Mrs. Withers

English 9

EPIC POETRY

• A long story in poem form.

• An epic has a hero.

• The epic is the story of the hero’s travels and his fights with monsters.

What is an Epic Poem?

• Epics were originally sung, often to a harp.

• Epics contain information about the culture that created them: religion, dress, homes, weapons and war, roles of men and women, values and moral standards.

• Epics contain clues to what the people who created them feared or did not understand: natural disasters, death, heavens, storms etc.

Epic Continued…

• Epic Hero• Epic Narrator• Invocation• in media res• Epic similes (extended comparisons)• Archetypes

Elements of the Epic

What is an Epic Hero?• A brave and noble

character in an epic poem, admired for great achievements or affected by grand events

Traits of an Epic Hero• Has “larger than life”

qualities, possibly supernatural powers

• Is a natural leader of men.

• An epic hero is appealing to the opposite sex but rarely has an extended relationship

Traits of an Epic Hero

• Defeats monsters (bad guys) and/or fights gods

• Has “good” on his or her side (Ares, the God of War, rode along side the Trojans aiding them in war)

Traits of an Epic Hero

Traits of an Epic Hero• Is smarter than

everyone else, generally a problem solver.

• Odysseus tricks the Trojan’s by hiding inside a “gift horse” and surprising them.

Traits of an Epic Hero• Has a weakness that

often destroys him or her or leads to death.

• Makes long journeys, always on the move, travels to find adventure (Indiana Jones travels the globe in search of artifacts and adventure.

• A skilled fighter

The Elements of an EpicMetaphor

A comparison between two things where one becomes another.

SimileA comparison using

like or as.

Elements of an EpicHomeric Simile

An extended simile where everyday acts are compared to supernatural occurrences.

Ex: “Poseidon crushed the beach like a blacksmith crushing a horse shoe”

• Invocation• Much like an introduction, the speaker of the epic

poem asks for assistance from the gods in telling the story.

• Oral tradition• A community’s cultural and historical traditions

passed down by word of mouth or example from one generation to another without written instruction.

Elements of an Epic

Elements of an EpicIn Medias Res

“In the middle of”

Many epic poems “begin” by starting the story in the middle, then you learn about the story as you read on.

Elements of an EpicGreek Culture

The opinion of the gods was very important. People would pray to the gods for luck, help, and victory in battle. If you anger the gods, they will punish you.

Elements of an EpicTrojan War

King Menelaus’ wife, Helen, is kidnapped by Paris, Prince of Troy. Menelaus used this as an excuse to attack Troy. After 10 years of fighting, the Greeks created the Trojan Horse and destroyed Troy.