1. qualities and characteristics 2 a long narrative poem told in elevated style about the actions of...
TRANSCRIPT
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The Epic and the Epic Hero
Qualities and Characteristics
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Definition of an epic•A long narrative poem told in elevated style about
the actions of a noble or semi-divine person
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Qualities of epic poetry Main character is of noble birth Action is on a huge scale God(s) come to the aid of the hero Written in elevated style En Medias Res (action starts in the
middle of things) Literary inventories (long family
histories) Descriptions of battle and weapons Long speeches
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The epic heroDefinition: the central character of an epic who has superior qualities and risks personal danger for the
greater good
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Qualities of the epic hero
Is important and glorified Is on a quest Has superhuman strength,
intelligence and/or courage Is ethical Risks death for the good of
society and for personal glory
Performs brave deeds Is a responsible leader Reflects the values of the
culture
Gandalf is a B.A.
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Literary Elements A few new ones and one you’ll recognize
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A reminder about Anglo-Saxon poetry
Composed extemporaneously by scops
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Structure and Conventions
Kennings = formula phrases that substitute for a noun; types of metaphors used to create alliteration and striking imagery
• Compound words, like “ring-giver”• Prepositional phrases, like “winters of
grief”• Possessives, like “ocean’s face”
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AlliterationRepetition of similar consonant sounds
at the beginning of words in a line of poetry
• Used in place of rhyme• Used to unify ideas and for auditory
pleasure
Sally sold sea shells at the sea shore
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Caesura
A break or long pause in a line of poetry
The poetic line in Anglo-Saxon poetry is broken in half, so the metrical unit is the half line.
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Rules that govern Anglo-Saxon poetry
1. Each half line must contain 2 stressed syllables and any number of unstressed syllables.
2. Either 1 or 2 stressed syllables in the first half line must alliterate with 1 stressed syllable in the 2nd half line.
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Example
u / u / u / u / u
He wove his words in a winsome pattern.
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More on kennings Poets needed kennings
(noun replacement words) to meet the alliteration needs of the poetry
Remember: kennings are nouns, not adjectives!