EPICS AND EPIC HEROES

WHAT IS AN EPIC? elements of myths, legends or folk tales Most every culture has epics it has passed through the generations An epic has a hero It is the story of the hero’s travels and his fights with monsters A trip to heaven, hell or the land of the dead elements of myths, legends or folk tales elements of supernatural forces

EPIC POETRY ELEMENTS A long story in poem form A serious tone and grand language Can you think of a movie or book that has epic qualities?

WHAT DO THEY ALL HAVE IN COMMON?

TRAITS OF AN EPIC HERO Has “larger than life” qualities – possibly a supernatural powers but always What other qualities are “larger than life”?

TRAITS OF AN EPIC HERO Is a natural leader of men

TRAITS OF AN EPIC HERO Defeats evil – monsters, villains, etc Or fights gods

TRAITS OF AN EPIC HERO Has “good” on his or her side Example – Ares the God of War rode along side the Trojans to aid them in war

TRAITS OF AN EPIC HERO Often he or she stands alone in battle Example – Hercules fights a hydra alone

TRAITS OF AN EPIC HERO Is smarter than everyone – a good problem solver Example – Odysseus ends the Trojan War by hiding his soldiers inside the “gift horse” and surprising them. Can you think of a common saying that this trick created?

TRAITS OF AN EPIC HERO Has a weakness that often destroys him or leads to death. Examples - Achilles was shot and killed in his vulnerable heel; the only spot that was not dipped into the River Styx

TRAITS OF AN EPIC HERO Makes long journeys, always on the move, travels to find travels Example – Indiana Jones travels the globe in search of artifacts and adventures

TRAITS OF AN EPIC HERO A skilled fighter

A HERO’S JOURNEY

AN EPIC STUDY Homer blind poet said to have told Iliad and Odyssey The epics are dated around 8th century BC Other famous epics include Ramayana (India), Aeneid (Greek), the Monkey King (China), and the Epic of Gilgamesh, (Iraq). Some famous epics have been composed in English, including The Faerie Queen by Spenser and Paradise Lost by Milton.

HOMER’S SPECIALITY Created a unique type of simile Compares heroic or epic events to simple everyday events Example – As a mountain falcon, swiftest of all birds, swoops down upon some cowering dove…resolved to have her…even so did Achilles make straight for Hector with all his might