Epic elements of the epic

1. Epic elements of the epic English 12

2. Epic • Long narrative poem that tells of the adventures of a legendary hero in pursuit of a nationally important goal • The hero’s accomplishments reflect the values of his culture • The hero’s accomplishments are usually found in history or mythology of his people

3. Epic Hero • Central character of an epic • Larger than life with a noble or semi-divine birth (Percy Jackson, Harry Potter) • Fights evil and forces that threaten the world’s order (battles the false accusation of Zeus, battles “he who must not be named”

4. Epic Hero • Significant birth • Goes on a quest • Has superhuman abilities or strength • Decent into underworld/darkness • Rebirth • Upholds the values of his culture-loyalty, bravery, honor

5. Batman • Born to a Doctor who inherited the Wayne family fortune • Goes on many quests to make Gotham safe (battles Penguin, Joker, Scarecrow…) • Superhuman training, bravery, and technology • Falls in a well with bats, comes out stronger • Self-sacrificing, never kills, protects the citizens even if they don’t like him or support his cause (soldiers)

6. Archetype • Typical character, action, or situation that represents a universal pattern • A pattern to follow • The hero • The mother figure • The journey • The fall

7. Quest • Long, adventurous journey/mission undertaken by the hero • Proves the hero’s heroism • Brings the hero honor and fame • Beowulf saves a neighboring kingdom by slaying Grendel

8. Valorous Deeds • Actions to demonstrate the hero’s courage, strength, or virtue • Makes up most of the action in the narrative • Beowulf battles Grendel bare handed

9. Divine Intervention • Help from a god or supernatural force who finds interest in the hero’s quest • Poseidon helps Percy Jackson

10. Great Events • Important events from history of mythology of a nation or culture often provide the theme or backdrop for the epic • The Iliad takes place during the Trojan War

11. Essential vs. Often • All epics have • Epic hero • Quest • Valorous deeds • Many epic have • Divine intervention • Great events

12. Folk vs. Literary • A folk epic is an ancient story about a hero told or sung as entertainment and passed down orally through the generations. These stories were unified into folk epics and written down long after they were first composed. • A literary epic is written by an individual in the style and convention of the folk epic.

13. Epic Conventions • Epic open with by stating a subject or purpose then ask a muse to help tell the story • The plot begins in medias res “in the middle” of the story • Serious in tone and lofty in style

14. Mead

15. Mead Hall

16. Mead Hall

17. Loyalty to king and kin • Kin means family • King is generous providing gifts and protection for the tribe (remember, there is no unity on the island at this time) • The king’s men battle for him and only him • The pagan custom for the death of a kinsman was to kill the offending member or family member which led to the practice of wergild

18. Wergild • In an attempt to lessen revenge killings, the wergild is an amount of money that could be paid instead of murder. • In The Lord of the Rings, Isildur takes the one ring in payment for the death of his father and brother • In Beowulf, Grendel refuses to pay a wergild for the men he murders

19. Boasting • It was expected and honorable to boast (just make sure you can back it up!)