Epic Poetry: Difference between revisions

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In its strict use by literary critics, the term '''epic''' or '''heroic poem''' is applied to a work that meets at least the following criteria: it is a long narrative poem an a great and serious subject, related in an elevated style, and centered on a heroic or quasi-divine figure on whose actions depends the fate of a tribe, a nation, or the human race. The "traditional epics" (also called "primary epics" or "folk epics") were shaped by a literary artist from historical and legendary materials which had developed in the oral traditions of his nation during a period of expansion and warfare. To this group are ascribed the ''Iliad'' and ''Odyssey'' of the Greek Homer, and the Anglo-Saxon epic ''Beowulf''. The "literary" or "secondary" epics were composed by sophisticated craftsmen in deliberate imitation of the traditional form. Of this kind is Virgil's Latin poem the ''Aeneid'', which later served as the chief model for Milton's literary epic ''Paradise Lost''; and ''Paradise Lost'' in turn became a model for Keat's fragmentary epic ''Hyperion'', as well as for Blake's several epics, or "prophetic books" (''The Four Zoas'', ''Milton'', ''Jerusalem'') which undertook to translate into Blake's own mythic terms the biblical design and materials which had served as Milton's subject matter.
[[File:Charles Meynier - Calliope, Muse of Epic Poetry - 2003.6.4 - Cleveland Museum of Art.tiff|Charles Meynier, ''Calliope, Muse of Epic Poetry''|thumb]]
An '''epic''', or '''heroic''', is a long narrative poem told in a formal style about a serious subject that relates to the a specific national identity.{{sfn|Abrams|2005|p=81}}
 
==History==
. . .
 
==Conventions==
. . .
 
==Characteristics==
. . .
 
==Resources==
* [[w:Epic poetry|Epic poetry]] on Wikipedia.
 
==Citations==
{{Reflist|15em}}
 
==Bibliography==
{{refbegin|indent=yes|30em}}
* {{cite book |last=Abrams |first=M. H. |date=2005 |chapter=Epic |title=A Glossary of Literary Terms |url= |location=Boston, MA |publisher=Thomson, Wadsworth |pages=81–84 |author-link= }}
* {{cite book |last=Cuddon |first=J. A. |date=1979 |title=A Dictionary of Literary Terms |url= |location=London |publisher=Penguin }}
* {{cite book |last1=Frye |first1=Northrup |last2=Baker |first2=Sheridan |last3=Perkins |first3=George |last4=Perkins |first4=Barbara M. |date=1997 |title=The Harper Handbook to Literature |url= |location=New York |publisher=Longman }}
* {{cite book |last=Frye |first=Northrup |author-mask=1 |date=2015 |orig-year=1957 |title=Anatomy of Criticism |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=jmkZBgAAQBAJ |location=Princeton, NJ |publisher=Princeton University Press }}
* {{cite book |last1=Harmon |first=William |last2=Holman |first2=Hugh |date=2003 |title=A Handbook to Literature |edition=Nineth |url= |location=Upper Saddle River, NJ |publisher=Prentice Hall }}
* {{cite book |last=Hexter |first=Ralph |date=1993 |title=A Guide to the Odyssey |url= |location=New York |publisher=Vintage }}
* {{cite book |editor-last=McArthur |editor-first=Tom |date=1992 |chapter=Epic |title=The Oxford Companion to the English Language |url= |location=Oxford |publisher=Oxford UP |page=376 |isbn=|author-link= }}
* {{cite book |last=Parrander |first=Patrick |date=1980 |chapter=Science Fiction as Epic |title=Science Fiction: Its Criticism and Teaching |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=PZsOAAAAQAAJ |location=London |publisher=Methuen |pages=88–105 |isbn= |author-link= }}
* {{cite book |last=Tillyard |first=E. M. W. |date=1966 |orig-year=1954 |title=The English Epic and Its Background |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=dvlZAAAAMAAJ |location=New York |publisher=Oxford UP }}
* {{cite book |last=Wilkie |first=Brian |date=1965 |title=Romantic Poets and Epic Tradition |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=xJYnAAAAMAAJ |location= |publisher=University of Wisconsin Press }}
{{refend}}
 
[[Category:Literary Terms]]

Latest revision as of 08:19, 2 August 2021

Charles Meynier, Calliope, Muse of Epic Poetry

An epic, or heroic, is a long narrative poem told in a formal style about a serious subject that relates to the a specific national identity.[1]

History

. . .

Conventions

. . .

Characteristics

. . .

Resources

Citations

  1. ↑ Abrams 2005, p. 81.

Bibliography

  • Abrams, M. H. (2005). "Epic". A Glossary of Literary Terms. Boston, MA: Thomson, Wadsworth. pp. 81–84.
  • Cuddon, J. A. (1979). A Dictionary of Literary Terms. London: Penguin.
  • Frye, Northrup; Baker, Sheridan; Perkins, George; Perkins, Barbara M. (1997). The Harper Handbook to Literature. New York: Longman.
  • — (2015) [1957]. Anatomy of Criticism. Princeton, NJ: Princeton University Press.
  • Harmon, William; Holman, Hugh (2003). A Handbook to Literature (Nineth ed.). Upper Saddle River, NJ: Prentice Hall.
  • Hexter, Ralph (1993). A Guide to the Odyssey. New York: Vintage.
  • McArthur, Tom, ed. (1992). "Epic". The Oxford Companion to the English Language. Oxford: Oxford UP. p. 376.
  • Parrander, Patrick (1980). "Science Fiction as Epic". Science Fiction: Its Criticism and Teaching. London: Methuen. pp. 88–105.
  • Tillyard, E. M. W. (1966) [1954]. The English Epic and Its Background. New York: Oxford UP.
  • Wilkie, Brian (1965). Romantic Poets and Epic Tradition. University of Wisconsin Press.
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