Epic Poetry

1
Epic Poetry

• Literary Terms for Story Analysis

2
Narrative Poetry

• poetry that tells a story
• contains same elements as other narratives (
  plot, characters, POV, theme, etc.)
• May include epics, lyric poetry, songs, and
  ballads
• examples The Odyssey, Casey at Bat, Stan, The
  Brady Bunch Theme Song

3
Epic

• a long narrative that relates the deeds of a hero
• often told as poetry
• usually includes a journey
• hero learns a valuable lesson
• relates the values of society
• huge setting
• examples The Odyssey, Star Wars

4
Epic Hero

• the protagonist of an epic
• often has superhuman characteristics
• usually has some sort of weakness
• learns a valuable lesson
• examples Odysseus, Indiana Jones, Achilles

5
Personification

• figure of speech
• gives a nonhuman object human traits or behaviors
• example The hungry tide licked its greedy lips
  as it nibbled away at the fragile coastline.

6
Hyperbole

• an over-exaggeration used for dramatic effect
• example Her mother must have asked a million
  times for her to get off the phone.

7
Rhythm

• the arrangement of stressed and unstressed
  syllables into a pattern
• creates a beat that is easy to remember or sing

8
Alliteration

• repetition of familiar sounds, usually consonants
  or consonant clusters in groups of words
• example Peter Piper picked a peck of pickled
  peppers.
• example Someone slit the sheet, the sheet is
  slit, whoever slit the sheet is a good sheet
  slitter.

9
Heroic Couplet

• a pair of rhyming lines
• highlights actions of the hero
• is usually a signal that something important is
  about to occur
• example
• As far off shore as shouted words could carry
• I sent a few back to the adversary

10
Epic Simile

• lengthy comparison of two unlike things
• describes comparison in great detail
• usually found in epic poems
• example
• Think of a catch that fishermen haul into a
  halfmoon bay in a fine meshed net from the
  whitecaps of the sea how all are poured out on
  the sand, in throes for the salt sea, twitching
  their cold lives away in Helios fiery air so
  lay the suitors heaped on one another.

11
Jargon

• language used by people in a particular job
• makes a story seem more realistic
• examples computer programmers talk about CPUs,
  USBs, ethernet cables, monitors, modems,
  gigabytes, etc.

12
Imagery

• Language that appeals to the five senses
• Creates an image with words
• examples
• The clean, floral scent of her perfume lingered
  in the hall long after she had left.
• ...we saw the funnel of the malestrom, heard the
  rock bellowing all around....

13
Pun

• a humorous play on words
• words used often have the same or similar sounds
  but differ in meaning
• example
• That joke was so corny, Del Monte wouldnt can
  it.
• What do the Sweet 16 and flip flops have in
  common? No Heels!

14
Epithet

• a way of naming that provides an important
  description
• description can be used in place of actual name
• examples
• gray-eyed Athena
• Poseidon, raging cold and rough
• the wiliest fighter of the islands leapt and
  stood on the broad door sill

15
Archetype

• stereotyped characters, symbols, or stories
• a basic pattern followed by certain types of
  characters or stories
• examples
• fairy tales
• damsel in distress
• knight in shining armor

16
Hubris

• excessive pride
• overconfident
• big-headed
• usually leads to trouble

17
Tragic Flaw

• personality trait that leads to the downfall of
  the hero
• examples
• Odysseus pride and bragging leads to loss of
  men and failure to get home quickly
• Romeo wishy washy-ness leads to rash
  decisions and ultimately his and Juliets deaths

18
Epiphany

• a great realization of the lesson to be learned
• its when the lightbulb comes on and you get
  it

19
Simile

• comparison of two unlike things using like or
  as
• example
• He ran like the wind.
• My dog is as heavy as a horse.

20
Onomatopoeia

• use of a word to imitate a sound
• examples
• drip drip
• splash
• buzz
• thud

21
En Media Res

• Latin for in the middle of things
• when story starts in the middle of events,
  flashes back, then picks back up in real time
• example
• The Odyssey starts when Odysseus is almost home
  after 20 years away, he tells of his adventures,
  then goes home and takes care of things there.

22
Rhetorical Question

• a question that is not meant to be answered
• answers itself OR
• is meant to make a point
• Example
• Are you crazy?