Characteristics of an Epic and an Epic Hero
The Epic Poem
The epic poem is a long, narrative poem detailing the adventure or journey of an epic hero. As part of many cultures' oral traditions, they were meant to be sung or recited at feasts or gatherings. Early folk epics only existed orally, not having any written form. They eventually werewritten down after many years, when they were then known as literary epics. They were often inspired by times of struggle or adventure. The authors of the first epics are unknown because of the oral tradition. As time progressed, what is known as a secondary epic style developed and authors went to great lengths to write epics in the style of the epic poems. The epic poem has a clear set-up and design. The poem begins with an invocation - this invocation calls on a muse or god to inspire divine intervention while telling the tale. In the invocation, the subject and the epic question are introduced. The epic's language is literary and elevated. The language is used by all in the poem, from king to servant (even though epics rarely detail lives or actions of the servants).
Epic conventions include: An epic will begin with an opening statement of theme, followed by the invocation (the appeal to the superntural forces for help in retelling the story. Think of a worship service you have attended that began with an invocation. Many of these epics began the telling in the middle of an action scene, a technique known as "in media res," Latin for in the middle of things. Epics were serious and formal in tone, with no intended humor. The tellers of these epics made great use of extended epic similes as they described the heroes, villians, and battles. See pages 14 and 15 for more explanation of this form.
From... Kristen Grandfield: Yale-New Haven Teacher's Institute and Prentice Hall Literature, World Masterpieces
The Epic Hero
1. Unusual circumstances of birth; sometimes in danger or born into royalty
2. An event, sometimes traumatic, leads to adventure or quest (See p. 17)
3. Hero has supernatural help
4. The Hero must prove himself many times while on adventure
5. When the hero dies, he is rewarded spiritually (See p. 14 in our text.)
From...Bryan M. Davis in his article on the site The Archetypal Hero in Literature,
Religion, Movies, and Popular Culture (
http://titan.sfasu.edu/~beenet/resources/heromain.html) and Prentice Hall Literature, World Masterpieces
The Epic Journey: Below are common qualities among tales of epic quests
1. The hero must possess supernatural abilities or powers. These can often be magnified qualities we all possess (for example, strength we all possess but the hero's is superhuman).
2. The hero is charged with a quest that will test his abilities. This will test his worthiness to be a leader.
3. Then is the presence of helpers and companions as well as mythical animals or creatures during his journey.
4. The travels of the hero will take him to a supernatural world that ordinary humans are barred.
5. The cycle reaches a low point when we think the hero has been defeated but in the end, the hero resurrects himself and regains his rightful place. (See p. 15 in our text.)
From...Jennifer Foley in the online lesson plan, Story of Epic Proportions: What
makes a Poem an Epic? (http://edsitement.neh.gov/view_lesson_plan.asp?id=587)
The epic poem is a long, narrative poem detailing the adventure or journey of an epic hero. As part of many cultures' oral traditions, they were meant to be sung or recited at feasts or gatherings. Early folk epics only existed orally, not having any written form. They eventually werewritten down after many years, when they were then known as literary epics. They were often inspired by times of struggle or adventure. The authors of the first epics are unknown because of the oral tradition. As time progressed, what is known as a secondary epic style developed and authors went to great lengths to write epics in the style of the epic poems. The epic poem has a clear set-up and design. The poem begins with an invocation - this invocation calls on a muse or god to inspire divine intervention while telling the tale. In the invocation, the subject and the epic question are introduced. The epic's language is literary and elevated. The language is used by all in the poem, from king to servant (even though epics rarely detail lives or actions of the servants).
Epic conventions include: An epic will begin with an opening statement of theme, followed by the invocation (the appeal to the superntural forces for help in retelling the story. Think of a worship service you have attended that began with an invocation. Many of these epics began the telling in the middle of an action scene, a technique known as "in media res," Latin for in the middle of things. Epics were serious and formal in tone, with no intended humor. The tellers of these epics made great use of extended epic similes as they described the heroes, villians, and battles. See pages 14 and 15 for more explanation of this form.
From... Kristen Grandfield: Yale-New Haven Teacher's Institute and Prentice Hall Literature, World Masterpieces
The Epic Hero
1. Unusual circumstances of birth; sometimes in danger or born into royalty
2. An event, sometimes traumatic, leads to adventure or quest (See p. 17)
3. Hero has supernatural help
4. The Hero must prove himself many times while on adventure
5. When the hero dies, he is rewarded spiritually (See p. 14 in our text.)
From...Bryan M. Davis in his article on the site The Archetypal Hero in Literature,
Religion, Movies, and Popular Culture (
http://titan.sfasu.edu/~beenet/resources/heromain.html) and Prentice Hall Literature, World Masterpieces
The Epic Journey: Below are common qualities among tales of epic quests
1. The hero must possess supernatural abilities or powers. These can often be magnified qualities we all possess (for example, strength we all possess but the hero's is superhuman).
2. The hero is charged with a quest that will test his abilities. This will test his worthiness to be a leader.
3. Then is the presence of helpers and companions as well as mythical animals or creatures during his journey.
4. The travels of the hero will take him to a supernatural world that ordinary humans are barred.
5. The cycle reaches a low point when we think the hero has been defeated but in the end, the hero resurrects himself and regains his rightful place. (See p. 15 in our text.)
From...Jennifer Foley in the online lesson plan, Story of Epic Proportions: What
makes a Poem an Epic? (http://edsitement.neh.gov/view_lesson_plan.asp?id=587)