Stories that built the World

Story

A connected series of real or imagined events centered around a main character, usually containing cause and effect.

Epic

A genre consisting of long poems that feature connections between the human and divine, line repetition, and various narrative forms.

Gilgamesh

The king of Uruk who is 2/3 god and 1/3 human; known for his physical power, impulsive heroism, flawed nature, and the building of a great city wall.

Enkidu

Gilgamesh's loyal, powerful, naive, and humble sidekick who interprets dreams and balances Gilgamesh's stubborn nature.

Myth

A traditional story (from the Greek word for speech, story, or plot) passed down by word of mouth containing characters, settings, and plots.

Divine Myths

Stories specifically focused on gods and religious narratives, such as stories about Zeus.

Legends / Sagas

Traditional stories centered around human heroes or great historical deeds.

Folktales

Traditional stories focused on ordinary people or animals.

Ovid (Publius Ovidius Naso)

A prolific Roman poet who wrote about sex and relationships, was influenced by Virgil, and was ultimately exiled to Tomis.

Metamorphosis

An epic written in dactylic hexameter by Ovid; its title is Greek for 'changes'.

Daphne

A figure in mythology who enjoyed nature and was ultimately transformed into a laurel tree.

Beowulf

The longest epic poem in Old English, preserved in manuscript MS Cotton Vitellius A XV, which blends Germanic tribal paganism with Christian ideas.

Blood Feud

The practice of inflicting harm on someone of equal social status to the original offender.