THE EPICS

• The epic is generally defined:

• A long narrative poem on a great and serious subject, related in an elevated style, and centered on a heroic or quasi-divine figure on whose 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 during a period of expansion and warfare (Beowulf, The Odyssey, The Iliad).

Characteristics of Epic Poetry

• Epic heroes come from the heroic era, which precedes the Archaic Age in ancient Greece and the founding of Rome by the legendary king Romulus.

• The heroes of epic literature are bound by a code of honor.

• The form of the epic is verse -- Dactylic Hexameters -- marking it immediately as poetry.

• The language of epic poetry is often formulaic.

• The material of epic poetry is elevated; it does not dwell on the banal details of life.

• Epic poetry tends to have catalogues. Catalogues (of things like ships or booty) tend to be long.

• Speeches are frequent.

Week 8Comparing and Analysing

EPICS POEMSTRANGE MEETING (WILFRED OWEN)

ICARUS (VALENTIN IREMONGER)

BIOGRAPHY of Valentin Iremonger

• He was born in Dublin (1918 - 22 May 1991) a poet and an Irish diplomat, joined the diplomatic service.

• He served as Irish Ambassador to Sweden, Norway, Finland, India and Luxembourg.

• In 1945 he won the Æ Memorial Prize for a manuscript collection of poems. He was poetry editor of the literary magazine Envoy from 1949 to 1951.

• He also produced translations from the Irish language

ICARUS• Definitions• noun • Greek mythology the son of Daedalus, with whom he escaped from

Crete, flying with wings made of wax and feathers. Heedless of his father's warning he flew too near the sun, causing the wax to melt, and fell into the Aegean and drowned

• Astron.an asteroid whose eccentric orbit brings it closer to the sun than any other known asteroid.

Read more: Icarus: meaning and definitions — Infoplease.com http://dictionary.infoplease.com/icarus#ixzz1rYntc700

• http://www.collinsdictionary.com/dictionary/english/icarus

Icarus - Valentin Iremonger .

As, even to-day, the airman, feeling the plane sweatSuddenly, seeing the horizon tilt up gravely, the wings shiver,Knows that, for once, Daedalus has slipped up badly,Drunk on the job, perhaps, more likely dreaming, high-flier

• Icarus,Head butting down skidding along the light-shaftsBack,over the tones of the sea-waves and the slip-stream, heardThe gravel-voiced, stuttering trumpets of his heartSennet among the crumbling court-yards of his brain the mistakeOf trusting somebody else on an important affair like this;And while the flat sea, approaching, buckled into oh! avenuesOf acclamation, he saw the wrong story fan out into history.Truth, undefined, lost in his own neglect On the hills,The summer-shackled hills, the sun spanged all day;Love and the world were young and there was no ending:

• But star-chaser, bit-time-going, chancer IcarusLike a dog on the sea lay and the girls forgot himAnd Daedalus, too busy hammering another job,Remembered him only in pubs. No bugler at allSobbed taps for the young fool then, reported missing,Presumed drowned, wing-bones and feathers on the tideDrifting in casually, one by one.

Introduction

• The poem 'Icarus' by Valentin Iremonger is a modern adaptation of the story of Icarus and Daedalus written in the form of a poem to give a modern metaphorical reference to this commandment.

• Written in the 20th century, the poet exhibits an increasing interest in deepening a psychological portrait in an attempt to capture the essence of human experience more authentically.

Analysis of the Poem

• The irony of the poem is captured through the experiences of Icarus, where he disobeys his father's cautions in order to experience the joy of flying.

• The poem contains one of the typical 'stumbling blocks' outlined in lives, i.e. the characteristics of a high flyer who avoids possible consequences before acting hastily.

• This contemporary poem presents a form that became predominant in the twentieth century- free verse.

• The poem presents irregular lines of unequal lengths; and obsolete ideas about meter that are done away with altogether.

• With the lack of rhyme and rhythm the poet using this free verse creates his own form contributing to the fictitious story containing an ironic message.

• In this way, form used in this poem becomes as original and imaginative a part of the poetic process as imagery.

• The longer phrases are broken down with commas to demonstrate pauses, as the reader feels the poet contemplating his irony.

• This is evident from the opening lines of the poem until the conclusive phrases towards the end. "As, even today, the airman, feeling the plane sweat Suddenly, seeing the horizon tilt up gravely, the wings shiver,“

• The first three lines impart this usage of detached words to present the didactic work that intends to 'preach' and persuade a particular moral.

• This moral suggests the nature of all humans who act hastily upon an idea, never to consider the possible consequences and the cautionary advices given from knowledgeable elders. The irregular punctuation is placed in order to consign emphasis that the reader ought to reflect upon

References

• http://inwardboundpoetry.blogspot.com/2009/01/762-icarus-valentin-iremonger.html

• www.poemhunter.com/poems/epic/• http://ancienthistory.about.com/od/literat3/qt/EpicP

oetry.htm• http://homepage.mac.com/mseffie/assignments/be

owulf/epic.html• testing.indianapublicmedia.org/poetsweave/tag/

valentin-iremonger/• http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Valentin_Iremonger• www.ricorso.net/rx/az-data/authors/i/Iremonger_V/l

ife.htm• http://www.coursework.info/International_Baccalaur

eate/World_Literature/Creative_Responses/Icarus_-_Valentin_Iremonger_-_Commentary_L865137.html