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Epic poetry
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An epic poem, or simply an epic, is a lengthy narrative poem typically about the extraordinary deeds of extraordinary characters who, in dealings with gods or other superhuman forces, gave shape to the mortal universe for their descendants.[1]
With regard to oral tradition, epic poems consist of formal speech and are usually learnt word for word, and are contrasted with narratives that consist of everyday speech where the performer has the license to recontextualize the story to a particular audience, often to a younger generation.[2]
- ^ Michael Meyer (2005). The Bedford Introduction to Literature. Bedford: St. Martin's Press. pp. 21–28. ISBN 0-312-41242-8.
- ^ Vansina, Jan (1985). Oral tradition as history. p. 13.
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