Epic - Explanation - BA

Epic

   

Introduction:

       According to R. J. Rees, the easiest answer of the question, “What is epic?” that is,

“It is a poem like Vergil’s ‘Aeneid’ or Milton’s ‘Paradise Lost’”

But this definition is not appropriate as per the definition of form. The appropriate definition is,

“Epic is a long poem about the doings of one or more characters from history or legend”

       Epic is a long narrative poem recounting heroic deeds. The term includes both oral and written forms. Examples of oral epics are Homer’s Iliad and Odyssey. Best examples of written epics in English are, John Milton’s ‘Paradise Lost’ and Edmund Spenser’s ‘Faerie Queene’. 

Origin and meaning:

       Epic is a lengthy narrative poem. It contains serious subjects and heroic deeds. It also contains significant events of a culture and nation. Homeric epics were the earliest works in western literature and were in oral form.

       The word ‘Epic’ originated from, Greek words ‘epos’ and ‘epikos’ which means “word or songs”. The general definition of the epic form is,

“A long poem, typically one, derived from ancient oral tradition, narrating the deeds and adventures of heroic or legendary figures or the past history of a nation.”

      These songs involve a large number of secondary characters as well as a background of gods and spirits who join in the action time to time. The epic contains the central character and the character’s actions depends the fate of a tribe, a nation or the human race.

   

      The traditional epics were shaped by a literary artist from historical and legendary materials which had developed in the oral traditions of his nation. Usually epic contains eternal human problems such as the conflict between GOOD and EVIL.

Types of Epic:

   There are two types of epic:

1. Folk Epic – It contains oral compositions passed on from storyteller to storyteller and has changed over time. For example – Beowulf, the Iliad, and the Odyssey

2. Literary Epic- written compositions

Homeric style – simile:

      The word Homeric is based on the name of Greek author Homer. Homer composed the two famous Greek epics, Odyssey and Iliad. Homeric style suggests enlarging comprehension so that it becomes “poem within poem”. For example,

1. An epic starts with a prayer or invocation in which poet asks some god or more to help him in his great work.

2. An ordinary simile might describe a young man as tall and dark and straight, but using Homeric simile the author would describe the same young man “Like a Cypress tree”.

3. A description of some kind of athletic contest or ‘games’. In the ‘Aeneid’ Virgil describes account of Achilles’ funeral games.

4. Along dangerous journey is made by the hero. In Aristotle’s ‘Orlando Furiose’ is made to the moon.

5. The poets begin their story in the middle of the action.

Characteristic of epic:

1. Hero a great figure:

        The hero is a great leader who is identified strongly with a particular people or society. Hero is great figure of national and cosmic importance. In 'Paradise Lost', Adam represents the entire human race and if we regard Christ as hero he is both man and God.

2. Wide scale:

       Epic is a long in its length. Poet has enough time for digression (giving details/parenthesis) and description. In the novel and plays, there is a limited time and on the other hand, epic has not any page-limits. Milton has spent enough time in describing the shield and spear of Satan.

3. High seriousness:

       The poets try to make their work great. According to them there should be a sense of real importance. Seriousness provides importance to the work and influences people in one or the other way.

4. Supernatural beings taken as an active part:

      In the great actions of epics, god, angels, and evil spirits take interest and active part. In "Paradise lost" there is Christ, Satan and angels.

5. Ceremonial performance:

       An epic is a ceremonial (traditional) performance and also narrated in a ceremonial style. This keeps it away from ordinary speech. Poets and writers use Latin addiction, stylized, syntax, allusion and Homer's epic similes and epithets.

6. Supernatural deeds:

       The action of the epic contains superhuman deeds in battle, such as 'Achiles' deeds in the Trojan War. There are some deeds which are opposed to God, for example in 'Paradise Lost', there is a war in heaven and Satan's journey to discover the newly created world.

7. Choric nature:

      According to Prof. Tillyard 'Choric' nature epic is in a sense public poetry - generally nationalistic or tribal. The writer is not only writing to express his own thoughts and feelings but the thoughts and feelings of some large group of community.