The Epic….
As you know, epic poetry has several characteristics:
1. long formal speeches
2. a male battle hero of noble stature
3. influence of supernatural powers
4. the hero possesses super-human traits
5. the fate of a people rests in the deeds of the hero
6. formal tone and diction
7. the use of kennings and stock epithets
8. beginning in medias res
9. begins with an invocation of the muse
10. the invocation is typically followed by a prologue that summarizes the story of that epic
11. subject matter is typically of a high and lofty stature, often involving great battles or events from history, as well as the heroes & characters from those events
Your Tasks:
You will write an epic of your own, following the basic format as modeled in paradise Lost, which was modeled on The Aeneid, The Illiad, and The Odyssey.
Nuts& Bolts
* incorporate all 11 characteristics listed above
* write in verse (poetry) format
* {note: it doesn”t have to rhytme}
* be sure to select a topic that is “lofty” enough to merit and epic
* type the final product
* it should be 3-5 pages long ( not less than 3, not more than 5)
* All language and topic material must be appropriate to share with all of your peers
* be prepared to share it with some of your peers
Scoring: You will be graded according to the fulfrullment of the task requirements, not on creative writing ablility. Include all 11 characteristics in your work !
