Beowulf (c. 1000; 1st half
of 8th century)
The Song of Roland (c.
last half of the 11th; first half of the 12th)
Poema del Cid (12th
century)
The Elder Edda (c. 12th
century): A collection of old Norse poems
The Prose Edda, written by
Snorri Sturleson the Younger c. 12130:
a summary of Odinic myth as well
as a treatise on poetry
Volsunga Saga (13th
century): A prose version of the last cycle of heroic
songs from the Elder Edda; contains the tragic love story
of Sigurd and Brynhild
Nibelungenlied (13th century):
Covers much the same material as the Volsunga Saga, but the
characters are medieval; the hero
is Siegfried