WORLD LITERATURE I

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WORLD LITERATURE I
THE EPIC

• By
• Ralph Monday

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THE FALL OF TROY.
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We Begin Here Definition of an Epic

• A long narrative poem in elevated style
  presenting characters of high position in
  adventures forming an organic whole
• through their relation to a central heroic figure
  and through their development of episodes
  important to the history of a nation or race.

• This is the Iliad, one of the most important
  epics extending into the deep past
• That chronicles an historic explanation of men at
  war for the honor of a beautiful woman.

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Further Definition Of The Epic

• General Characteristics of Epic Poetry Content
• features an epic hero who embodies the ideals of
  a particular nation or culture
• focuses on the struggle for something of value to
  that culture
• includes a god or gods who intervene in the
  affairs of men, often to

• aid or punish the hero
• includes "epic catalogs" (e.g, lists of warriors,
  armor, spoils of war, etc.)

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• Form
• adheres to conventions of a long narrative poem
  that is, it tells a story in verse
• exhibits an elevated style and serious tone
• incorporates "epic similes" extended, ornate
  comparisons using "like" or "as."
• uses repetition as memory aid.

Repetition for memory was a common characteristic
of Oral traditions of transmission of culture
long before we Had MTV.
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The Epic As Genre

• A folk epic is an epic poem of uncertain
  authorship, e.g. Homers Iliad and Odyssey, the
  Old English Beowulf, the Sumerian Gilgamesh.
• A literary or art epic is an epic poem written by
  a known author for a specific purpose,
  e.g.Virgils Aeneid, Dantes Divine Comedy,
  Miltons Paradise Lost.

Achilles
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• Supernatural forcesgods, angels, and
  demonsinterest themselves in the action and
  intervene from time to time.
• A style of sustained elevation and grand
  simplicity is used.
• The epic poet recounts the deeds of the heroes
  with objectivity. No interpretative voice
  interferes in the story.

FURTHER DEFINING TERMS
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Additionally, epics employ some or all of the
standard conventions.
Hand-to-hand combat between heroes.
Descriptions of armor, weaponry. Sacrifices,
rituals to gods. Bragging, boasting.
Feasting. Funeral rites, lamenting.
Digressive episodes.
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EPIC CHARACTERISTICS CONTINUED

• Statement of theme
• Invocation to Muse
• In medias res
• Epic Question
• Catalogs of warriors, ships, armies
• Extended formal speeches
• Stock epithets
• Epic similes (extended similes)

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Statement Of The Theme
The statement of the theme is advanced at the
beginning of The epic. In the Iliad, the theme is
the anger of Achilles.
Invocation of the Muse is similar to a prayer.
The Muses are the Greek goddesses who preside
over the arts and sciences and inspire those who
excel at these pursuits. Daughters of Zeus, king
of the gods, and Mnemosyne ("memory"), they were
born at Pieria at the foot of Mount Olympus.
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The Muses.
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Apollo And The Muses.
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Achilles Grasping For the Shade of Patroclus.
Fuseli, 1803.
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Aeneas Journey After the Fall of Troy.
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Temple of Zeus
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Temple of Apollo
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Apollo And The Nine Muses
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The Nine Muses.
The Nine MusesRoman mosaic found in Kos, 1st
century BCGreat Master's Palace, Rhodas.
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THE NINE MUSES

• CalliopeEpic poetry.
• CleioHistory.
• EratoLove Poetry.
• EuterpeLyric Poetry.
• MelpomeneTragedy.
• Polyhymnia or PolymniaSacred Poetry.
• TerpsichoreChoral Songs and the Dance.
• ThaleiaComedy.
• UraniaAstronomy.

• They are goddesses who inspired men and women.
• They were proficient in the arts, literature, and
  science.
• Their home was near Mount Olympus.
• They were normally seen around Apollo, the god of
  music in Olympus.

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EOS GODDESS OF THE DAWN
She looks Rather like An angel.
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CALLIOPE EPIC POETRY
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CLEIO HISTORY
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ERATO LOVE POETRY
She inspired Erotic themes.
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EUTERPE LYRIC POETRY
The lyric has A long Tradition, and Is a
poem Sung by a Single voice That Expresses Persona
l Emotion.
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MELPOMENE TRAGEDY
Tragedy Originates With the Ancient Greeks.
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POLYHYMNIA OR POLYMNIA SACRED POETRY
Ritualistic In nature.
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TERPSICHORE CHORAL SONGS AND THE DANCE
An early Madonna Of rock And roll!
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THALEIA COMEDY
She has a Wicked gleam in Her eye.
Wonder what Shes smiling About?
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URANIA ASTRONOMY
Her song Could Make You see The stars!