Agreed upon ways of doing things for writing epics
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6 Epic Conventions
Invocation to the Muse, In medias res, stock speeches, homeric epithets, homeric similes
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Invocation to the Muse
Epics start with a prayer to one of the daughters of Zeus for inspiration or help in telling the story
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In medias res
Epics start in the middle of the story with many gaps in information, and then flashbacks explain what is going on
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Stock speeches
Long speeches of many lines that are repeated verbatim at different points in the story to help act as waypoints for storytellers and give them time to remember what happens next or improvise, often associated with an event or character
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Homeric Epithets
Words or phases repeated throughout the poem in association with a certain character or event to make it easier for storytellers to remember descriptions
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Homeric Similes
Elaborate, detailed similes written many lines in length
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Oral Poetry
Poetry composed by signers or reciters, which incorporates set words, word formulas, or word patterns to help the performer improvise a narrative or song on a given theme and also to help recall a poem learned from someone else
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Epic Poem
A long narrative poem, detailing the adventures of a hero, in formal or elevated language, replete with descriptions of battles or armor, where the hero has the virtues admired by his culture, and the fate of the nation depends on the hero
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Homer
Homer was blind, but not much else is known about him
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The Odysseys age
The Odyssey was written about 2500 years ago orally
Studied by 19 people
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