EPIC POETRY

EPIC LITERATURE

• Epic: a long narrative poem about the deeds of gods or heroes• Ex. Homer’s Odyssey and Iliad

• Theories on the Origin of Epics• First epics were collections of various unknown poets

eventually molded into one work• Most scholars believe epics may have accumulated in

this way but a single genius gives it structure and expression

• Folk Epics: epics without certain authorship• Beowulf

COMMON EPIC CHARACTERISTICS• Hero: super human strength, character, or intellect• Of national and international importance• Fatal/tragic flaw – leads to his demise• Ex. Achilles’ heel

• Setting: vast in scope/ covers great nations, the world, the universe

• Action: deeds of great valor or requiring superhuman courage

• Supernatural Forces: gods, angels, demons• Involved in action• Intervene from time to time

• Style: elevated (raised to a higher level)• Epic poet (scop): uses objectivity to tell narrative

CONVENTIONS• Poet opens by stating theme• Invokes a Muse to inspire and instruct him• Opens the narrative in media res• Latin for “in the middle of things”

• Catalogs – listing of warriors, ships, weapons, armies• Extended formal speeches by main characters• Epic simile: elaborate comparison of common everyday situations to

heroic, supernatural situations• Ex. Comparing fishing to killing a monster

• Epithet: an adjective or adjective phrase applied to a person or thing to emphasize a characteristic, quality or attribute• Ex. The man of twists and turns• Homeric Epithet: an epithet consisting of a compound adjective• Ex. Ox-eyed Hera, swift-footed Achilles, rosy-fingered dawn

MORE CONVENTIONS• Narrative Drift: interrupting the narration to elaborate on an aspect

of what is being spoken about• Ex. If a gift of wine is mentioned the author may then explain not

only the history of the gift but the history of the giver• Meter: fixed pattern of accented and unaccented syllables in the

lines of a poem that produces its pervasive rhythm• Dactylic hexameter: first five feet are dactyls (accented syllable

followed by to unaccented)• Last foot is a spondee• Two accented syllables

• Ex. “This is the / forest prim- / eval. The / murmuring / pines and the / hem locks,”

• Translations do not include the meter• Greek version has long and short sounds

MAJOR THEMES/MOTIFS• Hospitality: Zeus avenges the unoffending guest• Respect for the Gods• The importance of lineage• Loyalty• Pride and honor• Resisting temptation/self-discipline• Live life to the fullest: Odysseus is an explorer• Justice/revenge: Homer sees it as justifiable• Reconciliation• Fate: Greeks great believers that we do not have

control over out destinies

HOMER

• Not sure if he existed• Some accounts suggest he was blind• Lived some time before 700 B.C. in Asia Minor,

Smyrna or Chios• Wrote in ionic and Aeloic dialects

• Commonly attributed authorship of Iliad and Odyssey• The Odssey and Iliad were probably written around 8th

century B.C.• Homer memorized and sung the song in a series of

performances