|
E211: British Literature to 1760 Epic Form and Conventions Alfred Drake | Uni Hall 329 | W 3-4 | ajdrake@ajdrake.com Richard Kroll, UCI Form: "The epic is a long narrative poem involving heroic figures in the performance of heroic deeds, usually extended over a wide geographical area; it is written in a heroic or grandiose manner" (Norton and Rushton). The epic is "a long narrative poem presenting characters of high position in a series of adventures which form an organic whole through their relation to a central figure of heroic proportions and through their development of episodes important to the development of a nation or race" (Thrall and Hibbard). Major Conventions: 1. Hero: a mythical or historical figure, usually national. 2. Subject matter: heroic deeds, battles, long journeys. 3. Verse: elevated, lofty, "heroic"; the best known device is epic simile--see PL I.331-343, 351-355, 761-798. 4. Action: an intermixture of supernatural elements or figures with human characters. 5. Place: world-wide, even cosmic, scale. 6. "Comic," not "tragic": the hero is successful in his exploits. 7. "Objective" poet: but consider the "Miltonic aside." Minor Conventions: 1. Invocation to the muse: PL I.1-26 and elsewhere. 2. Epic statement: PL I.1-5. 3. Epic question: PL I.28-33. 4. "Epic answer": PL I.34-39. 5. in medias res. 6. Narrative of events that transpired before the beginning of the poem; the "flashback." 7. Processions of characters: PL I.376-505. 8. Set or formal speeches. 9. Continuous verse form. Miltonic Conventions: 1. Miltonic inversions ("he seemed for dignity composed, and high exploit"). 2. Omission of words ("And [we] regain the blissful seat"). 3. Parentheses, appositions: PL I.34-44; II.552-54. 4. Use of one part of speech for another ("The great consult began"). 5. Latinizing of diction: expatiate, justify. 6. "Miltonic vagueness": PL II.666-73, 1048. 7. Avoidance of "simple" sentences. 8. Allusions: PL I.573-97.
|