1. Epic Poetry

2. “a long narrative poem presenting characters of high position in a series of adventures which form an organic whole through their relation to a central figure of heroic proportions and through their development of episodes important to the history of a nation or a race”
Tom Sienkewicz

3. Keys to Take Long, Narrative Poem
Centered around character (often a hero)
Goes through series of adventures
Adventures of the hero are important to a nation’s history
Serious subject matter

4. Form of an Epic Narrative Poem Begins in medias res Invokes the Muse
Large Scale Setting
Going around the world
Underworld travels
Intervening Supernatural Figures
Extensive battle scenes
Hero is larger-than-life

5. Message/Moral Epics show: Oral tradition Hero’s quest for knowledge
Hero’s struggle in world
Oral tradition
Core of education
Ethics, politics, history, technology
Educate while entertaining