How far back in time could you go and still understand English?

The last work that we are analyzing in our lectures "Intro to Poetry", "English Poetry I" or "Introduction to English Poetry" is Beowulf. Here are the opening Lines of Beowulf In Old English. You may want to try to read them aloud before listening to the original version. Try it yourself:

Beowulf (Old English version)

BY ANONYMOUS

Hwæt. We Gardena in geardagum, 

þeodcyninga, þrym gefrunon, 

hu ða æþelingas ellen fremedon. 

Oft Scyld Scefing sceaþena þreatum, 

monegum mægþum, meodosetla ofteah, 

egsode eorlas. Syððan ærest wearð 

feasceaft funden, he þæs frofre gebad, 

weox under wolcnum, weorðmyndum þah, 

oðþæt him æghwylc þara ymbsittendra 

ofer hronrade hyran scolde, 

gomban gyldan. þæt wæs god cyning. 

ðæm eafera wæs æfter cenned, 

geong in geardum, þone god sende 

folce to frofre; fyrenðearfe ongeat 

þe hie ær drugon aldorlease 

lange hwile. Him þæs liffrea, 

wuldres wealdend, woroldare forgeaf; 

Beowulf wæs breme blæd wide sprang, 

Scyldes eafera Scedelandum in. 

Swa sceal geong guma gode gewyrcean, 

fromum feohgiftum on fæder bearme, 

þæt hine on ylde eft gewunigen 

wilgesiþas, þonne wig cume, 

leode gelæsten; lofdædum sceal 

in mægþa gehwære man geþeon. 

Him ða Scyld gewat to gescæphwile 

felahror feran on frean wære. 

Hi hyne þa ætbæron to brimes faroðe, 

swæse gesiþas, swa he selfa bæd, 

þenden wordum weold wine Scyldinga; 

leof landfruma lange ahte. 

þær æt hyðe stod hringedstefna, 

isig ond utfus, æþelinges fær. 

Aledon þa leofne þeoden, 

beaga bryttan, on bearm scipes, 

mærne be mæste. þær wæs madma fela 

of feorwegum, frætwa, gelæded; 

ne hyrde ic cymlicor ceol gegyrwan 

hildewæpnum ond heaðowædum, 

billum ond byrnum; him on bearme læg 

madma mænigo, þa him mid scoldon 

on flodes æht feor gewitan.