EXPLORING THE GENRE

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EPICS AND LEGENDS

• EXPLORING THE GENRE

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• Great legends develop in every culture,
  reflecting the history and beliefs of the people
  who create them. These timeless stories serve two
  purposes

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• they explain the important events in the history
  of a people
• they shape these events into a memorable and
  heroic form.

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• The various tales of different cultures become
  identifying marks. People of other cultures can
  read these stories and sense how the culture was
  shaped and what figures and issues are central to
  its history. These stories are often orally
  transmitted by bards or professional poets. Some
  details have changed, but the essential elements
  remain the same.
• Who is this
• and where is
• it from?

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Two types of folk literature to be covered

• Epic- a long narrative poem about the deeds of
  gods or heroes in war or travel
• Legend- a widely told story about the past that
  may or may not have a foundation in fact. Most
  legends have some basis in history, but the
  details may have become lost or obscured through
  centuries of retelling and embellishment.
• Prentice Hall Literature

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Elements of Epic Literature

1. Larger-than-life hero
2. Virtues as well as failings are revealed
3. The Hero Cycle
4. Vast Settings
5. Courageous Deeds
6. Supernatural or Spiritual Beings

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Elements of Epic Literature(cont.)

• 7. Story begins in media res
• 8. An Invocation (The Iliad, The Odyssey, Star
  Wars)

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Elements of Epic Literature(cont.)

• 9.Histories and descriptions of significant items
• 10.Epic similes
• 11.Epithets

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Elements of Epic Literature(cont.)

• 12.Journey to the underworld
• 13.Use of the number three(3)
• 14.Previous episodes in the story are later
  recounted - Flashback
• 15.Provides an explanation for some of the
  circumstances or events in the history of
  a people

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Examples of Epics

• The Iliad
• The Odyssey
• Beowulf
• The Epic of Gilgamesh
• Star Wars Series
• Indiana Jones Series
• The Lion King
• The Matrix
• Finding Nemo

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Examples of Epics (cont.)

• The Harry Potter Series
• The Lord of the Rings Series

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Questions

• What is an epic?
• How does it differ from other types of
  storytelling?
• How have epics traditionally been transmitted
  from generation to generation?
• How do the tellers remember these long and
  complicated stories?
• What are the elements of an epic?

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• Strategies for Reading Epics and Legends

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1. Recognize the Authors Attitude

• An authors attitude is the way they feel about a
  subject. It is reflected in the way that
  characters and events are presented. Notice the
  details and events in the writing and think about
  the message that is being conveyed-either
  directly or indirectly.
• 2. Compare and Contrast
• One characters behavior and actions to others in
  the story
• One epic or legend with another to determine
  which themes or ideas are universal and which
  are unique to a culture

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3. Draw Inferences About Culture

• Use the details and descriptions to draw
  inferences about the cultures beliefs, values,
  and customs in a given period. These are usually
  revealed through the experiences of the hero or
  heroine.
• 4. Analyze a Storytellers Purpose
• The information in most epics and legends was
  passed on to preserve the history and values of a
  culture.