Epic
An epic is sometimes called a heroic poem. Beowulf, the Iliad, and the Odyssey are all heroic poems or epics. They are long narratives about the adventures of larger-than-life characters. These are of unknown or uncertain authorship, were recited before an audience, and were passed along as part of an oral tradition. Later epics, often called literary epics, were written by poets utilizing conventions and are meant to be read. Examples of these include Virgil’s Aeneid and Milton’s Paradise Lost.
Epics tend to have the following characteristics:
· The hero is a great leader strongly identified with a particular people or society.
· The setting broad and often included the upper and lower worlds
· The hero does great deeds in battle or undertakes an extraordinary journey.
· Sometimes the gods or other supernatural or fantastic beings take part in the action.