The epic poem is one of the most popular and oldest genres of world literature. This is a literary work of poetry. Its key difference from the usual poem is that it necessarily depicts any major events in the life of a particular social group, a specific people or all of humanity. In this article we will talk about the features of this genre, as well as the most famous examples from world literature.
Definition
The epic poem is considered one of the oldest types of epic works in the history of world literature. It existed already in antiquity, when the authors' attention was focused on the development of general and national history.
Among the most striking examples of the genre of epic poems, it is worth mentioning Homer's Odyssey and Iliad, the German Song of the Nibelungs, the French Song of Roland, and Liberated Jerusalem by Tasso. As you can see, the authors of many of these poems are completely unknown. Largely due to the fact that the texts themselves were written many centuries ago, since then they have been repeatedly reprinted, rewritten, supplemented and amended.
After the times of antiquity, the authors in the era of Classicism showed interest in this genre with renewed vigor. He was recognized at that time as the crown of poetry for his civic pathos, sublimity and heroism. At the same time, in their theoretical developments, the writers of Classicism adhered to ancient standards, did not depart much from them.
As a rule, the choice of a hero for an epic poem, most often, was determined not by his moral qualities. The main thing is that he is a historical person. Events to which he has one or another relationship must have universal significance, or at least national significance. These conditions became integral to the definition of an epic poem. The concept of moralism also appeared. The hero must have become an example, a role model, a person whom I would like to follow.
At the same time, it must be recognized that Classicism did not consider it its task to reflect the true characters of real heroes, the true events that took place. The appeal of the authors of this direction to the genres of the past was determined solely by the need to deeply comprehend the present.
Based on a specific event or fact, the epic poet gave him a new life in his work. The artistic depiction of characters and events only in the most general form could be correlated with historical persons and real-life facts.
Classicism in Russia
It is worth noting that Russian Classicism inherited these views, primarily on the heroic poem, only slightly transforming it. For example, two main views on the problem of correlation of artistic and historical principles in a work have been outlined.
This can be traced to the first epic poems, the authors of which in our country were Lomonosov and Trediakovsky. It is worth recognizing that neither the Tilemahid of Trediakovsky nor the Peter the Great of Lomonosov reflected the problems of the Russian national epic. The main task that they performed was the heightened interest that they managed to arouse in contemporary poets of that time.
It was they who put all future Russian poets before the need to choose how to proceed. It was supposed to be a heroic poem, like Lomonosov’s. It tells about an important event in Russian history. Moreover, it is aimed at searching for historical truth, and is developed in canonical techniques and forms of modern times. It was written in an Alexandrian verse.
The type of poem by Trediakovsky is completely different. Despite its external completeness, its essence was much less clear to contemporaries. If you omit the metric form, the poet offered a Russified hexameter. It is noteworthy that Trediakovsky assigned stories in his work to a subordinate and even official position. The earlier the events depicted in the work took place, the more freely the poet himself felt.
So Trediakovsky initially defended the idea of reflecting ironic and fabulous times in his poems. In this, he was guided by the traditions of Homer, believing that the ancient poet, too, did not create his works in hot pursuit of events.
Another point is important. Events and historical heroes, before becoming part of such a poem, had to take a special place in the popular consciousness, society had to give them a single moral assessment. But the legendary and “fabulousness” of the heroes suggested that they would be able to preserve in human and popular memory at least the most general idea of their participation in the events described, their role in the fate of their state, era or people. Among domestic examples of the epic poem, it is also worth mentioning the works of Kheraskov “Rossiada” and “Chesmensky Battle”, as well as “Dimitriad” by Sumarokov and “Liberated Moscow”, the author of which was Maykov.
Features
One of the main features of the genre of the epic poem is a significant amount of the work itself. Moreover, it depends not on the desire of the author, but on the tasks that he sets for himself. It is they who require such a large volume. This is precisely the difference between the lyrical and epic poems. In this case, it is extremely important for the poet to present each episode in full detail.
The second important feature of the genre of the epic poem is its versatility. Moreover, the entertainment function was initially given the last place. The educational function became the main one; for a long time such a poem served as a clear example and example of how to behave. In addition, it was a repository of historical information about some important events or about the fate of an entire people. Such a poem captured people's ideas about history, and also performed an important scientific function, since information on geography, astronomy, medicine, crafts, and everyday matters was transmitted through it. For example, from these works, subsequent generations could learn how the land was cultivated, armor was forged, by what principles society existed. Such diversity, as a result, is called epic syncretism.
For example, Homer's poems have always told of the distant past. Researchers concluded that, most likely, the Greek looked pessimistic about the future, trying to capture the past golden time.
Monumental images
The epic poem genre is characterized by the use of monumental images. The images of the main characters always turned out to be an order of magnitude higher than the usual ideas of an ordinary person, they became almost monuments in a certain sense. The authors used the idealization method, making their characters the most beautiful, sublime and smart, compared to other people. This is considered an epic monumentality.
Also in this genre there is the concept of epic thingism. It is directly related to the desire to describe everything that happens in full, as detailed as possible. As a result, every thing or detail that caught the eye of the poet received a corresponding epithet. For example, the same Homer fixes attention on the most ordinary everyday and mundane things. For example, about nails or a stool. Everything is colored in his poems, each object has its own color and characteristic. For example, the sea has forty shades, in the brightest colors the berries and clothes of the goddesses are described.
It was important for the authors to maintain an objective tone. The creators sought to be extremely fair.
Epic style
When writing a poem of this genre, three laws can be distinguished, which all authors sought to adhere to without exception.
The first is the law of retardation. So called deliberate stop action. It helps to maximize the scope of the image. As a rule, retardation manifests itself in the form of an inserted poem or retreat, while talking about the past, outlining the views of people who lived many centuries ago.
Initially, poems were performed orally, they were not written on paper. With the help of retardation, the performer or the immediate author sought to concentrate additional attention on the described situation.
Secondly, it is the law of double motivation of events. Trying to study and understand the souls of people, to find explanations for their actions, the ancient man always stopped at the movements of the human soul, which were subordinated not only to his inner will, but also to the intervention of the gods.
Thirdly, it is the law of chronological incompatibility in time of the same described events. In this situation, the author of such a poem acted as a very naive person, who thought that if he begins to simultaneously describe two events, then this will seem unnatural to everyone.
Another characteristic feature of epic heroic poems is the large number of repetitions. Sometimes, they account for up to a third of the entire text. There are several explanations for this. Initially, these works were transmitted exclusively orally. And repetitions are one of the indispensable properties of folk art. This description constantly includes some constantly repeating formulas, for example, natural phenomena, which are actually collected by stencils.
For specific objects, heroes or gods, permanent epithets adorning them are fixed. Authors constantly use epic comparisons when they strive to make the image as clear as possible. At the same time, the poet tries to translate each episode into a language of comparison, turning it into an independent picture.
Often used in a poem of this type is a story through an enumeration, when the picture is not described in its entirety, and the episodes seem to be strung on a plot rod.
In almost all such works, one can find a combination of fiction with realistic details, events and phenomena that occurred in reality. As a result, the line between fiction and reality is almost completely erased.
The Iliad
The ancient Greek epic poem "Iliad", the authorship of which is attributed to Homer, is a vivid example of a work of this genre. It describes the Trojan War, the basis of the poem, apparently, lay folk tales about the exploits of the great heroes of that time.
According to most researchers, the Iliad was written in the 9th-8th centuries BC. The work is mainly based on traditions that belong to the Cretan-Mycenaean era. This is a monumental poem, consisting of 15,700 verses, written by a hexameter. Later, Alexandrian philologists were divided into 24 songs.
The action of the poem takes place in the last months of the siege of Troy by the Achaeans. In particular, an episode that covers a very small period of time is described in great detail.
The sacred meaning is the description of Mount Olympus with the gods sitting on it. Moreover, both Achaeans and Trojans honor them. Gods rise above opponents. Many of them become direct participants in the story, helping one or the other warring party. Moreover, some events are directed or caused by the gods themselves, they often have a direct impact on the course of events.
Mahabharata
The ancient Indian epic poem "Mahabharata" is one of the largest works of the existing in the world. It is a rather complex, but at the same time extremely organic, complex of epic narratives of a very different nature - theological, didactic, political, cosmogonic, legal. All of them are united according to the framing principle, which is considered typical of Indian literature. This ancient Indian epic poem has become the source for most of the images and plots that exist in the literature of South and Southeast Asia. In particular, it states that there is everything in the world.
It is impossible to say exactly who was the author of the Mahabharata. Most scholars consider him the sage Vyasa.
What is the poem about?
The epic poem "Mahabharata" is based on a feud between two groups of cousins, which was initiated by the eldest son of Dhritarashtra, the power-hungry and treacherous Duryodhana. The father indulges him, not even paying attention to the wise men condemning him. The culmination of the conflict reaches the 18-year battle on the field of Kuruksetra. This is what the epic poem "Mahabharata" tells about.
Interestingly, the confrontation between the Kauravas and the Pandavas has a mythological basis. Here, as in Homer, the gods have a direct influence on the development of events. For example, Krishna supports the Pandavas, who, as a result, win. Moreover, almost all the main participants in the battle die. Elder Pandava, repenting because of this bloodshed, is even going to leave the kingdom, but relatives and sages persuade him to stay. He rules 36 years without ceasing to reproach himself for the extermination of friends and relatives.
Interestingly, in this case, the central epic hero of this poem becomes Karne, who unravels Krishna’s plan for the inevitability of the Battle of Kurukshetra in order to exterminate the demons embodied in the ksatriyas. It is after the death of Carne that the defeat of the Kauravas on the battlefield becomes inevitable. The beginning cosmic cataclysms testify to the end of Dvapara-south and the beginning of Kali-south. The death of Karna is described in more detail than the death of any of the characters. Now you know what the epic poem "Mahabharata" tells about.
Beowulf
In Western literature, Beowulf is considered an example of this genre. This is an Anglo-Saxon epic poem, which takes place on the territory of Jutland (this is the peninsula that divides the North and Baltic Seas, it currently belongs to Denmark and Germany). The events are described even before the relocation of the Angles to Britain.
The work consists of more than three thousand lines, which are written in an alliterative verse. The poem itself is named for the main character. Apparently, the epic was created in the 7th or 8th centuries of our era. At the same time, it was preserved in a single copy, which almost died in the library of Cotton dealers in 1731. Despite the fact that there are well-founded doubts about the authenticity of this text, since the surviving list refers only to the 11th century, it is Beowulf that is considered the oldest poem of "barbaric" Europe, which has reached us in full.
The content of the work
Now let us dwell on what the epic poem Beowulf talks about. It mainly tells about the victory of the protagonist over the terrible monsters Grendel and his own mother, as well as over the dragon, who regularly raided his country.
At the very beginning, the action was transferred to Scandinavia. The city of Heorot is described, which has been attacked by a terrible monster for 12 years in a row, killing the noble and the best warriors. Warlord Beowulf decides to go to the aid of his neighbors. He alone prevails over Grendel in a nightly battle, stripping his hands. A mother is going to avenge him, who rises from the seabed, but Beowulf defeats her too, going to her den at the bottom of the sea.
In the second part of this work, the protagonist is already becoming the king of the Geths. This time he has to fight a dragon who cannot forget the encroachment on treasures guarded by him. Killing the dragon, Beowulf himself is seriously injured. It is noteworthy that the author does not consider the approaching death of the military leader a tragedy, describing it as a worthy end to a great and glorious life. When he dies, the squad solemnly burns him along with the treasure of that same dragon on the funeral pyre.
As in most other epic ancient Germanic works, much attention in Beowulf is given to the speeches delivered by the characters. It is in them that they manage to reveal their mind, character, value, understand what exactly at that time was valued as ideals. Additional storylines, lyrical digressions, and prehistories that are constantly used by the author are characteristic of this poem.