Epic Poetry

Mr. BrennanWorld Literature

The Epic

What does the term “epic”

imply?

How is the word often used?

The epic is considered on of

the oldest literary genres in

literature.

What elements do you

believe comprise the epic

literary genre?

Do-Now

SWBAT explain the conventions of an epic work and identify the presence of these conventions in the epic poem, Beowulf.

1. Mini-Lesson: Epic Conventions

2. Class Reading: Beowulf

Learning Objective

TBDHomeworkReminders

The Epic

• Beowulf is an epic poem

and the first known work

written in English Lang.

(Old English)

• Author is anonymous

• Beowulf was

written in England, (c. 750)

but is set in Scandinavia.

• The version we have today

came from a manuscript

dated c. 1000 A.D.

• What do you learn about the story in the

trailer?

• Does this remind you of any other

movies or books?

The Epic• The Epic traditionally refers

to a genre of poetry known

as epic poetry, a lengthy

narrative poem in elevated

style concerning heroic

deeds and significant events

to a culture or nation.

• The genre has since been

broadened to include

various art forms (i.e. film)

with themes of

grandeur and heroism

The Epic• The Epic traditionally refers to

a genre known as epic poetry

a lengthy narrative poem in

elevated style concerning:

• heroic figure on whose actions

depends fate of a tribe,

nation, or the human race

• significant events to a culture

or nation, often containing

information about the culture

that created them (religion,

gender roles, values, morals,

fears, perception of the world)

ConventionsA widely used and accepted technique in literature,

film, drama, etc.

Horror movie conventions:

• Setting takes place at night and/or in a place

isolation.

• There is often a final survivor who must fight off

the killer alone.

• The villain or killer has supernatural or

superhuman powers.

• There will be some sort of chase sequence

(in which the victim falls, loses a

shoe, or drops his/her keys!)

• Violence and gore are part of the action.

Epic Conventions• The hero is figure of great importance, ideal man

of culture

is often has superhuman or divine

traits

is stronger/greater in all ways than the

common man

participates in a cyclical heroic journey

(monomyth)

• The setting is grand in scope

often covers great distances, other worlds

and times

• The action consists of deeds of bravery or

superhuman courage

• The theme (or cause) is usually stated

in the opening and addresses the

notion of Good vs. Evil

Epic Conventions• Shows divine intervention on human affairs.

• The supernatural often becomes part of the action

• Style of writing is elevated, even ceremonial

• Narrative begins in medias res, starts "in the

middle of things," usually with the hero at his

lowest point, often uses flashbacks

• Repetition and stock phrases, as poet repeats

passages of several lines in order to make the

poem easier to memorize

Epic Conventions• Epic Catalogues are given consisting of long,

detailed listing of

objects, places or genealogies to

place the

finite action of the epic within a

broader

• Epithets (Greek epithetos, "attributed, added”) are

descriptors

that accompany or occur in place of a

name and has

entered common usage. (e.g. Alexander

the Great)

• Patronymics refers to calling a son by his father's

name

(e.g. Achilles in "The Iliad" is addressed as

"Son of Peleus”)

This is one way the poet pays homage to

the ancestors

• Legendary hero > Luke Skywalker

• Grand setting > the galaxy

• Stock phrase > ‘Beware of the dark side’

• Story begins in the middle > Episode ??

• Action > big battles, acts of bravery

• Elevated style of writing > Yoda!

• Supernatural > the Force

• Theme > Good vs. Evil

Epic in Film: Star Wars

Identify a book/movie that you believe is an epic.

Homework:

Identifying Epic Conventions

• Step 1: Choose a book/movie that you believe is

an epic

(Braveheart, Gladiator, 300, Troy, Lord of

the Rings)

• Step 2: Using the Star Wars example as a

model,

what conventions of the epic do you find

presented

in the movie/book that you chose?

• Step 3: Create a 4-slide PowerPoint

presentation in which you

identify three conventions of the epic

presented in your

selected movie (title slide + one slide per

convention) For

each convention, name the convention and

explain how it is

presented and include an appropriate graphic