EPICS AND EPIC HEROES

Characteristics of EPICS Dignified style; formal, stately language Draws upon many sources: myths, legends, folk tales, historical events Characters experience universal emotions; actions are extraordinary Hero often a demigod

Characteristics of EPICS May be part of a cycle of poems developed around a hero or event Supernatural forces interest themselves in the action and occasionally intervene Often begin “in media res” Reflect values of society from which it originates

EPIC HEROES Struggle to attain an ideal Represent a whole culture Are cast in unique settings and circumstances Proclaim character through actions Reveal universal aspects of the human condition through responses to circumstances Embody qualities of human greatness, but weaknesses lead to tragedy

Extraordinary elements of EPIC HEROES’ Lives Origins Youth – some potential heroism shown Strength and/or intelligence Courage Adversaries/Obstacles Helpers/assets/sidekicks

Extraordinary elements of EPIC HEROES’ Lives Adventures/tests/quests Appearance/disguises Luck/favored by gods Weakness/mortality (this is what they risk) Successes Outcomes/end destiny

Archetype An archetype is from the Greek word arkhetupos meaning “exemplary.” It is an image, story-pattern, or character type that recurs frequently and evokes strong, often unconscious, associations in the reader.

Archetypes The Hero The Outcast The Devil Personified The Scapegoat Star-Crossed Lovers Earth Mother Temptress The Sage

Literary Elements Internal Conflict- Struggle that takes place within the mind of a character who is torn between opposing feelings and desires External Conflict- When a character struggles against some outside force… Person, nature, society, or fate.

Epic of Gilgamesh 2500 BC 11 Clay Tablets (story) 12th Tells of his ruling the netherworld Most important epic poem in human history Various adventures of hero-king searching for immortality An account of the flood Characters Gilgamesh (2/3 god & 1/3 human) Enkidu (wild man) The Epic of Gilgamesh  Gilgamesh is one of the oldest recorded stories in the world. It tells the story of an ancient King of Uruk, Gilgamesh, who may have actually existed, and whose name is on the Sumerian King List. The story of Gilgamesh, in various Sumerian versions, was originally widely known in the third millennium B.C. After a long history of retellings, this story was recorded, in a standardized Akkadian version, in the seventh century B.C., and stored in the famous library of King Assurbanipal. Later, the story of Gilgamesh was lost to human memory, except for occasional fragments. The story was rediscovered in the mid-nineteenth century A.D., and made available in translation to German by the beginning of the twentieth century. People were especially amazed when they read this most ancient of stories, and realized that the flood story in Gilgamesh was a close analogue of the flood story in the Hebrew Bible. The story of Gilgamesh was first discovered in the library of King Assurbanipal of Nineveh, written on twelve tablets. "Gilgamesh's life and his adventures during his unsuccessful quest for immortality are told on eleven of the twelve tablets." The twelfth tablet is "a description of the nether world, in which Gilgamesh rules after his death as divine judge over the shades, guiding and advising them The Epic of Gilgamesh is a fascinating tale of great historical importance. Composed 1500 years before Homer's epics, the story is one that modern man can readily understand and appreciate. Gilgamesh was the more than capable ruler of the ancient town of Uruk; his strength and physical beauty were unmatched by any in the land, and his subjects adored him. Although he possessed so much, Gilgamesh wanted desperately to live forever like a god. He was two-thirds god and one-third human, but he refused to accept his destiny to die. If it were his lot to die, he wanted to perform great deeds so that his name would never be forgotten.

Heroes Journal Entry: Make a chart like the one below and fill it in with examples from today’s heroes. Heroic Deeds Enemies Powers/ Abilities Virtues