THE EPIC THE EPIC HERO Epic Definition An

THE EPIC & THE EPIC HERO

Epic Definition An epic is a long narrative poem that relates the great deeds of a larger-than-life hero who embodies the values of a particular society.

Epics often… • Concern eternal human problems such as the conflict between GOOD and EVIL • Written or told on a grand scale and often in ceremonial style

Types of Epics: • Folk epic - story that evolves from the people of that civilization and their lives. • These epics were usually told orally • Literary epic - deliberate creation by the artist/writer about a civilization or people. • These epics were written down.

Characteristics of an epic: • The setting is vast • Epic Hero - a larger than life hero who embodies the values of a particular society. • Epic Conflict - the hero’s struggle against an obstacle or series of obstacles usually on a larger scale.

Characteristics of an epic hero continued: • The hero goes on a quest - a journey to find something. The hero usually goes on this quest to help his community back home. • He also is extremely prideful and arrogant (Hubris) which leads to his eventual downfall.

Characteristics of an epic continued: • Divine Intervention - when an epic hero often receives help from a god or some other supernatural force. A god can also work against the hero. • Villains - a malicious person who is involved in or devoted to wickedness or crime.

Epic conventions: • Invocation - the summoning of a deity or the supernatural • Occurs at the beginning of an epic • Prayer • An epic always begins in the middle of a story, also referred to as “in medias res. ” • Written in formal diction with a serious tone

Characteristics of an epic hero: • The hero, generally male, is of noble birth or high position • The hero embodies important ideals/ values of his society such as, morals, religious beliefs, etc. • He is of mixed divine and human birth.

The hero takes a journey to foreign lands. 3 phases of the hero journey: • Separation – a break away from local/ social order, the beginning of a quest. • Initiation – a long deep retreat inward with a series of chaotic encounters which provide new insight. • Return – reintegration into society, coming back as as a more evolved

The general points of the cycle include: • a test (to test worthiness to complete said quest) • a main antagonist, often supernatural • a magical/unreal world, unable to be visited by a normal human, that the hero visits (e. g. the underworld or the world of the gods) • a resurrection (either from being dead or from a dead-like state of mind, or a hero who was thought to be dead who was rediscovered)

Identify a hero or heroine from a film or story and explain how their journey fits the three phases – be sure to give examples.

Archetypes • What do Star Wars, Harry Potter, “Gilgamesh” and Homer’s “The Odyssey” all have in common?

They All Have Heroes ✓… that partake in a journey of significant change, that is, the “hero’s journey. ” ✓… that are truly profound for exploring the archetype of the hero in literature and in our own lives.

So An Archetype is…. . ✓ a basic plot, character, symbol, or idea that recurs in the literature of many cultures across time periods. For example: The Hero Quest!

Examples of Archetypes: ✓ HEROES: Central figures in stories. ✓ SHADOWS: Villains and enemies, perhaps the enemy within. The dark side of the Force, the repressed possibilities of the hero, his or her potential for evil. ✓ MENTORS: The hero’s guide or guiding principles. Yoda, Merlin, a great coach or. Example teacher.

Examples Continued ✓ The Wise Old Man: representing “knowledge, reflection, insight, wisdom, cleverness, and intuition on the one hand, and on the other, moral qualities such as goodwill and readiness to help. ” ✓ The Scapegoat: a character that takes the blame for everything bad that happens.

Activity ✓ In pairs or by yourself, choose a story, film, video game, or book that embodies at least SIX (6) archetypes listed on the handout. ✓ Be sure to not only list the archetype, but also give an explanation as to how that character, action, or place embodies the archetype (must be in full sentences).