Epic notes

WHAT IS AN EPIC?
1. An epic is typically a long poem, conventionally derived from
oral ancient tradition.
2. It also involves narratives of deeds of significantly heroic or
legendary characters.
3. Epics also include a separate set of supernatural characters
which are often presented with a quality of divinity.
4. They often include instances that inevitably point to fate,
destiny, God’s will.
5. Their existence had been long before their fragments from oral
traditions that were passed generations to generations through
a song or story were compiled into literary works, that could
also point us to it’s authenticity. Since the compiled work could
also include the new found interpretations and imaginations
over the years, or the text could have been conveniently
molded to validate the ongoing traditions.
6. Inclusion and importance of gods or any supernatural figure is
interpreted quite often along with the mentions of destiny ,
fate and dependency of ordinary people on supernatural
figures.
7. Correspondence of supernatural attributes with the heroic lead
of the epic. Evidence of divine intervention.
8. Language is evidently inclined towards noble and illustrious
mode of communication, explicitly keeping it aloof from
common speech
 CHARACTERSTICS OF AN EPIC

 Distinct mention of theme: Theme is written in the first few lines

of the epic which is called ‘proposition’, it comprises of honoring
the force [muse] that inspired the authors work seemingly called
‘invocation’.
 Poetic Devices: Involves conventional poetic devices like Homeric
Epithet or Homeric Simile to entrap the reader’s imagination along
with creating an entirely different yet somehow related tale.
 Action: Evidence of involvement, control, dependency, divinity, of
supernatural figures.
Exudes prominent belief of good over evil.
Supernatural entities often exhibit humanized emotions of love,
hate.
 Episodes: Involves actions pertaining to emotion of thrill like a
dual, battles etc.
 Division: Usually are divided into 12 books yet it’s not a
mandatory rule to follow the similar division.
 Purposes : The texts exhibits some kind of purpose like patriotism,
moral and didactic versions.

GROWTH OF AN EPIC
Epics usually grow through 2 ways :

FOLK EPIC AUTHENTIC/LITERARY EPIC

 Grown naturally over the years  By the deliberate effort of an author

through oral traditions like song or
story
 It is not a work of one person
 Fragments of epic had existed before
compilation into an artistic work
 Examples: Homer’s Illiad
 In order to match the original
 Could be work of one author
 Produced in relatively later ages
 Examples: Milton’s Paradise Lost
CONCLUSION:
An epic in clear way provides the understanding of prevailing culture
and customs at the time of it’s creation in the society. Creates an
understandable difference between the practices and beliefs of then
and now all while being interpreted, studied and scrutinized by
different generations over the course of time and yet inspiring the
works of forthcoming authors.