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The Epic
Notes: Epic Conventions
Characteristics of the Epic
Most epics contain
common
characteristics, such
as a legendary hero,
who makes long
journeys, experiences
dangers, and
overcomes obstacles
in the pursuit of a
specific quest.
THE Epic Hero and His Quest
The epic contains a male hero of noble
birth or legendary importance. He may
have one parent, who is a god or possess
unusual powers at a young age.
The hero’s character traits reflect
important ideals of his society.
The hero experiences many perilous
adventures and performs courageous
acts.
General Characteristics of the
Epic Hero continued…
The hero’s actions usually determine the
fate of his people, who may be in danger.
Often, during the progress of the story,
the hero delivers long, formal speeches,
often called dramatic monologues.
The hero usually undergoes a quest,
called the “epic quest” in search of
specific goal.
The Definition of an Epic
An epic is a long narrative poem that
relates the tale of a larger-than-life hero,
who embodies the values of a particular
society.
Epics were usually begun in the oral
tradition and were conveyed first by
storytellers, and later written down.
Epithet
Adjective or descriptive phrase that is
regularly used to characterize a person,
place, or thing.
“America the Beautiful”
“Honest Abe”
Epic Simile
Extended similes (comparisons!)
Also known as Homeric similes.
• “His hands were like paws, his hair like a great mane
and his body was covered with smooth sun bleached
hairs that were like the coat of an African lion."
• The simile here is saying that a person is like a lion in
appearance, but more extended than saying that "he
was like a lion”.
Allusion
Reference to a statement, a person, a
place, or an event from literature, history,
religion, mythology, politics, sports,
science, or pop culture.
Imagery
Language that appeals to any of your
senses!
Mood
The atmosphere or feeling created by the
moment/scene/setting/etc.
Metaphor
Figure of speech that makes a comparison
between two unlike things—not using like,
as, or resembles
Tone
Attitude a writer takes toward the
audience, subject, or a character.
Conflict: Struggle or clash
Internal: Takes place within a character’s
own mind
External: Character struggles against
outside force
Theme
Central idea or message of a work of
literature
Alliteration
The repetition of consonant sounds
in words that are close to one
another.
Example: “always wide awake”
Assonance
The repetition of similar vowel sounds
followed by different consonant sounds in
words that are close together
Example: “It’s a great day for baseball.”
Apostrophe
A figure of speech in which a speaker
directly addresses an absent or dead
person, or deity, an abstract quality, or
something nonhuman as if it were present
and capable of responding.
Example: singing a hymn to a divine
being.
Parallelism
The repetition of words, phrases, or
sentences that have the same
grammatical structure or that compare
and contrast ideas…such as poetry or in
speeches.
This helps to make the literature rhythmic
and memorable.
Parable
A short, allegorical story that teaches
a moral or religious lesson about life.
Invocation
A formal plea to a deity or some
other spiritual power to inspire the
author, or poet.
Personification
A nonhuman thing or quality is talked
about as if it were human.
Flashback
Scene that interrupts the present action of
the plot to flash backward and tell what
happened at an earlier time
Foreshadowing
Use of clues to hint at events that will
occur later in a plot.
Elements of the Epic Plot
The epic has a vast setting in the
ancient world.
The poetry of the epic has formal
tone and diction.
The plot involves intervention of
the gods and interaction with
supernatural beings.
Elements of the Plot
continued…
The plot usually involves an exile
or dangerous journeys in foreign
lands.
The epic reflects timeless values
of the society.
The epic deals with universal
themes (good vs. evil or man
against fate.)
Classical Greek Epics
The Greek epics began
as an oral tradition,
but by about 750 B.C.,
Homer is attributed
with composing the
Iliad and the Odyssey.
Epic Conventions
Many epics share standard characteristics
and formulas known as epic conventions
including:
An invocation to the muse, often the
goddess of poetry, to inspire the poet.
The action begins in medias res,or the
middle of things, rather than the actual
beginning of the story.
Epic Conventions
Many epics share standard characteristics
and formulas known as epic conventions
including:
An invocation to the muse, often the
goddess of poetry, to inspire the poet.
The action begins in medias res,or the
middle of things, rather than the actual
beginning of the story.
Epic Conventions
continued
The epic contains “flashbacks” to events that
occurred earlier in the story.
The epic contains “foreshadowing” or hints of
what will happen some time in the future.
The epic contains epic similes or elaborate
comparisons relating heroic events to simple
everyday language.
The epic contains a certain metrical structure to
aid in memorization of the original oral epics.
Background Information
on Homer
Nothing is really known about
the author, except his name
Greeks believed he was blind
Wrote two great epics-- The
Iliad and
The Odyssey
The Epics
Homer’s epic stories were not
intended for reading but for oral
recitation
These epics date long before the
Greek literacy, the late 8th
Century
The Iliad
The Iliad is probably the first of
the two epics.
Its subject is war; its
characters are men in battle
and women whose fate
depends on the outcome. The
war is fought by the Greeks
against the Trojans for the
recovery of Helen
Hero of the Iliad
The Greek warrior Achilles is the hero of
the Iliad.
Achilles has an unsual birth, for his
mother is the goddess, Thetis, and his
father is a mortal.
Achilles has strength, courage, and
endurance, but his main physical
weakness is his heel, which is vulnerable
to attack.
Other Characteristics of
Achilles
Achilles’ major conflict is with the arrogant
Agamemnon, who aggravates a priest
from Troy whose daughter he has claimed
as a prize of battle.
Achilles’ main character flaw is his
stubbornness and arrogance, which leads
to problems with other Greek leaders and
the gods.
Homer’s Iliad
In the Iliad, the blind
poet, Homer wrote
down the tales of the
Trojan War, which
was started when
Paris of Troy
abducted Helen, the
wife of Menelaus of
Greece.
The Story of the Conquest of
Troy
Near the end of the Iliad,
the Greeks trick the
Trojans into allowing their
entrance to the city.
After pretending to leave
Troy, they place soldiers
inside the famous Trojan
horse, which is then
dragged into the city.
This trick led to the total
destruction of Troy.
Homer’s Odyssey
The story of the
Odyssey takes
place after the
destruction of Troy.
Odysseus undergoes
many dangerous
adventures during
his long journey
back to Ithaca.
The Odyssey
The epic tells the story of the long
journey our epic hero, Odysseus,
as he makes on his way back to his
home in Ithaca.
Odysseus is motivated to return to
his wife, Penelope, after the Trojan
War.
The Trials of the Hero…
The trials of the journey
home are not just physical
obstacles to his return, they
are also temptations.
Odysseus is tempted time
after time to forget his
identity.
CHARACTERS/Human
Agamemmon: king/leader of the Greeks
Penelope: wife of Odysseus
Telemachus: son of Odysseus and
Penelope
Tiresias: blind prophet from the
underworld
Menelaus: king who advises Telemachus
Odysseus: our epic hero
CHARACTERS/gods/immortals
 Apollo: god of sunlight, music, law and medicine
 Athena: daughter of Zeus, favors Odysseus
 Calypso: immortal sea nymph who hold Odysseus
captive many years
 Circe: enchantress who lives on the island of Aeaea
 Cyclopes: race of one-eyed giants
 Polyphemus: son of Poseidon and Cyclops
 Poseidon: god of the sea and earthquakes
 Scylla: 6 headed female sea monster
 Sirens: sea nymphs who sing songs to lure men to their
death
 Zeus: king of the gods