Name: _____________________________
Period: ______ Date: _______________
The Epic
Extraordinary heroes in pursuit of hideous monsters. Brutal battles fought and perilous quests undertaken.
Spectacular triumphs and crushing defeats. The epic, still very much alive in today’s novels and movies,
began thousands of years ago in the oral tradition of ancient Greece. There, listeners gathered around poetstorytellers to hear the daring exploits of the hero Odysseus. Across storm-tossed seas, through wild forests,
amid countless dangers and subsequent narrow escapes, the hero, motivated by a singular focus on his
objective, prevails against all odds. It’s no wonder that Homer’s Odyssey remains one of the most beloved
epics in Western literature. It captivates us and carries us off into a time and place quite different from – yet
somehow similar to – our own.
How could the epics from ancient literature be similar to our own stories?
Characteristics of an Epic
An epic is _______________________________________________________. It recounts the adventures of the
__________________________, a larger-than-life figure who undertakes great journeys and performs deeds
requiring remarkable bravery and cunning. As you begin your own journey through Homer’s epic, you
can expect to encounter the following elements.
ELEMENTS OF AN EPIC
Epic Hero
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Epic Plot
Depicts a long, strange journey filled with
such complications as
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Epic Setting
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Archetypes
Characters and situations recognizable
across times and cultures
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Epic Themes
Reflect universal concerns, such as
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Think of a story that can be seen as an epic. Use the notes from above to describe
the different characteristics of an epic that your story embodies. Use the graphic
organizer below to “map out” the characteristics of your chosen epic.
Epic Hero (who is the Hero in your
story and what qualities do they
possess?)
Archetypes (what archetypes are
present?)
Epic Plot (BRIEFLY describe the plot)
Title of Epic:
Epic Setting (what is the setting of
your plot and which characteristics
are present)
Epic Themes (what epic theme or
themes are present?)
The Language of Homer
Since Homer’s work originated as ancient Greek verse, you will read an English translation. Many translations of
the Odyssey have appeared over the years, and each translator has interpreted it differently. Consider, for
example, these two passages from Book 2. The first adopts a formal tone that is much closer to the original. The
second version employs a more conversational tone.
Translation 1
When Primal Dawn spread on the eastern sky her
fingers of pink light, Odysseus’s true son stood up, drew
on his tunic and mantle, slung on a sword-belt and a
new-edged sword, tied his smooth feet into good
rawhide sandals, and left his room, a god’s brilliance
upon him.
 translated by Robert Fitzgerald (1961)
Translation 2
Dawn came, showing her rosy fingers through the early
mists, and Telemachus leapt out of bed. He dressed
himself, slung a sharp sword over his shoulder, strapt a
stout pair of boots on his lissom feet, and came forth
from his chamber like a young god.
 translated by W.H.D. Rouse (1937)
The people of ancient Greece who first experienced the Odyssey heard it sung in a live performance. The poet, or
another performer, used epic similes, epithets, and allusions to help keep the audience enthralled.
I. A simile is a comparison between two unlike things, using the word like or as. Home
often employs the epic simile, a comparison developed at great length over several lines. For example,
the epic simile in the following passage compares an angry Odysseus to a roasting sausage.
His rage
held hard in leash, submitted to his mind,
while he himself rocked, rolling from side to side,
as a cook turns a sausage, big with blood
and fat, at a scorching blaze, without a pause,
to broil it quick: so he rolled left and right…
Write your own simile: ______________________________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________.
II. An epithet renames a person or thing with a descriptive phrase. To maintain the meter
of the poem or complete a line of verse, the poet would often use an epithet containing the necessary
number of syllables. For example, Homer often refers to Odysseus by such epithets as “son of Laertes”
and “raider of cities” and “that man skilled in all ways of contending.”
Write an epithet for yourself: _______________________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
III. An allusion is a reference to a literary or historical person, place, event, or composition.
For example, when Telemachus, Odysseus’s son, beholds the palace of Menelaus, he exclaims, “This is the
way the court of Zeus must be.” Every listener in Greece immediately understood the allusion to Zeus, the
ruler of the gods. Allusions are found in all forms of media: television, books, songs, speeches, etc.
Write down an allusion that you have seen or heard somewhere: ______________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
What is the difference between an allusion and an illusion? ___________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Reading the Epic
Any journey through the Odyssey offers the reader a complex experience. On one level, Homer provides
an action-packed narrative that makes us eagerly anticipate each thrilling step in the adventure. On
another level, readers can analyze and appreciate the poem as a work of art. The following strategies can
help you navigate your own voyage.
Reading the Epic as Narrative
 Pay close attention to the changing narrators. Who is telling the story at a given point? Consider
the ways in which different narrators deepen your understanding of characters and events.
o Topics to review: first person narration, third-person limited narration, omniscient
narration and the unreliable narrator
 Visualize the setting and the action by observing key details in the text.
o Topics to review: setting, imagery
o Why might imagery be so useful in a poem spoken aloud to a group? __________________________
_________________________________________________________________________________________________________
 Note major events and conflicts and try to predict their outcomes. Use a chart like the one shown
below to track characters, including gods and goddesses. Characterize characters as friends or
foes, and explain how they help or hinder Odysseus’s efforts.
o Topics to review: internal and external conflicts, direct and indirect
characterization, character motivation
Characters Who Help
Characters Who Hinder
Goddess Athena pleads with Zeus to help
The god Poseidon stirs up powerful storms that
Odysseus escape from Calypso’s island.
cause problems for Odysseus and his crew.
Reading the Epic as Poetry
 Read the epic aloud. Listen for sound devises such as alliteration, meter, and rhyme, and notice
how they reflect and enhance meaning.
o Alliteration: _________________________________________________________________________________________
o Meter: ________________________________________________________________________________________________
o Rhyme: _______________________________________________________________________________________________
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Follow punctuation closely, and remember that the end of a line does not indicate the end of a
thought.
Consider how imagery and figurative language, including epic similes, reveal characters and
events. Note all allusions and epithets.
Reading the Epic within the Context of Its Time
 Look closely at how Odysseus behaves. What character traits does he display? What do these
traits tell you about the values of the time?
 Draw upon your own prior knowledge of ancient Greek civilization and history. What events and
customs would have influenced Homer?
 Remember that the Greeks of Homer’s time believed that the gods took an active interest in
human affairs. (In fact, the gods themselves behaved very much like humans.) How do such
religious beliefs influence the epic?
o Name a modern-day hero (real-life or fictional) and discuss how that hero shows
something that is important in our society.
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