Epic and Myth

9th Grade English

Mrs. Rasinen

Myths, Epics, and Legends

Recitation of stories Explanations of natural phenomena Explanations of customs or beliefs Entertainment

Epics – Larger than Life

An epic is a narrative poem about warriors and heroes.

An epic hero’s primary goal is to save his or her nation and its people in a time of crisis.

Epics often have national significance and embody the history and aspirations of a nation.

Gods and goddesses may intervene in the events portrayed.

Characteristics of Epics

Heroic central figure Perilous journeys Misadventures The supernatural Repetition of specific passages Lofty tone Goal – to teach and inspire with examples of

overcoming obstacles

Structure

Structure is the way an author organizes a work of literature.

Epics begin with invocations that request a muse to provide inspiration.

Muses are the gods and goddesses who preside over the arts and sciences. They provide inspiration to those who excel in these fields.

Epic poems begin en media res – in the middle of things.

Myth Myths

are traditional stories of anonymous origins.

involve human action that is controlled or guided by gods and goddesses.

provide explanations for how things came to exist (creation, natural order, etc.).

Archetypes

An archetype is a thing, a person, a theme, or a rite of passage that is universal and is portrayed in literature throughout time.

Carl Jung Examples of archetypes include

Birth Growing up / rites of passage Love Family Death and dying

Archetypes Examples of archetypal characters

include The villain The rebel The hero The damsel in distress

Symbol

A symbol is an object, a person, a place, an action, or an event that has a literal meaning and represents a figurative meaning.

Symbols may be universal or may be developed over the course of a literary work.

The Hero’s Journey

Joseph Campbell – Hero’s Journey / Monomyth

1. Departure Call to adventure Refusal of the call Supernatural aid Crossing of first threshold Belly of the whale

Hero’s Journey

2. Initiation The road of trials The meeting with the goddess Woman as the temptress Atonement with the father Apotheosis The ultimate boon

Hero’s Journey

3. Return Refusal of the return The magic flight Rescue from without The crossing of the return threshold Master of the two worlds Freedom to live