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Epic Tales and Literary Conventions: Understanding Gilgamesh and Other Great Epics

Explore the fascinating world of epics with this overview of the epic genre, focusing on Gilgamesh and other renowned works. Learn about epic heroes, conflicts, quests, and divine interventions in these narratives. Discover the elements and conventions that define epic literature, including archetypes and characterization techniques. Ideal for students and enthusiasts of classical literature.

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Epic Tales and Literary Conventions: Understanding Gilgamesh and Other Great Epics

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  1. Gilgamesh Literary Terms

  2. Epics • Epic: long, narrative poem that recounts the adventures of a legendary hero who is engaged in a dangerous journey, or quest, that is important to the history of a nation or people • Two Types of Epics • 1. Folk- epic that was written down long after it was recited or sung as entertainment and passed down by oral tradition • Examples: Beowulf (Anglo-Saxon) • Gilgamesh (Sumerian) • 2. Literary- written by individual authors • Examples: Iliad and Odyssey (Homer) • Aeneid (Virgil) • (Literary Epics were once Folk epics before someone decided to write the stories down)

  3. Elements of an Epic • 4 Elements of an Epic • 1. Epic Hero: strong, brave, loyal, virtuous • -has flaws • -important to society • -semi divine (half-God) • 2. Epic Conflict: epic hero’s struggle against an obstacle or series of obstacles • 3. Heroic Quest: epic hero’s perilous journey in search of something of value to his people • 4. Divine Intervention: epic hero receives help from a god or some other supernatural force

  4. Elements of an Epic • For example in The Odyssey: • 1. Odysseus (EPIC HERO) • 2. Saves men from Lotus Eaters and Cyclops (EPIC CONFLICT) • 3. Travels to get back home and reclaim Ithaca (HEROIC QUEST) • 4. Receives help from Athena, Zeus, and Apollo (DIVINE INTERVENTION)

  5. Epic Conventions • Epic conventions (literary or formal characteristics) • 1. Opens by stating subject or purpose, followed by an invocation, appeal or prayer for help • 2. Plot begins in media res (in the middle of things) • 3. Serious tone with long, formal speeches by characters • 4. Includes epic similes, elaborate extended comparisons using like or as • 5. Includes epithets, descriptive words or phrases

  6. Epic Conventions • Archetype: basic plot, character, symbol, or idea that recurs in the literature of many cultures. One archetype is the hero’s quest. • Characterization: means by which characters are created and developed • Direct characterization: author reveals characters’ personalities through direct statements, actions, speech, and thoughts

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