(Everything you wanted to know about epic poetry but were afraid to ask!)

1
The Epic

• (Everything you wanted to know about epic poetry
  but were afraid to ask!)

2
The Epic

• A long, narrative poem told in an exalted style
  (grand manner) that tells of the exploits and
  adventures of a hero
• Oral Tradition
• the way a culture passed on its history, legends,
  myths, and stories from one generation to the
  next
• essential means of archiving history before
  printing and mass media
• often includes rhythm, rhyme, and repetition

3
The Epic

• Significant to a particular race or culture--part
  of a given cultures history and mythology
• Often based in literal truth
• Reveal that cultures value and belief systems
  and character
• Certain elements may be universal, transcending
  cultural, geographical, and historical boundaries

4
Beowulf as Epic Anglo-Saxon Scops

• Professional tribal poets
• Celebrated cultural values by singing epics on
  occasions of great ceremony and festivity
• Presented the stories, legends, myths, values,
  belief systems, and histories of the Anglo-Saxon
  culture
• Passed them down from one generation to the next

5
Beowulf as Epic Scops

• Fulfilled  many roles in an Anglo Saxon tribe
• court singer
• tribal historian
• genealogist
• teacher
• composer
• critic
• warrior
• traveler and reporter

6
Beowulf as Epic

• Cultural values embodied in Beowulf
• Loyalty
• Valor (courage, bravery)
• Selflessness (willingness to sacrifice self for
  the good of the people)
• Justice

7
Beowulf as Epic

• Prevailing philosophies religious beliefs
  evident in Beowulf
• Uneasy mix of Christian and pagan elements
  (images, symbols, beliefs)
• Incl. fatalism a belief that humans are not in
  control of their own destinies Fate is.

8
Archetypes

• Universal symbols that transcend boundaries of
  culture, time and geography
• Part of humanitys collective unconscious (Carl
  Jung)
• Examples include certain--
• Images (sun, water, circle, tree, serpent,
  garden, desert)
• Colors (red, green, blue, white, black)
• Numbers (3, 4, 7)
• Character types (The Good Mother, The Wise Old
  Man, The Hero)

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Archetypes--Sun

• Sun (fire and sky)
• creative energy
• consciousness
• father principle
• passage of time and life
• Rising sun
• birth creation enlightenment
• Setting sun
• death

10
Archetypes--Water

• Mysteries of creation
• Birth-death-resurrection cycles
• Purification and redemption
• Sea
• mother of all life
• timelessness and eternity
• River
• death and rebirth (baptism)
• transitional phases of the life cycle

11
Archetypes--Colors

• Red blood, sacrifice, violent passion disorder
• Green (Positive) growth hope fertility
  (Negative) death and decay
• Blue highly positive, associated with truth,
  religious feeling, security, spiritual purity
• Black (darkness) chaos, mystery, the unknown
  death the unconscious
• White (Positive) light, purity, innocence
  timelessness (Negative) death, terror,
  emptiness, blinding truth of mystery

12
Archetypes--Circle

• Circle (Sphere) wholeness, unity
• Egg (oval) the mystery of life and forces of
  generation
• Wheel--symbol of fortune, fate
• Yang-Yin a Chinese symbol represents the union
  of opposite forces--(Jungian theory of anima and
  animus)
• Yang masculine principle light activity the
  conscious mind
• Yin female principle darkness passivity the
  unconscious

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More Archetypal Images

• Serpent
• Evil
• Corruption
• Sensuality
• Destruction
• The unconscious

• The Garden
• Paradise
• Innocence
• Unspoiled beauty
• Fertility

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More Archetypal Images

• Desert
• Spiritual aridity (dryness)
• Emptiness
• Hopelessness (Wasteland)
• Tree
• Life consistence and growth
• Proliferation
• Immortality generation and regeneration

15
Archetypes--Numbers

• Three (3)
• Spiritual awareness and unity
• Example the Holy Trinity
• Male principle
• Four (4)
• Associated with circle and earth (four corners)
• Life cycle (four seasons)
• Female principle
• Seven (7) Most potent of all symbolic numbers
• Union of 3 4
• Completion of a cycle perfect order

16
Archetypes--Character Types

• The Good Mother (positive qualities of E.M.)
• associated with life principle
• represents birth, warmth, nourishment
• represents protection and abundance
• Examples
• Mother Nature--the earth mother
• Demeter/Ceres
• Marmie March (from Little Women)
• Captain Planet--Gaia
• Cinderella--Fairy godmother
• Star Wars--Anakin Skywalkers mother(?)

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Archetypes--Character Types

• The Terrible Mother (negative qualities of E.M.)
• femme fatale
• witch, sorceress, siren, whore, seductress
• associated with fear, sensuality, danger,
  darkness, emasculation, death
• Examples Delilah
• Cinderella--evil stepmother
• Hera
• any soap opera
• The Little Mermaid--Ursula

18
Archetypes--Character Types

• The Soul Mate
• Sophia figure--associated with spiritual wisdom
• Holy mother
• Princess or beautiful lady
• Incarnation of inspiration and spiritual
  fulfillment
• Jungian anima (completion)
• Examples
• Wizard of Oz--Glenda the Good Witch
• Star Wars--Princess Leia
• Blue woman (Diva) in The Fifth Element

19
Archetypes--Character Types

• The Wise Old Man
• savior, redeemer, guru figure
• personification of the spiritual principle
• represents knowledge, reflection, insight,
  wisdom, cleverness and intuition
• also represents moral qualities such as goodwill,
  readiness to help
• the sagacious and helpful old man
• Examples Obiwan Kenobi, Yoda, Merlin, Gandolf,
  Mr. Miyagi, Splinter, Rafiki, Teiresius

20
Archetypes--Character Types

• The Hero Archetypes (archetypes of transformation
  and redemption)
• Heros Initiation (from ignorance and immaturity
  to social and spiritual adulthood)
• Separation
• Transformation
• Return
• Examples Huck Finn, The Lion King, Luke
  Skywalker, Ebeneezer Scrooge, Overboard, The
  Prodigal Son

21
Archetypes--Character Types

• The Sacrificial Scapegoat
• the hero with whom the welfare of the tribe or
  nation is identified
• must die to atone for the peoples sins and to
  restore the land to fruitfulness
• Examples Braveheart--William Wallace, Jesus,
  Maximus of Gladiator, Somersby, Bruce Willis
  character in Armageddon

22
The Hero Archetype

• The Heros Quest
• Undertakes a long journey
• Must perform impossible tasks and overcome
  insurmountable obstacles
• Has an important goal to achieve
• Is often a savior, deliverer figure

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Other Archetypal Motifs

• Creation
• Immortality
• Battle of Good v. Evil