(Everything you wanted to know about epic
poetry but were afraid to ask!)
The Epic
 A long, narrative poem told in an exalted
style (grand manner) that tells of the
exploits and adventures of a hero
 Oral Tradition
– the way a culture passed on its history, legends,
myths, and stories from one generation to the
next
– essential means of archiving history before
printing and mass media
– often includes rhythm, rhyme, and repetition
The Epic
 Significant to a particular race or culture--
part of a given culture’s history and
mythology
 Often based in literal truth
 Reveal that culture’s value and belief
systems and character
 Certain elements may be universal,
transcending cultural, geographical, and
historical boundaries
Beowulf as Epic: Anglo-Saxon Scops
 Professional tribal poets
 Celebrated cultural values by singing epics on
occasions of great ceremony and festivity
 Presented the stories, legends, myths, values,
belief systems, and histories of the AngloSaxon culture
 Passed them down from one generation to the
next
Beowulf as Epic: Scops
 Fulfilled many roles in an Anglo Saxon tribe:
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court singer
tribal historian
genealogist
teacher
composer
critic
warrior
traveler and reporter
Beowulf as Epic
 Cultural values embodied in Beowulf:
– Loyalty
– Valor (courage, bravery)
– Selflessness (willingness to sacrifice self for the
good of the people)
– Justice
Beowulf as Epic
 Prevailing philosophies & religious beliefs
evident in Beowulf:
– Uneasy mix of Christian and pagan elements
(images, symbols, beliefs)
– Incl. fatalism: a belief that humans are not in
control of their own destinies; Fate is.
Archetypes
 Universal symbols that transcend boundaries of
culture, time and geography
 Part of humanity’s collective unconscious (Carl
Jung)
 Examples include certain-• Images (sun, water, circle, tree, serpent, garden,
desert)
• Colors (red, green, blue, white, black)
• Numbers (3, 4, 7)
• Character types (The Good Mother, The Wise Old
Man, The Hero)
Archetypes--Sun
 Sun (fire and sky)
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creative energy
consciousness
father principle
passage of time and life
 Rising sun
– birth; creation; enlightenment
 Setting sun
– death
Archetypes--Water
 Mysteries of creation
 Birth-death-resurrection cycles
 Purification and redemption
 Sea
– mother of all life
– timelessness and eternity
 River
– death and rebirth (baptism)
– transitional phases of the life cycle
Archetypes--Colors
 Red: blood, sacrifice, violent passion; disorder
 Green: (Positive) growth; hope; fertility;
(Negative) death and decay
 Blue: highly positive, associated with truth,
religious feeling, security, spiritual purity
 Black: (darkness) chaos, mystery, the unknown;
death; the unconscious
 White: (Positive) light, purity, innocence;
timelessness; (Negative) death, terror, emptiness,
blinding truth of mystery
Archetypes--Circle
 Circle (Sphere): wholeness, unity
 Egg (oval): the mystery of life and forces of
generation
 Wheel--symbol of fortune, fate
 Yang-Yin: a Chinese symbol; represents the
union of opposite forces--(Jungian theory of anima and
animus)
– Yang: masculine principle; light; activity; the
conscious mind
– Yin: female principle; darkness; passivity; the
unconscious
More Archetypal Images
 Serpent
• The Garden
 Evil
• Paradise
 Corruption
 Sensuality
• Innocence
 Destruction
• Unspoiled beauty
 The unconscious
• Fertility
More Archetypal Images
 Desert
 Spiritual aridity (dryness)
 Emptiness
 Hopelessness (Wasteland)
 Tree
 Life; consistence and growth
 Proliferation
 Immortality; generation and regeneration
Archetypes--Numbers
 Three (3)
 Spiritual awareness and unity
– Example: the Holy Trinity
 Male principle
 Four (4)
 Associated with circle and earth (four corners)
 Life cycle (four seasons)
 Female principle
 Seven (7): Most potent of all symbolic numbers
 Union of 3 & 4
 Completion of a cycle; perfect order
Archetypes--Character Types
 The Good Mother (positive qualities of E.M.)
 associated with life principle
 represents birth, warmth, nourishment
 represents protection and abundance
 Examples:
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Mother Nature--the earth mother
Demeter/Ceres
Marmie March (from Little Women)
Captain Planet--Gaia
Cinderella--Fairy godmother
Star Wars--Anakin Skywalker’s mother(?)
Archetypes--Character Types
 The Terrible Mother (negative qualities of E.M.)
 femme fatale
 witch, sorceress, siren, whore, seductress
 associated with fear, sensuality, danger, darkness,
emasculation, death
 Examples: Delilah
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Cinderella--evil stepmother
Hera
any soap opera
The Little Mermaid--Ursula
Archetypes--Character Types
 The Soul Mate
 Sophia figure--associated with spiritual wisdom
 Holy mother
 Princess or “beautiful lady”
 Incarnation of inspiration and spiritual fulfillment
 Jungian anima (completion)
 Examples:
– Wizard of Oz--Glenda the Good Witch
– Star Wars--Princess Leia
– Blue woman (Diva) in The Fifth Element
Archetypes--Character Types
 The Wise Old Man
 savior, redeemer, guru figure
 personification of the spiritual principle
 represents knowledge, reflection, insight, wisdom,
cleverness and intuition
 also represents moral qualities such as goodwill,
readiness to help
 the sagacious and helpful old man
 Examples: Obiwan Kenobi, Yoda, Merlin,
Gandolf, Mr. Miyagi, Splinter, Rafiki, Teiresius
Archetypes--Character Types
 The Hero Archetypes (archetypes of
transformation and redemption)
 Hero’s Initiation (from ignorance and
immaturity to social and spiritual adulthood)
– Separation
– Transformation
– Return
 Examples: Huck Finn, The Lion King, Luke
Skywalker, Ebeneezer Scrooge, Overboard, The
Prodigal Son
Archetypes--Character Types
 The Sacrificial Scapegoat
 the hero with whom the welfare of the tribe or
nation is identified
 must die to atone for the people’s sins and to
restore the land to fruitfulness
 Examples: Braveheart--William Wallace, Jesus,
Maximus of Gladiator, Somersby, Bruce Willis’
character in Armageddon
The Hero Archetype
 The Hero’s Quest
– Undertakes a long
journey
– Must perform
impossible tasks and
overcome
insurmountable
obstacles
– Has an important goal
to achieve
– Is often a savior,
deliverer figure
Other Archetypal Motifs
 Creation
 Immortality
 Battle of Good v. Evil