The Epic of Gilgamesh is the oldest written work to have survived into the modern era. ... The oldest poems date from Ancient Iraq. ... Victorian interest in the Epic seemed to decrease following these events. ... Through the study of the recovery of the epic, several problems are evident. ... There are five Sumerian poems of Bilgamesh (Gilgamesh) (George, 1999), these are part of the Standard Epic as they include the same folklore, beginning with the idea of the historical king of Gilgamesh, the stories were elaborated; which are split up into two categories, firstly, the Sumerian Poems whic...

• Word Count: 1420
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• Has Bibliography
• Grade Level: Undergraduate

While containing the characteristics of an epic, Beowulf also has the elements of an elegiac and heroic poem. I believe this epic can be considered as a "heroic-elegiac poem-. An epic is defined as a "long narrative poem that relates the great deeds of a larger-than-life hero who embodies the values of a particular society."" Although this is found in Beowulf, the elements of an epic hero poem and an elegiac poem combined, more completely describe this piece of Anglo-Saxon literature. ... Combining the elements of an epic hero poem and a elegiac poem, it is seen how Beowulf is considered an ...

• Word Count: 343
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• Grade Level: Undergraduate

Epics, which are generally long narrative poems about a serious subject representing characters of great significance (DeCoskey), have long played a role in the formation of many of today's societies. Though, as a rule, epics generally occur in the nearly forgotten past, there are many, many examples of modern-day epics in our world's society today. Just as in the past, some are factual, and some are fictional; some blur the line, but all have the most essential part of an epic, an archetypal hero. ... In historical times, epics weren't epics unless they were written as long nar...

• Word Count: 900
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• Grade Level: Undergraduate

"The Epic of Gilgamesh" an collection of old Sumerian poems, is filled with the dramatic interactions of gods and men, rulers and peasants, humans and beasts, and men and women. ... Such a prospect reveals much information about Gilgamesh, the setting of the poems. ... In the Epic, the harlot comes from the temple, which further increases the feeling of divinity and allows for the understanding of women as representative of civility. ... The Epic of Gilgamesh takes place in ancient Mesopotamia, a society known for being strongly patriarchal. ... The Epic of Gilgamesh is a story which comments...

• Word Count: 1389
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• Grade Level: Undergraduate

The Epic of Gilgamesh is an ancient poem from the Mesopotamian Era that tells the story of two companions: Gilgamesh, the powerful and tyrannical demigod who rules as the King of Uruk, and Enkidu, a feral man who is created as an equal for the king by the gods, lifted out of nature and civilized by the touch of woman. ... Throughout the epic, there is a reoccurring conflict between humanity and death, though it often appears to be a battle of nature and humanity. ... The Epic of Gilgamesh stresses that these cosmos involve three main categories of beings: animals, humans, and Gods. ... The Epi...

• Word Count: 1399
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• Has Bibliography
• Grade Level: Undergraduate

This is also true of the epic tradition. ... The first known poems in the classical epic tradition were the two Homeric epics: The Iliad and The Odyssey. ... The Faerie Queene written by Edmund Spenser, is one of the most notable epic poems written during the early modern time period. ... Although incomplete (Spenser died before he could finish it), the message behind the poem is clear. ... In the poem, the Faerie Queene, also referred to as Gloriana, represents an idealized version of Queen Elizabeth. ...

• Word Count: 1343
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• Grade Level: Undergraduate

When we read this poem in its entirety, it seems clear that whilst the original purpose of the poem may hold true, Pope certainly viewed his poem as an "adventitious vehicle for satire" . ... It is interesting that one of the truly outstanding satirical poems of the Augustan age has also been described as the "generic model" for the Augustan mock epic. As the term suggests, the mock epic genre parodies the classical epic; it is constructed around the same basic formula and employs the same devices and conventions as the epic itself, yet is based around so trivial a subject that it can only be...

• Word Count: 2068
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• Grade Level: Undergraduate

I don't mean to say that the meter and structure should be similar, or even that the subject and content should be replicated, but that Milton's mindset must be considered the primary driving force and truest inspirer for this epic poem that is irreplicable, but not unintelligible. ... The critical readings and commentaries on "Paradise Lost" seem to be overwhelmed by the epic poem itself. ... He writes in his "Second Defence" that the epic poet is not able to focus on anything more than a particular event. ... Unlike other epic poems, "Paradise Lost" usurps every aspect of author...

• Word Count: 1188
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• Grade Level: Undergraduate

As in the epic poem, the gods and goddesses interfere on behalf of Achilles in many scenes of the epic to either assist him or destroy him and his army. ... The next contrast that can be made between the epic poem and Herodotus' work is how god-like the Greek leaders are portrayed by each author. ... The way Homer describes Achilles in his epic poems is to be a proud warrior who considers himself to be undefeatable and even confronts gods. ... It is important to understand that The Iliad was an epic poem in its originality, and written as one as its genre. ... Herodotus wants to present a...

• Word Count: 1462
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• Has Bibliography
• Grade Level: Undergraduate

In this poem she uses a highly intelligent and scathing verbal irony. ... The poem also has traces of situational and cosmic irony. ... One difference between the last poem, "Middle Passage," and the other two are that the authors of the previous poems lived during the time of slavery and had personal experience with the peculiar institution. ... In "Middle Passage" Hayden uses standard epic conventions and devices and alters and inverts them to his liking. His inversion technique of the epic has been called by some critics an "ant-epic." ...

• Word Count: 846
• Approx Pages: 3
• Grade Level: Undergraduate

Lyrical libido refers to the development of the sexual nature in poems as a literary devise using erotic allusion, narrative, or imagery within various poetic structures. ... Homer's Iliad established the prominence of the epic. Although epic poetry and lyric poetry were cohabitants of ancient literature, epic poetry had a public dominance with its emphasis on legend, myth, and masculine adventure. ... Traditionally, a lyre accompanied the lyric poem. ... With this peak of male sexual fantasy, the magical proportions of a sonnet are practiced as the poem displays an abrupt Volta. ...

• Word Count: 1123
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• Grade Level: Undergraduate

Also, he focuses on theatre and literature (comedy, tragedy and epic). ... A poem may also be deeply descriptive, metaphorical and rhythmic resulting in the perfect harmony of written work and song. Homers the Iliad and the odyssey are some of the most recognized examples of epic poems written in that period, describing the story of Achilles and the end of the Trojan war, followed by the outstanding adventures of Odysseus. ...

• Word Count: 506
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Recent studies have begun to see the Homeric epics in the light of other epic traditions, notably epics from Mesopotamia, and have begun to look at striking similarities. There is a supposed lineage that can be seen connecting the Homeric epics most directly with the world of Akkadian epics (Gresseth 2). ... The hero Gilgamesh is occupied with fear of death throughout the epic (George XIII). ... Comparisons between various characters abound in near-eastern Mesopotamian epic and Homeric epics. ... The earliest Gilgamesh stories seem to come from Sumerian texts which most likely reflect the crys...

• Word Count: 4256
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• Grade Level: Undergraduate

It's true that Aeneas' wanderings in the beginning of the poem are reminiscent of the same perils that Odysseus faced on his journey home to Ithaca, such as Aeneas' encounter with the Harpies (3:245) and the Cyclopes (3:760). ... At first all of these similarities may appear to be a poorly veiled appropriation of Homer's epics, but that is far from the actual purpose of Virgil's epic. ... However, as Anchises describes "the glory that awaits the Trojan race," (6:896) it becomes clear that this poem is anything but a piracy of Homer's epic. ...

• Word Count: 707
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• Grade Level: Undergraduate

Homer's epic poem the 'Odyssey' tells of a similar story; the poem mainly centers on the Greek hero Odysseus and his journey home after the fall of Troy. ... As in the poem, Everett's men: Pete and Delmar, become "hypnotized" by these people, and get baptized as well. ... This particular scene in the movie resembles book nine in the poem, where Odysseus and his men must come across the Lotus Eaters, who, like the baptism people, make whoever ate the lotus (or got baptized like in the movie) would forget about what they were doing- going home (in both the movie a...

• Word Count: 967
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• Grade Level: Undergraduate

In the poem Beowulf, there is one character who possesses all and a greater amount of these expressed characteristics, the hero Beowulf. All through the poem Beowulf embodies the perfect's characteristics and archetypal hero, such as loyalty to his men and his kingdom, and Beowulf's bravery and strength throughout the epic. ... The poem focused on how its legend, Beowulf, was a man who possessed almost God-like strength, and like him there was no equivalent for, "There was no one else like him alive. ... The narrating component involved in the poem fitted into the oral society o...

• Word Count: 1028
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• Grade Level: Undergraduate

Chopin's short story Story of an Hour and Browning's epic poem My Last Duchess have effectively presented the reader with women within their oppressive society; however, the authors present unique techniques to convey societal oppression as influenced by their literary genres. ... Whereas Chopin's piece focuses around Louise until her death, Browning's epic poem reports the Duchess's oppression from the perspective of her husband after her death. ...

• Word Count: 864
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• Grade Level: Undergraduate

As a particularly poignant moment in the poem Vergil employs Homeric allusion for the sake of adding striking detail to the scene. ... Further to both themes is Acron's depiction as "infelix" again an epic epithet and once more it suggests that luck is a major factor in the episode. ... Other examples include the Greek accusative "paeana" perhaps picking up Achilles speech to the Greeks after the death of Hector in Iliad 22.365 a particularly apt epic reference in this instance. ... Perhaps it is just a result of the latter stages of the Vergilian epic having firmer roots or coincidenc...

• Word Count: 1002
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From the notable to the obscure the variety of translation gives us an unusual opportunity, one to criticize and secondly to develop our own ideas on the original intent of the epic. ... The feel of the poem, the originality is somehow lost when the said epic is translated to plain English. ... To be frank, the Seamus Heaney translation leaves some readers looking for more, those who know of the epic's origin would be left unsatisfied. ...

• Word Count: 740
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• Grade Level: Undergraduate

In the poem, "Anonymous, Gilgamesh", the role of Gilgamesh, at the very first sight of him, is one who possesses the characteristics of beauty, strength, and the ability to do greatness for his city, Uruk. ... Gilgamesh is an epic poem of love, but contains grief that has a real change on his character, which causes him to have major flaws in his life as a ruler, which results in a cruel treatment upon the citizens that he reigns over. ...

• Word Count: 600
• Approx Pages: 2
• Grade Level: Undergraduate

Homer uses repetition, simile, and metaphor in order to on the one hand, aid the memorization and presentation of his epic poetry, and on the other, to present the performance of the poem as more memorable for the audience. ... These epithets assist the orality of the poem by giving the narrative more detail and imagery. These epithets also aid the presentation of the poem by acting as available lines in the singing of the poem. ... These catalogues add to the performance of the poem by adding a level of skill and virtuosity to its oral presentation. ... Homer shifts reality to make the po...

• Word Count: 1357
• Approx Pages: 5
• Grade Level: Undergraduate

Homer uses repetition, simile, and metaphor in order to on the one hand, aid the memorization and presentation of his epic poetry, and on the other, to present the performance of the poem as more memorable for the audience. ... These epithets assist the orality of the poem by giving the narrative more detail and imagery. These epithets also aid the presentation of the poem by acting as available lines in the singing of the poem. ... These catalogues add to the performance of the poem by adding a level of skill and virtuosity to its oral presentation. ... Homer shifts reality to make the po...

• Word Count: 1392
• Approx Pages: 6
• Grade Level: Undergraduate

In the very first pages of the poem, Zeus "remember[s] handsome Aegisthus, the man Agamemnon's son, renowned Orestes, killed" (1:34-35). ... One of the messages subtly interwoven into the epic poem is the idea of metis as opposed to bie-brains as opposed to brawn. ... The poem offers a rare glimpse into an ancient time, through which we are privileged enough to learn about a society where mental dexterity was preferred to muscle and brilliance was prized over blood....

• Word Count: 792
• Approx Pages: 3
• Has Bibliography
• Grade Level: Undergraduate

Inferno (Italian for "hell"), is the first part of Dante Alighieri's 14th-century epic poem "The Divine Comedy." ... In the poem, Hell is depicted as nine circles of suffering located within the Earth. ... The poem starts on Maundy Thursday in the year 1300. ...

• Word Count: 817
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The readers of these two stories must appreciate the epics of both. Within the poem The Odyssey, Odysseus is construed as the hero that eventually returns to his wife, Penelope. ... The attraction to the author's portrayals and interpretations of Penelope and Odysseus show a sense of irony while both stories have the epic subject matter that the reader must appreciate. ...

• Word Count: 709
• Approx Pages: 3
• Grade Level: Undergraduate