Epic Conventions

Epic Conventions: Things that most epic poems have in common. All epic conventions aren’t identical, but they share common characteristics.

In Medias Res Latin for “it begins in the middle of things” It has flashbacks to explain the action up to this point. In The Odyssey, for example, it starts with a meeting of the gods on Mount Olympus to discuss the return of Odysseus to his home years after the war at Troy.

Invocation to a muse Story begins with an invocation (prayer) to a god or gods. Poet asks for inspiration, skill, knowledge, or right emotion to finish poem in worthy of his subject-matter.

Statement of Theme Story always begins with a statement of theme. Because the stories were so long and complex, the poet would tell what the recitation would be about. People could then focus on the WAY the story was told not WHAT was being said.

Stock Epithets Re-naming of characters, gods, places or things by stock phrases. Poet repeats passages that are several lines long. Poets also use short phrases, Homeric epithets. They ease memorization and help keep characters separated.

Cataloguing Lists, both long and short, of characters and things. It was a way of ancient epics to keep track of history.

Long Formal Speeches Main characters give long formal speeches-even at seemingly inappropriate times.

Divine Intervention Gods/supernatural forces interfere in the affairs of humans. Often referred to as “machinery”.

Epic Digressions Passages that do not further the action of the story along because they are asides or repetitions. The audience had to remember a vast amount of information and this was a way to remind them of background material.

Vast Settings The settings were huge. Settings were basically their known world- from the top of the mountains to the homes of the gods to whatever islands the culture knew of at that time.

Epic Simile Also known as an Homeric simile Comparison between two unlike things using “like”, “as”, or “than”, but it is long as drawn out over several lines. The comparisons are usually very drastic nature.

Heroes idolize values of their civilizations Hero embodies values of his civilization. The Greeks valued strength and prowess in battle--Achilles They also valued endurance, cunning mind, the ability to create technology, problem-solving, and self-control-- Odysseus

Grandiose/Elevated Language Poet typically uses very formal language and often extremely large words.

Definitive Meter Used to help the narrator remember the story. Poets would often use regular rhythm and rhyme to keep the poem flowing.

Epic Battles Many epics contain lengthy descriptions of battles in which the hero took part in.

Descent into the Underworld The hero will often go to the underworld to confer with someone about something.

Didactic Nature Didactic is an adjective for something that is intended to teach, especially if it has a moral. Epics are often meant to be instructional tools for the society to teach the listener moral lessons about culture and his society.

Dire, Foreshadowing Warnings Many epics contain warnings to the hero.

Heroic Oath Oaths from the hero promising something he will follow through on.