THE EPIC EPIC POETRY So what is an

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THE EPIC & EPIC POETRY

THE EPIC & EPIC POETRY

So, what is an epic? A long narrative about a largerthan-life hero and his

So, what is an epic? A long narrative about a largerthan-life hero and his companions. It is set in the “ideal” past, a past imagined as greater than the present. The hero often has superhuman divine traits. The style is elevated to the greatness of the deeds. The poem was originally passed down through oral tradition.

Categories of Epics Folk Epic Literary Epic evolves from people of the civilization &

Categories of Epics Folk Epic Literary Epic evolves from people of the civilization & their lives. It rises above the facts of those lives, but is grounded in the commonality of the culture’s experiences, wisdom, and values. deliberately created by the artist-writer about a civilization or a people. It, too, may be based on long-ago histories or on long-ago literature.

Elements & Motifs of the Epic (you will need to know this for the

Elements & Motifs of the Epic (you will need to know this for the rest of your life) ourney of a Hero attles/Monsters lazon ageantry ratory/Rhetoric ataloging onor/Loyalty estiny epetition ymbolism ong Sentences arallelisms yperbole itotes ung by Bards to Illiterates

Characteristics of the Epic 1. Characters are beings of national importance and historical or

Characteristics of the Epic 1. Characters are beings of national importance and historical or legendary significance. 1. The setting is grand in scope, covering nations, the world, or even the universe. 1. Action consists of deeds of great valor and courage. 1. Style is sustained in tone and language. 1. Supernatural forces interest themselves in

Characteristics of the Epic 6. Praepositio: an invocation to the Muse for inspiration in

Characteristics of the Epic 6. Praepositio: an invocation to the Muse for inspiration in the telling of a story. Poet requests divine help in many European epics. 7. Epics often start in medias res. "In the middle of the action. “ 8. Dialogues tend to be extended, formal speeches. 9. Enumeratio: epic catalogues list warriors, armies, resources.

A Chronology of Epics 18 th to 20 th Century B. C. Gilgamesh (Mesopotamian

A Chronology of Epics 18 th to 20 th Century B. C. Gilgamesh (Mesopotamian mythology) 8 th to 6 th Century B. C. Homer’s Odyssey and Iliad (Greek mythology) Hesiod’s Works and Days (Greek mythology) 4 th to 5 th Century B. C. Mahabharata and Ramayana (Hindu mythology) Book of Job 1 st Century B. C Virgil’s Aeneid (Latin mythology)

A Chronology of Epics 1 st Century A. D. Ovid’s Metamorphosis (Latin) 8 th

A Chronology of Epics 1 st Century A. D. Ovid’s Metamorphosis (Latin) 8 th to 10 th Century Beowulf (Anglo-Saxon) 13 th Century Epic of Sundiata (Mali) 14 th Century Dante’s Divina Commedia (Italian)