1. What the heck are they???
Epics….

2. What is an Epic? a. Long, narrative poems
b. Originally passed down by word of mouth over several generations.
c. Centered around a heroic figure
d. The hero’s actions determine the fate of a tribe, a nation, or even the human race.

3. The Epic Hero a. Is of noble birth (related to
a king) and/or of high social status (people admire him)
b. Reflects values that are important to his society
c. Displays courageous or super-human deeds
d. Is of imposing physical stature and is greater than the common man.

4. Epic Characteristics The setting covers great distances
Supernatural forces shape the action
c. Conflict in the form of combat
d. A central hero
e. Perilous (dangerous) journeys
f. Elevated (formal) language.

5. Continued…
Repetition is used…probably so it was easier to understand when people were passing it along
Have you ever heard of…the telephone game?

6. Additional characteristics (These may or may not be present.)
The theme is stated immediately.
A muse is invoked.
The story opens “in media res” or in the middle of the action.
There are often long lists of objects, people, and places.
There are extended formal speeches.
A Muse: Daughters of Zeus, goddesses of fine arts who provide creative inspiration. Most epic poems open by stating the theme and invoking a Muse to inspire and instruct the poet. At the beginning of The Odyssey Homer asks the Muse to tell him a story.

7. Opening Lines: The Odyssey
Sing in me, Muse, and through me tell the story Of that man skilled in all ways of contending, The wanderer, harried for years on end, After he plundered the stronghold On the proud height of Troy.

8. Cont’d Use of the epic simile
Homer’s are very ornate and complicated. (Author of the Odyssey)
Just as a lion is beset by doubt and fear when he’s surrounded by a crowd of hunters closing in-a cunning ring-so was Penelope, while pondering, beset.”

9. Types of Epics Folk Epics Developed orally Authors are unknown
Later written down
Sometimes began as songs
Beowulf (Anglo-Saxon)
Mahabharata (Indian)
The Song of Roland (French)

10. Types of Epics
Literary Epics
Created by known poets
Poets used a specific format
The Iliad
The Odyssey
Aeneid
Paradise Lost

11. Our focus of this unit will be reading the folk epic, Beowulf
Our focus of this unit will be reading the folk epic, Beowulf. While reading the story, pay attention to the characteristics that make it an epic, and take note of the traits of the main character, Beowulf, that make him an epic hero.