1. 2/2 Characteristics of the Epic

2. What is an epic? An epic is a long poem, told in a formal style, that includes several key features. (More on that in a moment!) Originally, epics were memorized and recited orally. Homer is credited with composing the Odyssey, but he didn’t “make it up.”

3. 1) Epics often begin with the poet asking the muses (goddesses of memory) to help him tell the story: “Sing to me of the man, Muse, the man of twists and turns, driven time and again off course once he had plundered the hallowed heights of Troy.”

4. 2) Epics begin “in the middle of things.” There’s a fancy Latin phrase for “in the middle of things.” It is “in medias res.” As the opening lines of the Odyssey suggest, the action begins after the fall of Troy. The hero, Odysseus, is trying to get home from the Trojan War.

5. 3) An epic is about adventures of a king or prince (the “hero”). The epic hero is supposed to perform superhuman feats of strength or courage. His fate is linked to the fate of his nation.

6. 4) The setting of an epic is vast. The action place over many lands, both real and imaginary.

7. 5) Supernatural beings participate in the action. Gods sometimes help the hero. In other instances, gods present obstacles for him. Monsters present obstacles.