The reception of Beowulf; a pre-Christian old English poem, is a fascinating topic which shows the continuing appeal of the epic poem. Historically and present, Beowulf resonates with translators, critics, film directors, educators and student readers. The reception of Beowulf has been influenced by the cultural and historical context of the time. This article explores the reception of Beowulf among Algerian second year undergraduate students at Mohamed Boudiaf University of M’sila. The beginning of the article is an interview with students in 2023 about Beowulf in terms of its setting, themes, characters and values bringing an assessment of the affinities of the poem and its relationship with Arabic and Algerian literature and culture. A number of questions were asked during the discussion such as: Can one learn anything about old Arabian lifestyle through an engagement with Beowulf’s Anglo-Saxon style of living? Can one associate the characters of Beowulf with Arabian including Algerian literary and historical figures? Can one think about the universality of Beowulf through experiencing it with Arabian culture and literature? Taking, finally, a postcolonial critical response, this article, asks what, in this postcolonial age, can be taught from Beowulf and whether to include or exclude Beowulf due to being a pagan poem? The article aims at answering these questions by gauging the reception and engagement with Beowulf in a country with very different cultural, intellectual and religious traditions from that in which the original poem was produced.