Epic Poetry

“a long narrative poem presenting characters of high position in a series of adventures which form an organic whole through their relation to a central figure of heroic proportions and through their development of episodes important to the history of a nation or a race” Tom Sienkewicz

Keys to Take Long, Narrative Poem Centered around character (often a hero) Goes through series of adventures Adventures of the hero are important to a nation’s history Serious subject matter

Form of an Epic Narrative Poem Begins in medias res Invokes the Muse Large Scale Setting Going around the world Underworld travels Intervening Supernatural Figures Extensive battle scenes Hero is larger-than-life

Message/Moral Epics show: Oral tradition Hero’s quest for knowledge Hero’s struggle in world Oral tradition Core of education Ethics, politics, history, technology Educate while entertaining