Prof. Q
UT Arlington
The Epic, The Epic Hero, and The Epic World In Media
The Iliad – The Aegean WorldGilgamesh – MesopotamiaBeowulf – ScandinaviaSundiata – MaliThe Divine Comedy – Earth, Heaven, Purgatory, Hell
The World of The Epic
The term “Epic” can also apply to:• Epic Films• Epic Novel (specially sci-fi and fantasy)• Epic Video Game• Epic Music
The Epic – Epic Across Media
Epic Fail?
Epic Music • Symphonic and Instrumental with Chorus Harmonization• Focus on Drums• Sounds are symbolic of warhttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TsNlhUxwGjU
Music that Tells an Epic•Music of any genre that tells the story of a hero figure, remembers great deeds, or promotes heroic traits.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n9QjrmvW2t8
Epic Music vs Music that Tells an Epic
Elements of The Epic Across Media
In Medias Res
Vast Setting
Gilgamesh• He who has seen everything, I will make known to the lands.
I will teach about him who experienced all things,Anu granted him the totality of knowledge of all.He saw the Secret, discovered the Hidden,he brought information of (the time) before the Flood.He went on a distant journey, pushing himself to exhaustion,but then was brought to peace.
Beowulf• Lo! the Spear-Danes’ glory through splendid achievements• The folk-kings’ former fame we have heard of,• How princes displayed then their prowess-in-battle.• From many a people their mead-benches tore.
Sundiata• I am a griot. It is I, Djeli Mamoudou Kouyat, son of Bintou• Kouyatd and Djeli Kedian Kouyatd, master in the art of eloquence.• […]• I am going to tell you of Maghan Sundiata, of Mari-Djata,• of Sogolon Djata, of Nard Maghan Djata; the man of many names• against whom sorcery could avail nothing.
Epic Invocation and Statement of Theme
Commonly Known Places
Epic Catalogue
The assassin has overcome my final defense, and now he’s come to murder me.In the end, what separates a man from the slave?Money? Power?No. A man chooses. A slave obeys.You think you have memories.A farm.A family.An airplane.A crash.And then this plane.Was there really a family?Did that airplane crash, or was it hijacked?Forced down?Forced down by something less than a
man something bred to sleepwalk through life until they’re activated by a simple phrase spoken by his kindly master…
Long and Formal Speech
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oG25S51qJQQ
Divine or Supernatural Intervention
Heroes with Heroic (Societal) Values
Underworld / Afterlife
Religion Plays a Role“I am Alpha and Omega, The First and The Last, The Beginning and The End”
- Revelations 22:13- Quoted in Fallout 3- Quoted in Xenogears
Which do you consider the most essential elements of the epic? Why?Can you think of any text in addition to the ones discussed / mentioned today that have some or most of the elements that make up “the epic”? Explain.Which do you consider the most essential elements of the epic hero? Why?Can you think of any text in addition to the ones discussed / mentioned today that have some or most of the elements that make up “the epic hero”? Explain.A text is not necessarily considered an “epic text” because it has one or two elements from the epic. How many elements should a text have before we consider it an “epic film / game / novel”? Is there “something more” to the epic as a genre beyond a combination of its elements?How does the journey play a role in the development of the hero? How do other characters?
Discussion Questions
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