it because it’s not just exciting, but also full of moments that reflect things that we still do today.”
“The epic also continues to appeal to us because of its concern for the past. The first extant lines of the epic are focused on long-gone acts of heroism and how the world has changed since then. This reflective aspect of the story is something that makes the epic relevant to us because it shows that our tendency to look back is not new, but is in fact a feature on the ancient sources we do this with.”
“Beowulf is not just about swords, beasts, heroes and treasure, it is also about creating connections and finding comfort in the past, both of which help create a sense of hope that we can still feel today. Readers are first excited by the mythical elements of the story that take them out of reality, and then are shown its human side, that often focuses on hopes, fears and feelings that we still have today.”
Read the full response here
“Stories like Beowulf, an Anglo-Saxon epic that is focused on mythological enemies and great heroes that is full of outdated words and phrases are still important to us because, despite their age, they display themes that are timeless in nature, due to how unbelievably human they are. Despite the distance between the time that this story was written and first read and modern readers, we still read it because it’s not just exciting, but also full of moments that reflect things that we still do today.
A good example of this is the epic’s focus on communities, both new and old. Beowulf, a Geat, travels to the land of the Danes to help them defeat Grendel, a monster that has been destroying their livelihoods. This is an important choice that the epic revolves around – when Beowulf has secured the safety of the Danes and is about to leave to return to his Uncle’s court, the unusual nature of his help is acknowledged:
“My liking for you
deepens with time, dear Beowulf.
What you have done is to draw two peoples,
the Geat nation and us neighbouring Danes,
into shared peace and a pact of friendship
in spite of hatreds we have harboured in the past.”
(lines 2023-2028)
Beowulf’s aid to the Danes therefore creates a permanent link between the two communities – and thus this epic resonates with its modern audience because of its focus on companionship and connection.
The epic also continues to appeal to us because of its concern for the past. The first extant lines of the epic are focused on long-gone acts of heroism and how the world has changed since then. This reflective aspect of the story is something that makes the epic relevant to us because it shows that our tendency to look back is not new, but is in fact a feature on the ancient sources we do this with. Alongside this, the reason for looking back to the past in Beowulf is also something that we continue to do, as it is used as a source of comfort and a way to escape from the terrors of Grendel.
“So. The Spear-Danes in days gone by
and the kings who ruled them had courage and greatness.
We have heard of those princes’ heroic campaigns.”
(lines 62-64)
“These were hard times, heart-breaking.”
(line 231)
In the story of Beowulf, we can see aspects of life that continue to be incredibly important to us in the modern age, and this means that the epic remains especially relevant. Beowulf is not just about swords, beasts, heroes and treasure, it is also about creating connections and finding comfort in the past, both of which help create a sense of hope that we can still feel today. Readers are first excited by the mythical elements of the story that take them out of reality, and then are shown its human side, that often focuses on hopes, fears and feelings that we still have today. No matter how old a story may be, you will find things in them that reminds you of yourself and the people around you, and that will make the experience of reading them personal to you.”
What do you think? Why do stories from the past still mean so much to us today, and why should we care about them? What lessons do you think they have to teach us? Let us know your thoughts.