Long before Hollywood blockbusters, binge-able TV shows, or our modern-day romantasy novels, there was epic poetry.
Tales of heroes challenging mythical creatures, gods and monsters throughout treacherous journeys have held readers captive for centuries. Today, we’ve been given the chance to fall in love all over again with one of the most famous epic poems ever written, The Odyssey. Yes, that movie everyone has been chatting about is an adaptation of an epic poem. Thanks to Christopher Nolan, we can see ancient tales in a modern way and discover just how grand these heroic adventures can be. But to truly appreciate classics like The Odyssey, Beowulf, and The Epic of Gilgamesh, we have to understand the genre. So, let’s take a look at what makes an epic poem, well, “epic”.
Epic Poetry Reminds Us of Our Humanity
Birthed in ancient Mesopotamia (around 2100 BCE), The Epic of Gilgamesh is the oldest epic poem we have discovered. Since then, these literary texts have been sources of not only entertainment, but cultural records, beliefs and events. In ancient Greek epic poetry, we witness timeless struggles between man and gods, morality and pride that have always existed. Yet, their ability to illustrate universal themes through an ancient lens is arguably the reason why their greatness endures.
We’re able to see ourselves in the longing Odysseus has for his family and home or Beowulf’s desire to create a legacy that outlives him. Perhaps the timelessness of these struggles is to be expected since we’ve all experienced it. But to read of humans choosing love and honor above all, even in the face of gods and monsters, reminds us of how truly universal this human experience is.
What Makes Epic Poems “Epic”?
The heart of an epic poem ponders familiar questions.
What makes someone a hero?
How should power be used?
What are we willing to sacrifice?
Can courage overcome impossible odds?
Yet, the common thread remains, “What would a human do in the face of an epic challenge?”
Each epic poem entertains these questions in some way while also indirectly asking us to do the same.
Who do we become in the face of adversity?
Vital Characteristics
- Written in poetic verse
- Long, book-length narrative story
- An extraordinary hero
- A grand journey
- Divine beings (gods, goddesses, etc.)
- Supernatural creatures and forces
- Memorable speeches
- Vivid imagery
- A moral struggle
- At least one universal truth and lesson (likely more)
Common Themes
- Courage
- Loyalty
- Good versus evil
- Revenge
- Love
- Leadership
- Mortality
- Identity
- Home
- Fate versus free will
Epic Poetry Books to Explore
- The Odyssey by Homer, translated by Emily Wilson
- The Iliad by Homer, translated by Emily Wilson
- The Epic of Gilgamesh, translated by N. K. Sanders
- Beowulf, translated by J. R. R. Tolkien, edited by Christopher Tolkien
- The Faerie Queene by Edmund Spenser
- The Aeneid by Virgil
Epic poems lead us into battle with power-hungry gods and carry us away with love affairs that cross oceans. But they also remind us that throughout the ages, humans have wondered about our greatness. What separates man from god and good from evil? Somehow, these questions have become daily inquiries in today’s society. And perhaps, that is why the resurgence of the epic poem is happening now.
The classics are here to let us know that even in this wildly digital age, we are never truly alone. We share the same questions our neighbors have asked as we read the same texts the ancients have created.
