English 2 Honors Literary Terms

Epic

A long narrative poem about a larger than life hero who is engaged in a dangerous journey, or quest, that is important to the history of a nation or people

Folk Epics

Are stories about heros that were originally recited or sung as entertainment at feast. Over the generations, these stories were passed down orally from story tellers to story tellers until eventually they were written down

Literally Epics

Were written by a specific author, usually borrowing the style and characteristics of the folk epics. Some literary epics drawn upon well-known stories, characters, and myths that were passed down through the oral tradition

An Epic Hero

An epic focuses on the adventures of a larger-than-life main character called the epic hero. This hero is strong, brave, loyal, and virtuous- although he is sometimes flawed

An Epic Conflict

The plot of an epic centers on the hero’s struggle against an obstacles. The hero provides his strength, bravery, wisdom, and virtue through valorous deeds-success in battle or adventure

A heroic quest

Often bthe hero’s adventure takes the form of a perilous journey, or quest, in search of something of value to his people.

Divine Intervention

The epic hero often receives help from a god or some other supernatural force. However, a different god may also work against the hero

What does an epic hero usually begins with?

An opening statement of theme, followed by an invocation, or appeal for supernatural help in telling the story

What does the story begin in?

Medias res(in the middle of things). Readers are plunged right into the action, and the flashbacks and other narrative devices report on earlier events

What does the epic have?

A serious time and an elevated style that reflect the importance of its characters and theme

Epic similes

Epics often include epic similes, elaborate extended comparisons using like or as

Epithets

A stock descriptive words or phrases. Because these poems were originally composed and recited orally, epithets were a kind of shorthand that allowed the poet to describe a character or an object quickly in terms the audience would recognize.

Homeric epithets

Compounds phrases such as “The gray-eyed goddess Athena,” “man killing Hector,” and “the wine dark sea”