INTRODUCTION
to
EPIC POETRY
What is Epic Poetry?
 Long narrative poem
 Written in an elevated style
 Celebrates the deed of a
legendary hero or god
Literary Devices
 Alliteration– repetition of similar
sounds especially initial
consonant or stressed syllable (eg.
“Shild’s strong son” [23, line 19])
 Metaphor- comparison between
two similar things
 Simile- Comparison using “like”
or “as”
Literary Devices
Cont.
 Epithet- brief phrase characterizes
a person place or thing (eg. “the
Lord of all Life”, “the Rule of
glory,” “the Lord of heaven and
earth”)
 Kenning- two-word metaphorical
name for something (eg. “searoad” for ocean [30, line 239])
Literary Elements
 Internal Conflict- Struggle that
takes place within the mind of a
character who is torn between
opposing feelings and desires
 External Conflict- When a
character struggles against some
outside force… Person, nature,
society, or fate.
Early Literary
Influences &
Historical Events
Epic of Gilgamesh
2500 BC
 11 Clay Tablets (story)
12th Tells of his ruling the netherworld
 Most important epic poem in human
history
 Various adventures of hero-king
searching for immortality
 An account of the flood
 Characters
Gilgamesh (2/3 god & 1/3 human)
Enkidu (wild man)
Summary of
Gilgamesh
 Meets Enkidu (BFF)
 1st trip to Land of Cedaes to kill
Humbaba
 Later slays the Bull of Heaven
 Angers gods=suffering
 Seeks Utnapishtim & finds heartache
 Returns to Uruk and writes his story
Bible
4000 BC- 77 AD
 Judeo-Christian “God”
 Contains the Old & New
Testaments
 Missionaries & Crusades
 Holy Grail
 Referenced in a lot of literature
Homer
800 BC
 Did he exist?
 Creator of the Epic Poems The
Iliad and The Odyssey
 Most likely a minstrel
 Traveling singer/storyteller
 Poems were oral for centuries
before written down
The Trojan War
1184 BC/ 800 BC (written)
 Main topic of The Iliad by Homer and
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latter The Aeneid by Virgil
Achaeans vs. Trojans (10 yrs.)
Helen of Troy abducted by Paris
Achilles withdraws from the war and
then rejoins in 10th yr. & kills Hector
the Trojan Prince
Wooden horse
City captured & Helen returned to
Menelaus
The Odyssey
800 BC
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Tale of Odysseus
10 yrs. in Trojan War
10 yrs. to get home
Presumed dead wife Penelope fighting
off suitors
 Consists of 24 books
Naturalis Historia,
1st Encyclopedia
77 AD
 Written by Gaius Plinius Cecilius
Secundus (a.k.a. Pliny the Elder)
 37 Book
1st has preface & tables of
contents
List of authorities
 Published 1st 10 himself
 Very little revision if any
The Adventures of
Beowulf
650 AD
 1st Epic Poem written in English,
Old English
 Author Unknown
 Adventure of a great
Scandinavian warrior
 1 manuscript survived the
monastery destruction by Henry
VIII
Historic Background
 Geats & Danes
 Accurately reflects the time period
(6th century)
 Angles, Saxons, & Jutes
 Germanic Code
Comitatus (group) -of loyalty
•Sworn loyalty to king = gifts
 Feudal System
Historic Background
Cont.
 Women were thought of as holy
Belief in fate
 Biblical references relate to Old
Testament
 Author most likely Christian
 Scops- composers & storytellers
Geneology of Geats,
Danes, and Swedes
Main Characters
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Beowulf
Dragon
Grendel & Mother
Higlac
Hrothgar
Shild
Unferth
Welthow
Wiglaf
Time and Place
 Set in Denmark and Geatland
 6th Century
 Herot- mead
hall
Why is Epic Poetry
Important today?
 Stories are still being passed down
from generation to generation.
 We see these same plots, heroes,
struggles, archetypes, and events
happening in life today.
 References to these epic poems are
in our books and movies today.