how to write an epic poem essay

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• Writing Poetry

How to Write an Epic Poem

Last Updated: March 7, 2024 Fact Checked

This article was co-authored by Alicia Cook . Alicia Cook is a Professional Writer based in Newark, New Jersey. With over 12 years of experience, Alicia specializes in poetry and uses her platform to advocate for families affected by addiction and to fight for breaking the stigma against addiction and mental illness. She holds a BA in English and Journalism from Georgian Court University and an MBA from Saint Peter’s University. Alicia is a bestselling poet with Andrews McMeel Publishing and her work has been featured in numerous media outlets including the NY Post, CNN, USA Today, the HuffPost, the LA Times, American Songwriter Magazine, and Bustle. She was named by Teen Vogue as one of the 10 social media poets to know and her poetry mixtape, “Stuff I’ve Been Feeling Lately” was a finalist in the 2016 Goodreads Choice Awards. This article has been fact-checked, ensuring the accuracy of any cited facts and confirming the authority of its sources. This article has been viewed 159,296 times.

An epic poem is a book-length poem that tells a story about a hero’s journey. While the most famous epic poems were written by ancient Greek and Roman poets, anyone can write one. You’ll have to come up with a hero, a reason why they need to leave home, adventures for them to have, and finally, a reason to return home. Take your time with the brainstorming and outlining process, and then draft your epic poem.

Brainstorming Your Epic Poem

• Epic of Gilgamesh
• Homer’s Iliad and Odyssey
• Virgil’s Aeneid
• Dante’s Divine Comedy
• John Milton’s Paradise Lost

• For example, if Demi Lovato is your favorite musician, then you could make her the hero of your epic poem.
• Or, if you look up to your dad, then make him your epic hero.

• For example, if your epic hero is Demi Lovato, then her special job or mission might be to save a whale. Or, if your epic hero is your dad, then perhaps his special task or job could be to find and fight a monster to protect humanity.
• Epic poems are often named after their heroes, such as Homer’s Odyssey , whose hero is Odysseus, Virgil’s Aeneid , whose hero is Aeneas, and the Epic of Gilgamesh , whose hero is Gilgamesh.

• For example, you could give Demi Lovato some other celebrity companions, such as Taylor Swift or Justin Timberlake. Or, you could even insert yourself into the story as a companion!
• If the hero is your dad, then you might include his best friend as a companion, a celebrity sidekick, or a sidekick of your own creation!
• In the Epic of Gilgamesh , Gilgamesh’s companion is called Enkidu.

• For example, perhaps Demi Lovato has to fight against a whale catcher, or perhaps your dad has to fight the monster that he is trying to find.
• In the Odyssey , Odysseus faces multiple adversaries, including a cyclops and a witch who turns Odysseus’ men into pigs.

• For example, if you are writing the story with yourself as the hero, perhaps your exile could be having to change schools or move to a new city.
• Aeneas’s exile is a result of war, and he must flee Troy with his family as it is being attacked.

• For example, if you are the hero of your epic poem, perhaps you will get into a tough situation, meet the girl (or guy) of your dreams, have your heart broken, or travel to a beautiful place.

Tip : Remember that the goal is for your hero to develop during these adventures. The things heroes do and see should help them to build new qualities and skills, which will ultimately make them stronger people.

• For example, if you are writing about your own experiences with being exiled as a result of having to move or change schools, then you might have a final event in your story that allows you to begin to feel comfortable in the new setting. This might be a school dance, a sporting event, or a presentation you have to give.
• In the Odyssey , Odysseus returns home to find suitors trying to woo his wife, and he must fight them.

Outlining and Drafting the Epic Poem

• For example, you might know that you want your hero to be exiled, and then travel around the world on a search for a sacred object. Then, once they find the object, they can return home to use it.

Tip : Epic poems are often arranged into books or chapters, which each tell of a different adventure or episode.

• For example, if you want to incorporate a couplet rhyme scheme, then it would look like AABBCCDD…and so on.
• If the first line ends with "trip," then the second line might end with "grip." Then, lines 3 and 4 would end with 2 different rhyming words to continue the couplet rhyme scheme.

• For example, in Homer’s Odyssey , Odysseus is described as “many-minded,” while his wife is described as “prudent.”

• Ask your teacher how long your epic poem should be if you are writing an epic poem for an assignment.

Writing the Invocation

• For example, you could write a list of the people and adversaries your hero encounters to help you draft the invocation.

• You can call on any person or persons living or dead. For example, if you want to call on a favorite musician or band, you could use Beyonce, the Beatles, or Prince for help telling your story.
• For example, you might write, “Sing, Beyonce, of the adventures of the songbird Demi Lovato, Inspire me with your music to tell my tale.”

• For example, you might focus on your courage as you ventured into the unknown of living in a new city, or you might focus on your dad’s ingenuity and bravery as he looked for ways to defeat a terrible monster.

• For example, you might describe your exile to a new city, mention your faithful dog as your companion, and then say what people and challenges you encountered along the way.

Tip : Keep in mind that the invocation is optional. If you are writing an epic poem for a class, make sure to check with your teacher to see if this is something they expect you to include.

Community Q&A

• Epic poems are often written in lofty or formal language, so this is your chance to pull out the big words and get creative with the way you describe things. [15] X Research source Thanks Helpful 0 Not Helpful 0

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• ↑ https://www.education.com/activity/article/write-epic-poem/
• ↑ https://penandthepad.com/write-epic-poem-3334.html
• ↑ https://poets.org/glossary/epic
• ↑ https://education.seattlepi.com/write-invocation-epic-poem-5663.html

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Mastering the Art of Epic Poetry: A Guide to Writing a Memorable and Impactful Poem

Epic poetry is a centuries-old form of storytelling that has the power to transport readers to different worlds and times, and to leave a lasting impression. If you’re interested in writing an epic poem, there are a few key elements that you should keep in mind to ensure that your work is both memorable and impactful.

Guide to Epic Poetry

• Choose a subject that is grand in scope. Epic poetry is all about telling a big story, so it’s important to choose a subject that is worthy of that kind of treatment. Consider choosing a subject that has universal themes and resonates with readers on a deep level.
• Develop a strong narrative arc. Epic poetry follows a clear narrative arc, with a beginning, middle, and end. Make sure that your poem has a clear structure and that each section builds on the one before it.
• Use descriptive language. Epic poetry is known for its rich and detailed descriptions, so make sure to use descriptive language to paint a vivid picture of the world and characters in your poem.
• Incorporate symbols and motifs. A great epic poem will have symbols and motifs that run throughout the work, adding depth and meaning to the story.
• Use a formal verse structure. Epic poetry is typically written in a formal verse structure, such as hexameter or pentameter. Using a formal verse structure will give your poem a sense of timelessness and grandeur.
• Be willing to revise and edit your work. Writing an epic poem is a big undertaking and it’s important to be willing to revise and edit your work until it’s the best it can be.

Keywords: epic poetry, writing an epic poem, narrative arc, descriptive language, symbols and motifs, formal verse structure, revising and editing.

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How To Write Epic Poetry

Epic poetry is a type of poetry that tells a story. It is often long and descriptive, and can be used to tell the story of a hero or a battle. If you want to learn how to write epic poetry, here are a few tips:

1. Choose a good topic. Epic poetry is often about heroic deeds or great battles, so choose a topic that interests you.

2. Start with a strong opening. The opening of your poem should capture the reader’s attention and make them want to read more.

3. Write in a descriptive style. Epic poetry is often rich in detail, so take your time to describe your characters and setting.

4. Use strong language. Epic poetry is often powerful and dramatic, so use strong verbs and adjectives to create a powerful effect.

5. Tell a story. Epic poetry often tells a story, so make sure your poem has a clear plot and characters.

6. Use rhyme and meter. Epic poetry often uses rhyme and meter to create a musical effect.

7. Edit and revise. Epic poetry can be long and complex, so take the time to revise your poem and make sure it reads well.

How is epic poetry written?

Epic poetry is traditionally written in verse, and tells a long and complex story. It is often based on historical events or legends, and can be moral or religious in nature. The writing of epic poetry is a complex process, and it can take many years to write a successful epic poem.

The first step in writing an epic poem is to come up with a good story. The story should be interesting, and it should be easy to follow. It is also important to choose the right subject matter for an epic poem. The story should be something that is worth writing about, and it should be something that the writer is passionate about.

Once the story has been chosen, the next step is to come up with a plot. The plot should be well-organized, and it should move the story along at a good pace. The writer must also decide on the tone of the poem, and choose the right words to express it.

Once the plot and tone have been decided on, the writer can start writing the poem. The first few lines of the poem should capture the reader’s attention, and make them want to read on. The poem should also be well-paced, and the writer should make sure that there is something interesting happening on every page.

It takes a lot of hard work and dedication to write a successful epic poem. The writer must be willing to put in the time and effort, and they must also be willing to make changes to the story as needed. If the writer is passionate about their subject, and if they are willing to work hard, then they can create a masterpiece that will be remembered for years to come.

What are the 7 elements of an epic?

An epic is a long, narrative poem that tells the story of a heroic figure or group of figures. Epics often explore universal themes such as love, war, and betrayal. They are often told in a grand, sweeping style.

There are seven essential elements of an epic. These are:

1. A hero or heroine: The hero or heroine is the central character of the epic, and the story revolves around him or her. The hero is often larger-than-life, and embodies the qualities of courage, strength, and nobility.

2. A quest: The hero is often on a quest, a journey to fulfill a task or mission.

3. Epic battles: The hero often participates in epic battles against powerful enemies.

4. A larger-than-life setting: The setting of an epic is often grand and sweeping, often featuring majestic landscapes or ancient civilizations.

5. The clash of good and evil: The epic often explores the battle between good and evil, and the hero often represents the forces of good.

6. A moral or lesson: The epic often contains a moral or lesson, teaching readers about important values and virtues.

7. An emotional climax: The emotional climax of an epic is often a moment of great suspense or excitement, when the fate of the hero is in doubt.

How do you start an epic?

An epic is a long and complex story that usually tells the story of a hero or heroine who goes on a journey and faces many challenges. There are many different ways to start an epic, but some of the most common techniques include introducing the characters and setting, setting up the conflict, or starting with a dramatic event.

One of the most important things to keep in mind when starting an epic is to introduce the characters and setting in a way that engages the reader. The first few pages should be exciting and make the reader want to keep reading. You can do this by providing a lot of detail about the characters and their world, by showing the conflict that they are facing, or by starting with a dramatic event.

Another important element of an epic is the conflict. The conflict can be physical, emotional, or spiritual, and it should be something that the hero or heroine is struggling with. This can be a personal conflict, such as a battle between good and evil, or a conflict between the characters and their environment.

Finally, it is important to start the story with a bang. The first few pages should be exciting and make the reader want to keep reading. You can do this by providing a lot of detail about the characters and their world, by showing the conflict that they are facing, or by starting with a dramatic event.

How does an epic poetry begin?

Epic poetry typically begins with a invocation to the muse. The poet asks the muse to inspire him or her to write a great poem. The poet then describes the scene before him or her and introduces the main characters. The poet typically spends a great deal of time describing the characters’ physical appearance and their virtues. The poet then tells the story of the characters’ exploits, often ending with a moral lesson.

What is the beginning of an epic poem called?

Epic poems are long, narrative poems that recount the heroic deeds of a legendary figure or group of figures. They can be traced back to ancient Greece and Rome, where poets like Homer and Virgil wrote epics about the exploits of gods and heroes.

The beginning of an epic poem is called the exposition. This is where the poet introduces the characters and setting of the poem, as well as the main plot or conflict. In many ways, the exposition is like a miniature version of the entire poem, giving readers a taste of what’s to come.

Epic poems can be divided into three main sections: the introduction, the main body, and the conclusion. The introduction sets the scene and introduces the main characters; the main body tells the story of the epic; and the conclusion wraps up the story and brings the poem to a close.

Epic poems are often celebrated for their grand scope and sweeping narratives. They offer a glimpse into another time and place, and allow readers to explore the human experience in all its glory.

How do I write an epic poem?

There is no one answer to this question, as it depends on what you consider an epic poem to be. However, there are some general tips that may help you write an epic poem of your own.

First, you should start by brainstorming ideas and gathering inspiration. This may involve reading classic epic poems like The Odyssey or The Iliad, or simply looking for inspiration in nature, mythology, or your own life. Once you have a strong idea of what you want to write about, you can begin drafting your poem.

In terms of structure, an epic poem typically has three main parts: the introduction, the body, and the conclusion. The introduction should introduce your characters and setting, while the body is where the bulk of the action takes place. The conclusion should wrap up the story and leave the reader with a sense of closure.

As for style, it is typically best to adopt a formal, poetic tone. This may take some practice, but it is important to be precise with your words and use strong imagery to bring your story to life.

Ultimately, the most important thing is to simply have fun with it and let your creativity flow. If you enjoy writing, the process will be more enjoyable and the end result will be that much better.

What is the style of epic poetry?

Epic poetry is a type of poetry that tells a long and complex story. It usually has a heroic character who goes on a long journey and faces many challenges. The language and style of epic poetry is often very formal and ornate.

What are the 3 characteristics of epic poems?

The three common characteristics of epic poems are as follows:

1. They are long poems that recount the heroic deeds of a legendary hero or heroes.

2. They are often composed in an elevated style, and use formal language that is meant to be impressive and memorable.

3. They typically deal with serious, weighty themes such as war, love, and the human condition.

What are the 5 characteristics of an epic?

An epic is a long poem that tells the story of a heroic figure or event. The poem typically has five characteristics:

1. It is long.

2. It tells the story of a heroic figure or event.

3. It is written in a poetic form.

4. It is often inspired by a historical event or figure.

5. It is meant to be performed or read aloud.

What are the 7 characteristics of an epic hero?

An epic hero is a character in an epic poem who is larger than life and embodies the ideals of the culture. He is brave, strong, and intelligent. He often has a tragic flaw that leads to his downfall.

What are the 10 characteristics of an epic?

An epic is a long, narrative poem that tells the story of heroic deeds and events. The 10 characteristics of an epic poem are:

1. The poem should be long, with many episodes and a large cast of characters.

2. The story should be based on heroic deeds and events.

3. The poem should be written in an elevated style, using elevated language and poetic devices.

4. The poem should be narrated by a single, all-knowing narrator.

5. The poem should be divided into episodes, each of which should be narrated in turn.

6. The story should be populated by a variety of characters, including heroes, villains, and supporting characters.

7. The plot should be based on a series of conflicts between the heroes and villains.

8. The poem should be structured around a series of moral or ethical themes.

9. The poem should be imbued with a sense of destiny or fate.

10. The poem should be a celebration of the human spirit.

What are the elements of the epic of Gilgamesh?

The epic of Gilgamesh is a Mesopotamian poem that tells the story of a king who is trying to find a way to escape death. The poem has many different elements, including adventure, love, and tragedy.

One of the most important elements of the epic of Gilgamesh is adventure. The poem is full of thrilling scenes in which Gilgamesh and his companion, Enkidu, fight monsters and travel to faraway lands. These scenes help to keep the story exciting and keep the reader engaged.

Another important element of the epic of Gilgamesh is love. Gilgamesh falls in love with a woman named Siduri, and the two of them share a touching moment together. Gilgamesh is also forced to confront his own mortality, and in doing so, he comes to understand the importance of love.

Lastly, the epic of Gilgamesh is a tragedy. Gilgamesh is unable to escape death, and in the end, he must face the fact that he will one day die. This makes the story feel emotionally powerful and moving.

How does an epic begin?

How does an epic begin? The answer to this question is not a simple one, as there is no one formula for creating an epic. However, there are some general elements that are often found in epic tales.

One common feature of epics is that they often involve a journey. The hero may be called upon to leave his home and travel to far-off lands, or to undertake a quest to save the world. This journey often provides the backdrop for the adventure that unfolds.

Another key element of epics is their scale. Epics often tell stories of great heroes and their struggles against mighty foes. They often explore important themes such as love, loss, and heroism. And they often feature a rich, descriptive language that brings the story to life.

Epics are often seen as the cornerstone of Western literature. They can be traced back to ancient Greece, where poets such as Homer wrote timeless classics such as The Iliad and The Odyssey. These works explored the themes and ideas that have become a staple of the epic genre.

Epics have continued to be popular to this day. Modern examples include J.R.R. Tolkien’s The Lord of the Rings and George R.R. Martin’s A Song of Ice and Fire. These books have enjoyed enormous success both in print and on screen.

So, how does an epic begin? In short, there is no one answer to this question. However, epics often share certain common features, including a journey motif and a grandiose scale. If you’re looking to write your own epic, these are a few things to keep in mind.

An epic is a long and detailed story that tells the tale of a hero or heroes who undertake a great journey. Epics typically have 10 main characteristics, which include a grand setting, elevated language, heroic deeds, a quest, tragic events, a spiritual message, love story, comic relief, and an enduring legacy.

The setting of an epic is typically large and grand, often including majestic landscapes and sweeping vistas. The language used in epics is often elevated and ornate, and is meant to add to the grandeur of the story. The deeds of the heroes in an epic are often heroic and impressive, and often include great feats of strength, cunning, or bravery. The quest of the heroes is often the focal point of the story, and the challenges they face along the way can be epic in scale. Tragic events are often a part of epic stories, and can often lead to the downfall of the heroes. However, even in the face of tragedy, epics often have a spiritual message that offers hope and redemption. The love story is often an important part of the narrative, and can add depth and emotion to the story. Comic relief is often used in epics to lighten the mood and provide a break from the tension of the story. And finally, the legacy of an epic is often enduring, with the story continuing to be told and retold for generations.

What is an epic? An epic is a long poem that tells the story of a hero’s journey. The hero may be a legendary figure, like Achilles or King Arthur, or a historical figure, like Julius Caesar or Napoleon. The epic tells the story of the hero’s rise to power and his adventures along the way.

How does an epic begin? There is no one answer to this question, as epics can be written in many different ways. However, there are some common elements that all epics share.

First, epics always start with a prologue, which is a section of the poem that introduces the reader to the story and sets the stage for the action that follows. The prologue may include a description of the hero’s home and family, or it may recount the hero’s heroic deeds in the past.

Second, all epics have a main character who is on a journey. This journey may be physical or spiritual, but it always leads the hero to new and dangerous adventures.

Third, all epics are written in a formal style that reflects the seriousness of the story. The language is often poetic and elevated, and the sentences are often long and complex.

Fourth, all epics culminate in a great battle or conflict that tests the hero’s courage and strength. This battle may be fought against a mortal enemy, or it may be a confrontation with a powerful supernatural creature.

Finally, all epics have a satisfying resolution that brings the story to a satisfying conclusion. The hero may triumph over his enemies, or he may die in the battle and be remembered as a hero forever.

What are the 5 elements of an epic?

An epic is a long, narrative poem that tells the story of a heroic figure or event. Epics often explore the universal themes of love, loss, and courage. They are often told in a formal, elevated style and are often considered to be the highest form of literary art.

There are five elements that are essential to an epic:

1. A hero or heroine

2. A quest or journey

3. A formidable enemy

4. A great victory

5. The celebration of the hero’s deeds

How do you write an epic introduction?

There is no one formula for writing an epic introduction, but there are some general tips that can help you create an introduction that will capture your reader’s attention and make them want to keep reading.

One key to writing an epic introduction is to start with a hook. You can hook your reader by using a rhetorical question, a striking statement, or a juicy bit of gossip. Whatever you do, make sure your hook is relevant to your topic and interesting enough to make your reader want to learn more.

Another important element of an epic introduction is setting the scene. Your introduction should give your reader a sense of the world you are about to introduce them to. You can do this by describing the setting, the characters, or the plot.

Finally, you want to make sure your introduction has a clear thesis statement. This is the point you want to make in your essay and the argument you will be making throughout the rest of your paper.

An epic introduction is not easy to write, but if you follow these tips, you can create an introduction that will engage your reader and make them want to keep reading.

Emerson McKinney is a 31-year-old mother and blogger who focuses on education. Emerson has a Bachelor's degree in Elementary Education from the University of South Carolina. She is currently a stay-at-home mom and blogger who writes about her experiences as a mother and educator. Emerson is also a contributing writer for the Huffington Post.

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What is Epic Poetry?: A brief history & explanation

What is epic poetry? We’re going to define epic poetry, briefly discuss the long history of epic poetry, and review what makes an epic poem.

The oldest known story in human history is not a novel, play, or even a folk tale—the oldest piece of literature known is a poem, an epic poem, to be precise. The Epic of Gilgamesh is a poem written in the earliest known civilization, ancient Sumer, almost 3000 years ago. This epic poem was the ancient world’s version of a modern day blockbuster.  So, what is epic poetry?

Storytelling is a tradition that is as old as civilization. For thousands of years, epic poetry was the dominant form of entertainment. So, in this article, we will look at what makes an epic poem, its features,  its significance, its place in history, and how an epic poem is different from other forms of poetry and storytelling. 

Let’s get into it! 

What is an Epic Poem? 

An epic poem is a book-length work of fiction, written in verse and retelling the heroic deeds of an extraordinary person or group of people. Epic poetry is one of the oldest forms of storytelling. The word epic derives from the ancient Greek epos meaning word or poem. One of the earliest known epics, The Epic of Gilgamesh, dates to 2100 BCE.

Epic poems tell the stories of heroic, often superhuman, protagonists such as gods, demi-gods, or other extraordinary characters. These heroes’ fates are often tied to the future of their nation, tribe, or people. 

For example, The Iliad, an ancient Greek epic, features Achilles, whose mother dipped him in the River Styx, making him immortal. Achilles fights in the Trojan war on the side of the Greeks, and he is their champion. He is like a mascot for the Greeks, making it all the more devesting when he dies. 

Epic Poetry Definition 

An epic poem is a book-length narrative, told in verse, that usually recounts the heroic adventures of extraordinary characters. 

What are the characteristics of Epic Poetry? 

Epic poetry is written in a formal, elevated style — These poems take place across a vast setting and feature diverse terrains — The plot often involves supernatural elements — Use of a third person, the omniscient narrator — Poems transmit culture and traditions across generations — Plots often detail myths, histories, or religious tales — The story centers around the feats, strength, or courage of an epic hero. 

The heroes of epic poetry are extraordinary individuals who possess superhuman capabilities. These characters are legendary figures who inspire fear and respect through their incredible prowess.

Characteristics of the Epic Hero 

• Supernatural or noble birth- these heroes are born of noble or divine parents
• Strength- they possess otherworldly power or talent
• Supernatural aid- epic heroes often rely on magical assistance such as Odysseus calling on Athena for advice.
• Courage- these characters are not afraid of a challenge and often lead in battle
• Arrogance- epic heroes are often used to winning and will ignore their character flaws. This ignorance can lead to their downfall in some cases. 

Examples of Epic Heroes 

Gilgamesh, Epic of Gilgamesh 

Gilgamesh is the king of Uruk. He is described as two parts god and one part man. Early in the poem, Gilgamesh is a brutal king who enslaves his people. The gods create Enkidu, a primitive man equal to Gilgamesh in strength. The two men battle but eventually become friends and battle the gods together. 

Rama, Ramayana 

Prince Rama is an incarnation of the god Vishnu. He is a virtuous character who is loved by his people but finds himself exiled by his stepmother. In exile, his bride, Sita, is kidnapped by king Ravana and Rama gathers an army of monkeys to rescue her. 

Siegfried, The Nibelungenleid

Siegfried is a figure of enormous strength and courage. He is a prince who also possesses a magic cloak that grants him extraordinary power and invisibility. He does battle with and slays a dragon. 

Invocation of the Muse 

In Greek mythology, the muses were goddesses of the arts, such as music and poetry. Ancient poets believed these goddesses could inspire writers and musicians by lending their creative gifts. 

Many epic poems will start with a preamble where the poet will appeal to their muse. The poet will ask the muse to help them compose the poem. This invocation also acts as a prologue and will preview the significant events of the poem. 

In practical terms, the invocation is a way of foreshadowing events of the plot for the audience and hooking their interest. You can think of the invocation as the ancient version of the cold open or a way to preview the story’s action. 

Here is an example of the invocation of the muse from The Odyssey: 

“Tell me, muse, of the man of many ways, who was driven far journeys, after he had sacked Troy’s sacred citadel. many were they whose cities he saw, whose minds he learned of, many the pains he suffered in his spirit on the wide sea, struggling for his own life and the homecoming of his companions.” The Odyssey, Homer

History of the Epic Poem

Epic poetry dates back to the earliest known civilizations, and the form is still used today. These epic poems were prevalent across several geographically and culturally diverse societies. 

Summarian Epics 

Some of the earliest known epic poetry originated in the Middle East and told stories of legendary kings who ruled over Mesopotamia lands. Three of the first epic heroes in recorded history are Enmerkar, Lugalbanda, and Gilgamesh. It’s believed that many of these early epic heroes, such as Gilgamesh, are based on real kings. 

Out of these early Summarian epics, the Epic of Gilgamesh is the most influential. The Epic of Gilgamesh consists of five poems and tells the story of King Gilgamesh as he battles and then befriends the primitive man, Enkidu. The two men embark on adventures together, and after Enkidu dies, Gilgamesh takes on an unsuccessful quest for immortality. 

Greek and Latin Epics 

Asian and Middle Eastern traditions heavily influenced Greek epics. The Greek and Middle Eastern cultures, such as the Hittites, were economic trade partners. This eastern influence is seen in early Greek epics such as The Theogony, which parallels the Hittite Hurrian myth. The Iliad and Odyssey also borrow some aspects from the Epic of Gilgamesh. 

The early Roman poet Livius Andronicus translated the Odyssey from Greek into Latin verse. The Roman poet Virgil began writing the unfinished epic Aeneid during the first century. Virgil borrowed heavily from the Greek poet Homer in his work. 

Indian Epics 

Some of the earliest Indian epics were written in Sanskrit. The two primary Sanskrit epics are Ramayana and Mahabharata. Together these two epics compose the canon of Hindu scripture. 

The Ramayana tells the story of Prince Rama. Scholars believe it dates somewhere between the 4th and 7th centuries BCE by the poet Valmiki. The Ramayana is not only a poem, but it is instructive of Hindu ideals. 

Characters in the Ramayana represent ideal Hindul versions of fathers, servants, and kings. Rama is also an ideal character. Not only is Rama an avatar of the god Vishnu, but his life is a model of the dharma. 

Japanese Epics

The most influential Japanese epic is the Medieval poem, Heike Monogatari or The Tale of the Heike. This poem is based on the real-life historical struggles between the Taira and Minamoto families, which plunged Japan into civil war for many years. 

The Heike Monogatari is as important to Japanese culture as the Iliad is to the west. The poem is written in verse and chanted with the accompaniment of a four-stringed lute. A central theme of the poem is the impermanence of all things. 

We can’t discuss the history of epic poetry without discussing Beowulf. This piece is one of the oldest known Old English epic poems. An unknown poet wrote Beowulf in the tradition of the Germanic heroic legend during the 11th century. However, many scholars believe that poets were reciting the epic as early as the 8th-century. 

Beowulf tells the story of the warrior, Beowulf, and three battles with monsters throughout his life. The King of the Danes, Hrothgar, calls on Beowulf for help after the monster Grendel attacks his mead hall. Beowulf battles and kills the beast with his bare hands. 

Beowulf would later fight Grendel’s mother, become king of the Geats, and battle with a dragon.    

Folk Epic and Literary Epic: The Two Types of Epics 

A Folk Epic is also known as a Primary Epic. These epics were not written down but passed down orally over several generations. This oral tradition meant that their narrative would change over time. 

Eventually, poets would try to preserve these Folk Epics by writing them down. The poems would often change based on who was recording them. Authorship of Folk Epics is usually unknown. Folk Epics represent ideas and mythology of the culture of their origin rather than the ideas of a single author. 

Examples of Folk Epics: 

• The Odyssey
• Nibelungenlied
• The Epic of Gilgamesh

Literary Epic 

Literary Epics are also known as Secondary Epics or Art Epics. These poems are written by a single author and use the conventions and style of Folk Epics. Literary Epics usually have a tighter structure and narrative than Folk Epics. This conciseness is because Folk Epics pass down orally. However, a single poet will write and publish a literary epic.  

Examples of Literary Epics 

• The Divine Comedy by Dante
• Paradise Lost by John Milton
• Don Juan by Lord Byron
• The Cantos by Ezra Pound 

Examples of Epic Poetry 

We’ve talked a lot about many of these texts, but I encourage you to read them. Lucky for us, most of these text are old enough that they are decidedly within the public domain. So, I’ve linked the text of fourteen well-known epic poems below. check them out!

• Read The Epic of Gilgamesh
• Read Ramayana
• Read Mahabharat
• Read The Iliad by Homer
• Read The Odyssey by Homer
• Read Aeneid by Virgil
• Read The Nibelungenlied
• Read Beowulf
• Read Heike Monogatari
• Read Metamorphoses by Ovid
• Read Paradise Lost by John Milton
• Read Don Juan by Lord Byron
• Read The Cantos I by Ezra Pound
• Read The Divine Comedy by Dante

The Difference Between an Epic Poem and Ballad

Both Ballads and Epics are narrative poems written to tell a story. However, epic poems are long-form and written in an elevated, formal style, while ballads are in short verse. Ballads use a rhyme scheme called a quatrain. 

Read more about rhyme schemes here. 

Another critical difference between epic poems and ballads is theme and subject matter. Epic poems deal with cultural legends, morality, and the deeds of a superhuman hero. 

Ballads focus on universal themes that are either romantic or tragic. Ballads use short verses so people can sing or recite these poems easily. 

Ballads use simple, colloquial language, while epic poems use an elevated style of speech. Epics and ballads are both poems with a long history passed down from generation to generation. Ballads, like epics, often have unknown authorship. 

Wrapping up

As you can see, epic poetry is one of the most effective forms of storytelling, as old as civilization, yet still popular today. We see the legacy of epic poems in modern superhero films like Batman or the Marvel Universe. Larger-than-life characters perform superhuman feats in these stories and defend virtues like truth and justice. But, remember, before there was an Ironman, there was Gilgamesh, Prince Rama, and Achilles. 

If you enjoyed this article check you should check out my other articles on story structure like Dan Harmon’s Story Circle or The Hero’s Journey! Or, if you’re more into poetry, then I’ve got a section dedicated to poetry right here!

Continued reading on epic poems: 

Heike Monogatari- Britannica.com 

The Ramayana- Asian Highlights

How to Write an Invocation of the Muse- Pen & the Pad

Three Types of Epics- Differenttypes.net

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How To Write An Epic Poem

• Emily Scott

Poetry writing is an art. It is not like plays, story writing and other normal writing. It comes from heart which is full of imagination, thoughts, feelings and emotions. Poetry is an art of pen downing your feelings at a particular time. Unlike other poems, epic poem writing needs some  technical  skill and steps that you should follow while writing and become a successful epic writer.

Epic poetry is an ancient form of art which is a long narration of epic hero. It portrays the story of heroes of ancient time, about their journey right from the start to end. Epic Poetry attributes a legendary hero, his heroic journey and fantastic brave adventures he did. In addition to this it also includes supernatural gods and goddesses, angels, demons etc which is written in a contemporary language and mixing it with rhythmic and dramatic tradition. There are some steps to follow if you are new in this writing.

Step1 – Read before you write :  Before writing any epic poetry or a story you should go through some of the renowned and famous writer’s work that are excel in this field. This will give you an idea and a path to start on. Read poems like- The Epic of Gilgamesh, The Odysseys, The Mahabharta etc.

Step3 – It’s time to write:  Now when you have your hero, you can start writing.  You can write the whole poem or story in a one go or you can complete it in intervals. According to me, what I suggest is try to complete it once you started writing as you will go with the flow and concentration. With this when you start writing an epic it always begins with a muse. “Sing to me, o muse, of,…” it is an archetypical solicitation. Writers were inspired by the muse goddesses, as per the classical mythology.  

Step4 – Keep on writing as it is a fun :  Once you started writing just keep on going with the flow. Write in rhythmic style. You have to decide in which style you want to write. There are many styles of writing. It is upto you which form you are going to write. Whether you want to write Homeric simile style, dactylic hexameter (as written in The Odysseys), Virgil and other classical style or you want to adopt Greek and Latin Poetry style which do not have any rhyming scheme.

Step 5 – Crown of the Poem – Title :  This step can be done alternatively as per your preference. Deciding what will be the title can be done either when you are going to start writing or after completing the whole poetry. Title magnetizes the reader to read your poetry. Usually, it is written on the name of the hero, for instance, The Odysseys were decided on the name of the hero Odyssey, The Epic of Gilgamesh over the name of Gilgamesh etc. So, title making is the important step in epic poetry.

It was all about epic poem and if you ask me about agile epic story then I would say it is the story written in fragmented part as it is too long to be written in one sprint.  As epic is too large for agile, the team splits it into multiple or possibly thousands in which details can be added at anytime. Moreover, the agile can be made by anyone even by the one who is not involved in it.

Poetry writing  needs practice and dedication which takes time but I hope these steps can help you in writing your own epic story.

Happy Writing!!

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Purdue Online Writing Lab Purdue OWL® College of Liberal Arts

Writing About Poetry

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This section covers the basics of how to write about poetry, including why it is done, what you should know, and what you can write about.

Writing about poetry can be one of the most demanding tasks that many students face in a literature class. Poetry, by its very nature, makes demands on a writer who attempts to analyze it that other forms of literature do not. So how can you write a clear, confident, well-supported essay about poetry? This handout offers answers to some common questions about writing about poetry.

What's the Point?

In order to write effectively about poetry, one needs a clear idea of what the point of writing about poetry is. When you are assigned an analytical essay about a poem in an English class, the goal of the assignment is usually to argue a specific thesis about the poem, using your analysis of specific elements in the poem and how those elements relate to each other to support your thesis.

So why would your teacher give you such an assignment? What are the benefits of learning to write analytic essays about poetry? Several important reasons suggest themselves:

• To help you learn to make a text-based argument. That is, to help you to defend ideas based on a text that is available to you and other readers. This sharpens your reasoning skills by forcing you to formulate an interpretation of something someone else has written and to support that interpretation by providing logically valid reasons why someone else who has read the poem should agree with your argument. This isn't a skill that is just important in academics, by the way. Lawyers, politicians, and journalists often find that they need to make use of similar skills.
• To help you to understand what you are reading more fully. Nothing causes a person to make an extra effort to understand difficult material like the task of writing about it. Also, writing has a way of helping you to see things that you may have otherwise missed simply by causing you to think about how to frame your own analysis.
• To help you enjoy poetry more! This may sound unlikely, but one of the real pleasures of poetry is the opportunity to wrestle with the text and co-create meaning with the author. When you put together a well-constructed analysis of the poem, you are not only showing that you understand what is there, you are also contributing to an ongoing conversation about the poem. If your reading is convincing enough, everyone who has read your essay will get a little more out of the poem because of your analysis.

What Should I Know about Writing about Poetry?

Most importantly, you should realize that a paper that you write about a poem or poems is an argument. Make sure that you have something specific that you want to say about the poem that you are discussing. This specific argument that you want to make about the poem will be your thesis. You will support this thesis by drawing examples and evidence from the poem itself. In order to make a credible argument about the poem, you will want to analyze how the poem works—what genre the poem fits into, what its themes are, and what poetic techniques and figures of speech are used.

What Can I Write About?

Theme: One place to start when writing about poetry is to look at any significant themes that emerge in the poetry. Does the poetry deal with themes related to love, death, war, or peace? What other themes show up in the poem? Are there particular historical events that are mentioned in the poem? What are the most important concepts that are addressed in the poem?

Genre: What kind of poem are you looking at? Is it an epic (a long poem on a heroic subject)? Is it a sonnet (a brief poem, usually consisting of fourteen lines)? Is it an ode? A satire? An elegy? A lyric? Does it fit into a specific literary movement such as Modernism, Romanticism, Neoclassicism, or Renaissance poetry? This is another place where you may need to do some research in an introductory poetry text or encyclopedia to find out what distinguishes specific genres and movements.

Versification: Look closely at the poem's rhyme and meter. Is there an identifiable rhyme scheme? Is there a set number of syllables in each line? The most common meter for poetry in English is iambic pentameter, which has five feet of two syllables each (thus the name "pentameter") in each of which the strongly stressed syllable follows the unstressed syllable. You can learn more about rhyme and meter by consulting our handout on sound and meter in poetry or the introduction to a standard textbook for poetry such as the Norton Anthology of Poetry . Also relevant to this category of concerns are techniques such as caesura (a pause in the middle of a line) and enjambment (continuing a grammatical sentence or clause from one line to the next). Is there anything that you can tell about the poem from the choices that the author has made in this area? For more information about important literary terms, see our handout on the subject.

Figures of speech: Are there literary devices being used that affect how you read the poem? Here are some examples of commonly discussed figures of speech:

• metaphor: comparison between two unlike things
• simile: comparison between two unlike things using "like" or "as"
• metonymy: one thing stands for something else that is closely related to it (For example, using the phrase "the crown" to refer to the king would be an example of metonymy.)
• synecdoche: a part stands in for a whole (For example, in the phrase "all hands on deck," "hands" stands in for the people in the ship's crew.)
• personification: a non-human thing is endowed with human characteristics
• litotes: a double negative is used for poetic effect (example: not unlike, not displeased)
• irony: a difference between the surface meaning of the words and the implications that may be drawn from them

Cultural Context: How does the poem you are looking at relate to the historical context in which it was written? For example, what's the cultural significance of Walt Whitman's famous elegy for Lincoln "When Lilacs Last in the Dooryard Bloomed" in light of post-Civil War cultural trends in the U.S.A? How does John Donne's devotional poetry relate to the contentious religious climate in seventeenth-century England? These questions may take you out of the literature section of your library altogether and involve finding out about philosophy, history, religion, economics, music, or the visual arts.

What Style Should I Use?

It is useful to follow some standard conventions when writing about poetry. First, when you analyze a poem, it is best to use present tense rather than past tense for your verbs. Second, you will want to make use of numerous quotations from the poem and explain their meaning and their significance to your argument. After all, if you do not quote the poem itself when you are making an argument about it, you damage your credibility. If your teacher asks for outside criticism of the poem as well, you should also cite points made by other critics that are relevant to your argument. A third point to remember is that there are various citation formats for citing both the material you get from the poems themselves and the information you get from other critical sources. The most common citation format for writing about poetry is the Modern Language Association (MLA) format .

• Lesson Plans
• Teacher's Guides
• Media Resources

A Story of Epic Proportions: What makes a Poem an Epic?

Priam killed by Neoptolemus, son of Achilles, detail of an Attic black-figure amphora, ca. 520 BC–510 BC.

Wikimedia Commons

Some of the most well known, and most important, works of literature in the world are examples of epic poetry. These heroic adventure tales have often had surprising durability over time, such as Homer's story of friendship and heroism, The Illiad , which continues its life in the modern film Troy . Epic poems are more than simply a lengthy story told in poetic form, and their ability to remain accessible, relevant, and remembered over time owes a significant debt to their roots in an oral tradition and to their cyclical pattern of events.

This lesson will introduce students to the epic poem form and to its roots in oral tradition. Students will learn about the epic hero cycle and will learn how to recognize this pattern of events and elements- even in surprisingly contemporary places. Students will also be introduced to the patterns embedded in these stories that have helped generations of storytellers remember these immense poems.

Guiding Questions

What is an epic poem?

How have epic poems traditionally been transmitted from generation to generation?

How do tellers remember these long and complicated stories?

Learning Objectives

Define epic poetry and be able to identify and describe the epic hero cycle.

Analyze epic poems to determine plot, characterization, and themes.

Compare epic poems across time, cultures, and places to determine similarities and differences. 

Lesson Plan Details

• Review the lesson plan, then find and bookmark relevant websites and useful materials. Download and print out the documents you will be using in class, such as the chart of elements of the Elements of the Epic Hero Cycle (PDF).
• Review the background materials on epic poetry (scroll down to the actual "Epic" entry on the web page), the Elements of the Epic Hero Cycle (PDF), the oral transmission of epic poems, and the use of mnemonic devices, accessible through the EDSITEment-reviewed web resource, Internet Public Library.

Activity 1. What are the elements of an epic poem?

Review with students the definition and elements of epic poetry found at the Glossary of Literary Terms.

Ask students what other stories they know or have heard of that follow a similar pattern of action and components described in the definition of epic poetry. While they may not be familiar with some epic stories, they probably are familiar with the Star Wars series of movies, or the Lord of the Rings and the Harry Potter series of books, which they may be surprised to learn also follow an epic hero cycle . Compile a list of stories that follow this pattern. Ask students to suggest stories that fit the epic hero cycle , and introduce the class to stories with which they may be less familiar. Draw students' attention to the ways in which they have come in contact with epic stories rooted in ancient Greece, such as the recent movie Troy . A brief list of epic stories might include:

• The Epic of Gilgamesh
• The Odyssey
• The Ramayana
• The Lord of the Rings series
• The Harry Potter series

Distribute the charts listing the major elements of the Elements of the Epic Hero Cycle (PDF). Divide students into small groups, where they will chose a story from the list they are all familiar with, such as the Lord of the Rings . Ask them to work together to fill in examples of each of the epic hero cycle elements on their charts. Once students have completed the charts, ask them to share some of the results with the rest of the class. Have students compare and contrast their answers.

• Are there discernable patterns in the answers?
• Is the hero a remote figure, or is he or she someone readers identify with?
• Can students identify ways in which the behavior of the epic hero might be teaching the reader a lesson, or presenting an example for them to follow?
• What is the hero's relationship with his homeland (whether that place is ancient Greece or the imaginary Middle Earth)?

Introduce some of the additional elements of traditional epic poems, such as the formal and florid language, their opening with an invocation, or the use of epithets (such as "fleet-footed Achilles"). Read aloud to the class, or distribute copies for students to read, the opening paragraph of two or more traditional epic poems from the list compiled by the class, such as

• The Iliad , found on the EDSITEment-reviewed website The Perseus Project

Ask students to identify elements such as the opening invocation in the opening lines of these poems or the connection of the hero to his homeland, which is the basis for many epic heroes as national figures.

Activity 2. Pass it On!

Explain to students that epic poetry has its roots in oral, rather than literate tradition. These stories were originally passed on by bards, or professional poets who made their living by singing folk tales and epic poems to audiences. While the details of the poem often shifted from one telling to the next, the most important elements of the story always remained the same.

Divide students into small groups where they will work on definitions of "oral tradition" and "literate tradition." Once they have established working definitions of the two traditions, ask them to imagine some of the issues related to the telling of stories by means of oral rather than written communication. Ask them to imagine memorizing a novel, which they would then retell. Without having a text to refer to, would the story have been the same each time it was told? With so much information and detail to remember, how was it possible for bards to memorize thousands of verses of poetry?

Ask each group to choose a fable, fairy tale, or other story they all know. Ask them to identify the most important characters, objects and actions in the story. For example, a list of elements for Cinderella would probably include Cinderella, the wicked step mother and her two daughters, the prince, the fairy godmother, the glass slippers, the pumpkin coach, her banishment on the night of the ball, her running from the ball at midnight, losing her slipper along the way, and the moment when her foot fits the glass slipper. Students will probably find that there is broad agreement on most of the elements on their list: why did most or all of the students in their group identify the same moments or elements in the story?

Next, ask students to compare their list of story elements with other groups in the class. Do they notice similarities in these lists? Ask students to work together on reasons why there are similar elements in each of these stories. What do these elements represent? They should work together to identify what each of the elements they have compiled symbolizes. Ask the student groups to again compare their lists, which they will probably find are similar even for different stories. How does the presence of these similar elements in the fables or fairy tales they have just discussed help them to remember the sequence of events in those stories? Remind students that epic poems are much greater in length than fairy tales, and that certainly bards must have used mnemonic devices to aid them in their telling. How might similar elements, or the presence of a predictable story cycle such as the epic hero cycle , helped bards in the memorization of much longer epic poems?

These elements act like memory markers in the telling of the story, helping the teller to remember how the story unfolds. Breaking the story down into more easily memorized smaller pieces of narrative, and then memorizing the order of these smaller narratives, is a mnemonic device that has been utilized by bards since Homer's time. If the teller can remember these markers, he or she can then elaborate and expand the details of the story for specific audiences, making the telling more personal to the audience. Ask students to work with their groups to come up with answers for why traveling bards might have localized elements of the stories they told as they traveled from one city or town to the next.

Ask students to write a definition for epic poetry, and to give at least one example of a traditional epic poem, such as The Iliad . Ask students to fill in the right side of the chart with the corresponding information from an example of a story that follows the epic hero cycle. Ask them to name at least one modern story that follows the epic hero cycle.

Ask students to define "oral tradition" and "literary tradition." Have them write a short essay explaining at least one mnemonic device that would have helped bards in remembering poems that were thousands of verses long.

More advanced students can be asked to complete a more extensive essay. While they may not all remember or agree on certain details of the stories they have discussed in class—was Cinderella's dress pink? White? Blue?- most of them will agree on the most important elements. Ask students to think of examples of stories set in distant times and places that have been changed to bring the stories closer to contemporary audiences. Examples might include movies such as West Side Story, Troy , or the recent modern telling of Cinderella in which the ball is imagined as a school prom. Ask students to write an essay about the contemporary telling of an old story which answers the following two questions:

• Does changing the time, place, or details such as the style of dress in the "updated" story affect the main elements of the story, or the story's message?
• Why do story tellers (including movie directors) change the story to bring it closer in time and space to its audience?
• Explore the texts of some of the most well know epic poems, such as The Iliad , The Odyssey , and The Aeneid on the EDSITEment-reviewed website, The Perseus Project .
• Learn more about the great epic tradition of India in the EDSITEment lesson plan, The Lessons of the Indian Epics: The Ramayana .

Selected EDSITEment Websites

• Glossary of Literary Terms

Materials & Media

Elements of the epic hero cycle, related on edsitement, introducing metaphors through poetry, listening to poetry: sounds of the sonnet, preparing for poetry: a reader's first steps, animating poetry: reading poems about the natural world.

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wordwizard New Member

The epic poem method.

Discussion in ' The Craft of Writing Poetry ' started by wordwizard , Apr 13, 2007 .

googletag.cmd.push(function() { googletag.display('funpub_dc8dd8e610643cf1b4c684d4d199e7d4'); }); An epic poem is a long narrative centering around a single hero, presenting his or her adventures within a suitably heroic framework. An epic hero is usually a person of great strength, wit or skill whose adventures usually contribute to the development of a particular race or nation. Instructions STEP 1: Write a brief statement of the poem's purpose before you begin recounting the story - say, to detail your dog Champ's heroic crusade against backyard birds - followed by an invocation of the Muse. STEP 2: Give a short, general outline of the action of the poem in the statement of the poem's purpose. STEP 3: Invoke the Muse next by first praising her, then by asking her to aid you in the writing of your poem. The Muse of epic poetry was Calliope, but you can also invoke Thalia (Muse of comedy) or Melpomene (Muse of tragedy). STEP 4: Choose a particularly heroic event in the hero's life at which to start. This will be the main action of your poem. STEP 5: Begin the narrative by employing "in medias res" or "framework" narrative. Literally meaning "into the midst of things," this is a poetic convention in which the narrative begins in the middle of the main action and earlier events are retold through flashbacks. The past actions thus form a framework centering around the main action. STEP 6: Confront your hero with dangerous monsters and other incredible adventures. Include vivid and explicit descriptions of warfare (particularly weapons and combat). STEP 7: Use the supernatural to get your protagonist out of tough situations. If your hero or heroine is in a no-win situation, simply send in a god or goddess to help out at the last moment. Tips & Warnings Read a few epic poems, such as the "Aeneid" or the "Iliad," before writing your own. In the story about Champ the dog, you would begin your narrative at the middle of Champ's life - in the midst of her crusade against birds - and then, in flashbacks, recall her formative years as a puppy. Be prepared to devote a great deal of time to writing your epic poem. A epic poem example Hiawatha's Departure from The Song of Hiawatha by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow By the shore of Gitchie Gumee, By the shining Big-Sea-Water, At the doorway of his wigwam, In the pleasant Summer morning, Hiawatha stood and waited. All the air was full of freshness, All the earth was bright and joyous, And before him through the sunshine, Westward toward the neighboring forest Passed in golden swarms the Ahmo, Passed the bees, the honey-makers, Burning, singing in the sunshine. Bright above him shown the heavens, Level spread the lake before him; From its bosom leaped the sturgeon, Aparkling, flashing in the sunshine; On its margin the great forest Stood reflected in the water, Every tree-top had its shadow, Motionless beneath the water. From the brow of Hiawatha Gone was every trace of sorrow, As the fog from off the water, And the mist from off the meadow. With a smile of joy and triumph, With a look of exultation, As of one who in a vision Sees what is to be, but is not, Stood and waited Hiawatha. An example of an Epic Poem. more information EPIC: A long narrative POEM in elevated STYLE, 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 history of a nation or race. The origin of epics is a matter of great scholarly dispute. According to one theory, the first epics took shape from the scattered work of various unknown poets, and through accretion these early EPISODES were gradually molded into a unified whole and an ordered sequence. Though held vigorously by some, this theory has generally given place to one which holds that the materials of the epic may have accumulated in this fashion but that the epic poem itself is the product of a single genius who gives it STRUCTURE and expression. Epics without certain authorship are called FOLK EPICS, whether the scholar believes in a folk or a single authorship theory of origins, however. Epics, both FOLK and ART EPICS, share a group of common characteristics: the HERO is a figure of imposing stature, of national or international importance, and of great historical or legendary significance; the SETTING is vast in scope, covering great nations, the world, or the universe; the action consists of deeds of great valor or requiring superhuman courage; supernatural forces—gods, angels, and demons--interest themselves in the action and intervene from time to time; a STYLE Of sustained elevation and grand simplicity is used; and the epic poet recounts the deeds of his heroes with objectivity. To these general characteristics (some of which are omitted from particular epics), should be added a list of common devices or CONVENTIONS employed by most epic poets: the poet opens by stating his theme, invokes a Muse to inspire and instruct him, and opens his narrative in medias res—in the middle of things—giving the necessary exposition in later portions of the epic; he includes CATALOGS of warriors, ships, armies; he gives extended formal speeches by the main characters; and he makes frequent use of the EPIC SIMILE. EPIC SIMILE An elaborated comparison, the epic simile differs from an ordinary SIMILE in being more involved, more ornate, and a conscious imitation of the Homeric manner. The secondary object or VEHICLE is developed into an independent aesthetic object, an IMAGE which for the moment excludes the primary object or TENOR with which it is compared. I attach here a brief set of introductory lecture notes on the epic simile (in .pdf format). The following epic simile is from Paradise Lost: Angel Forms, who lay entranced Thick as autumnal leaves that strow the brooks In Vallombrosa, where the Etrurian shades High over-arched embower; or scattered sedge Afloat, when with fierce winds Orion armed Hath vexed the Red-Sea coast, whose waves o'erthrew Busiris and his Memphian chivalry, While with perfidious hatred they pursued The sojourners of Goshen, who beheld From the safe shore their floating carcases And broken chariot-wheels.  

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How to Reference a Poem Title in an Essay

Whether you are writing an essay about a poet or simply quoting a poem or referring to its themes, you may find yourself needing to reference the poem's title. However, it can be hard to remember whether the title is italicized, underlined or put into quotation marks. Although the treatment varies depending on the length of the poem and the format you are using, you can follow some general rules for citing poem titles in your paper.

Write the title of the poem in title case. All of the words should be capitalized except articles ("a," "an" or "the"), short prepositions ("in," "on," "with," "at") or coordinating conjunctions ("but," "and," "nor," "or," "so").

Put quotation marks around the poem's title unless it is a novel-length epic poem, such as "Paradise Lost" or "The Divine Comedy." In that case, italicize or underline the title.

Cite the poem with a parenthetical citation if you are using MLA or APA format. For MLA format, write the poet's last name and the page number from which you drew the specific portion of the poem you are citing. If you are citing specific lines, include those after the page number: (Frost 16, lines 23-26). For APA format, write the author's name, the year of publication and the page number from which you drew the information preceded by "p.": (Frost, 1997, p. 16). Do not include a page number if you are citing a website unless you are citing a PDF or another website that includes page numbers.

Create a footnote if you are using Chicago format. Write the poet's last name, the title of the poem, the name of the poem's anthology or the website from which you drew the poem, and the anthology or website's editor. Include the publisher, year and location of publication if you are citing a print poem and the URL and date of retrieval if you are citing a website. Place the page number and any specific lines from which you drew the information at the end of this footnote.

If you are citing an epic or classic poem, cite the canto, act and scene or book instead of the page number:

Yeats, William Butler, "When You Are Old," in Selected Poems: Fourth Edition, ed. M. L. Rosenthal (New York: Scribner Paperback Poetry, 1996),14, line 5.

Dante, "The Divine Comedy: Purgatorio," trans. John D. Sinclair (London, Oxford University Press, 1961), Canto XXVII, lines 34-36.

Dickinson, Emily, "I Heard A Fly Buzz," Women's Studies Database Reading Room at the University of Maryland, n.d., http://www.mith2.umd.edu/WomensStudies/ReadingRoom/Poetry/Dickinson/i-heard-a-fly-buzz (accessed April 21, 2011).

Bibliography

Cite the poem in your bibliography according to the format you are using in the rest of the essay. For MLA format, include the author's last and first name, the title of the poem in quotation marks, the italicized title of the poem's anthology, the page number of the poem and the anthology's editor, date and place of publication and publisher. If the poem is a novel-length poem contained within a single volume, cite it as you would a novel.

If you found the poem online, cite it as you would any other website, including your date of access. Write "n.d." if no publication date is available.

Cite a short poem like this:

Yeats, William Butler. "When You Are Old." Selected Poems: Fourth Edition. Ed. M. L. Rosenthal. New York: Scribner Paperback Poetry, 1996.14.

Cite a long poem like this:

Virgil. The Aeneid. Trans. Robert Fitzgerald. New York: Vintage Classics. 1990.

Cite an online poem like this:

Dickinson, Emily. "I Heard a Fly Buzz." Women's Studies Database Reading Room at the University of Maryland. n.d. Web. 21 April 2011.

Cite the poet, date of publication, poem title, editor, anthology name, page number and date and location of publication for APA format. Cite a long poem as you would a novel. Cite a poem you found online with the poet's name, the website's editor, the name of the website, the retrieval date and the URL.

Yeats, William Butler (1996) When you are old. In M.L. Rosenthal (Ed.), Selected poems: fourth edition (p. 14). New York: Scribner Paperback Poetry.

Virgil (1990). The Aeneid. R. Fitzgerald (trans.). New York: Vintage Classics.

Dickinson, Emily (n.d.). I heard a fly buzz. In Women's Studies Database Reading Room at the University of Maryland (ed.), Selected poems by Emily Dickinson. Retrieved April 21, 2011 from http://www.mith2.umd.edu/.

Cite a bibliographic entry for Chicago Manual of Style as you would a footnote, replacing the commas with periods and omitting line numbers.

Virgil. The Aeneid. Translated by Robert Fitzgerald. New York: Vintage Classics, 1990.

Dickinson, Emily. "I Heard a Fly Buzz." Women's Studies Database Reading Room at the University of Maryland, n.d. http://www.mith2.umd.edu/(accessed April 21, 2011).

• Daily Writing Tips: Rules for Capitalization in Titles
• Purdue Online Writing Lab: MLA Works Cited Page: Books
• Purdue Online Writing Lab: MLA Works Cited Page: Electronic Sources

A resident of the Baltimore area, Rachel Kolar has been writing since 2001. Her educational research was featured at the Maryland State Department of Education Professional Schools Development Conference in 2008. Kolar holds a Bachelor of Arts in English from Kenyon College and a Master of Arts in teaching from the College of Notre Dame of Maryland.

Tweetspeak Poetry

The Literary Epic: Poetry Prompt

By Heather Eure 1 Comment

In Epic Traditions in the Contemporary World , it’s noted, “Epic conceived as a poetic narrative of length and complexity that centers around deeds of significance to the community transcends the oral and literary divide that has long marked the approach to the genre.”

In this stanza from Don Juan , Byron dispenses a little playful satire to describe the epic apparatus he employs:

My poem’s epic, and is meant to be Divided in twelve books; each book containing, With Love, and War, a heavy gale at sea, A list of ships, and captains, and kings reigning, New characters; the episodes are three: A panoramic view of Hell’s in training, After the style of Virgil and of Homer, So that my name of Epic’s no misnomer.”

Based on Byron’s words above, choose one line and write a poem about what might be happening in the brief scene he’s written. Post your mini literary epic in the comment section below. We’ll be reading!

Featured Poem

Thanks to everyone who participated in last week’s poetry prompt. Here is a poem from Andrew we enjoyed:

Lightning Steed

Great thunder booms like pounding hooves – Such tremors of celestial beasts! Surely the lightning is the strike-of-stone Of those who on electric steeds must roam, And hence the great deluge will come To rid us of the paling sun – For who can look a lily in the eye When time has come, when we must die?

Great thunder! Ye gods, do you make sport? Is that the back and forth of power, Darting as does the thread of life Along the border of a knife? Such crackles! Smite me now, be done of all The woes which trickle as the rives does, For I am done with you, great blasts and blows! Come you once more, my ancient foes.

Like dawn! Like pain! Like hate! Like darkness, and like life, Give me your strife, give me your strife. I wandered long beneath a cloud, to sing a song Not knowing that to have no rain is wrong. So string me up and hang me as one hangs their coat, My moving pen moves on, and what it knew it wrote- I’ve nothing left. So sing with me, you thunder lords, Sing the song of the clouds that housed these lightning swords!

As does the mellow flower look up at the sun, Yet shield his shying head from moonlight’s glow, So too I love the Lightning Seams of life, The darkness showing light through strife, Yet fear more gentle fords were I may row In peace with all the things below – So no! The gods will let me ride the horse That rides the lightning’s jagged course!

—by Andrew H.

Photo by Martin Fisch . Creative Commons via Flickr.

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L. L. Barkat says

October 2, 2015 at 2:06 pm

After Byron

My poem’s not epic, and was never meant to be divided, as it were, by lines of twelve, or ten, or three. Lists of lettuces it chronicles, iceberg, red, or escaroles. It’s no misnomer, after all, to call it leafy vegetal, with not a single navy (bean) upon the stanza scene.

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A Full Guide to Writing a Perfect Poem Analysis Essay

01 October, 2020

14 minutes read

Author:  Elizabeth Brown

Poem analysis is one of the most complicated essay types. It requires the utmost creativity and dedication. Even those who regularly attend a literary class and have enough experience in poem analysis essay elaboration may face considerable difficulties while dealing with the particular poem. The given article aims to provide the detailed guidelines on how to write a poem analysis, elucidate the main principles of writing the essay of the given type, and share with you the handy tips that will help you get the highest score for your poetry analysis. In addition to developing analysis skills, you would be able to take advantage of the poetry analysis essay example to base your poetry analysis essay on, as well as learn how to find a way out in case you have no motivation and your creative assignment must be presented on time.

What Is a Poetry Analysis Essay?

A poetry analysis essay is a type of creative write-up that implies reviewing a poem from different perspectives by dealing with its structural, artistic, and functional pieces. Since the poetry expresses very complicated feelings that may have different meanings depending on the backgrounds of both author and reader, it would not be enough just to focus on the text of the poem you are going to analyze. Poetry has a lot more complex structure and cannot be considered without its special rhythm, images, as well as implied and obvious sense.

While analyzing the poem, the students need to do in-depth research as to its content, taking into account the effect the poetry has or may have on the readers.

Preparing for the Poetry Analysis Writing

The process of preparation for the poem analysis essay writing is almost as important as writing itself. Without completing these stages, you may be at risk of failing your creative assignment. Learn them carefully to remember once and for good.

Thoroughly read the poem several times

The rereading of the poem assigned for analysis will help to catch its concepts and ideas. You will have a possibility to define the rhythm of the poem, its type, and list the techniques applied by the author.

While identifying the type of the poem, you need to define whether you are dealing with:

• Lyric poem – the one that elucidates feelings, experiences, and the emotional state of the author. It is usually short and doesn’t contain any narration;
• Limerick – consists of 5 lines, the first, second, and fifth of which rhyme with one another;
• Sonnet – a poem consisting of 14 lines characterized by an iambic pentameter. William Shakespeare wrote sonnets which have made him famous;
• Ode – 10-line poem aimed at praising someone or something;
• Haiku – a short 3-line poem originated from Japan. It reflects the deep sense hidden behind the ordinary phenomena and events of the physical world;
• Free-verse – poetry with no rhyme.

The type of the poem usually affects its structure and content, so it is important to be aware of all the recognized kinds to set a proper beginning to your poetry analysis.

Find out more about the poem background

Find as much information as possible about the author of the poem, the cultural background of the period it was written in, preludes to its creation, etc. All these data will help you get a better understanding of the poem’s sense and explain much to you in terms of the concepts the poem contains.

Define a subject matter of the poem

This is one of the most challenging tasks since as a rule, the subject matter of the poem isn’t clearly stated by the poets. They don’t want the readers to know immediately what their piece of writing is about and suggest everyone find something different between the lines.

What is the subject matter? In a nutshell, it is the main idea of the poem. Usually, a poem may have a couple of subjects, that is why it is important to list each of them.

In order to correctly identify the goals of a definite poem, you would need to dive into the in-depth research.

Check the historical background of the poetry. The author might have been inspired to write a poem based on some events that occurred in those times or people he met. The lines you analyze may be generated by his reaction to some epoch events. All this information can be easily found online.

Choose poem theories you will support

In the variety of ideas the poem may convey, it is important to stick to only several most important messages you think the author wanted to share with the readers. Each of the listed ideas must be supported by the corresponding evidence as proof of your opinion.

The poetry analysis essay format allows elaborating on several theses that have the most value and weight. Try to build your writing not only on the pure facts that are obvious from the context but also your emotions and feelings the analyzed lines provoke in you.

How to Choose a Poem to Analyze?

If you are free to choose the piece of writing you will base your poem analysis essay on, it is better to select the one you are already familiar with. This may be your favorite poem or one that you have read and analyzed before. In case you face difficulties choosing the subject area of a particular poem, then the best way will be to focus on the idea you feel most confident about. In such a way, you would be able to elaborate on the topic and describe it more precisely.

Now, when you are familiar with the notion of the poetry analysis essay, it’s high time to proceed to poem analysis essay outline. Follow the steps mentioned below to ensure a brilliant structure to your creative assignment.

Best Poem Analysis Essay Topics

• Mother To Son Poem Analysis
• We Real Cool Poem Analysis
• Invictus Poem Analysis
• Richard Cory Poem Analysis
• Ozymandias Poem Analysis
• Barbie Doll Poem Analysis
• Caged Bird Poem Analysis
• Ulysses Poem Analysis
• Dover Beach Poem Analysis
• Annabelle Lee Poem Analysis
• Daddy Poem Analysis
• The Raven Poem Analysis
• The Second Coming Poem Analysis
• Still I Rise Poem Analysis
• If Poem Analysis
• Fire And Ice Poem Analysis
• My Papa’S Waltz Poem Analysis
• Harlem Poem Analysis
• Kubla Khan Poem Analysis
• I Too Poem Analysis
• The Juggler Poem Analysis
• The Fish Poem Analysis
• Jabberwocky Poem Analysis
• Charge Of The Light Brigade Poem Analysis
• The Road Not Taken Poem Analysis
• Landscape With The Fall Of Icarus Poem Analysis
• The History Teacher Poem Analysis
• One Art Poem Analysis
• The Wanderer Poem Analysis
• We Wear The Mask Poem Analysis
• There Will Come Soft Rains Poem Analysis
• Digging Poem Analysis
• The Highwayman Poem Analysis
• The Tyger Poem Analysis
• London Poem Analysis
• Sympathy Poem Analysis
• I Am Joaquin Poem Analysis
• This Is Just To Say Poem Analysis
• Sex Without Love Poem Analysis
• Strange Fruit Poem Analysis
• Dulce Et Decorum Est Poem Analysis
• Emily Dickinson Poem Analysis
• The Flea Poem Analysis
• The Lamb Poem Analysis
• Do Not Go Gentle Into That Good Night Poem Analysis
• My Last Duchess Poetry Analysis

Poem Analysis Essay Outline

As has already been stated, a poetry analysis essay is considered one of the most challenging tasks for the students. Despite the difficulties you may face while dealing with it, the structure of the given type of essay is quite simple. It consists of the introduction, body paragraphs, and the conclusion. In order to get a better understanding of the poem analysis essay structure, check the brief guidelines below.

Introduction

This will be the first section of your essay. The main purpose of the introductory paragraph is to give a reader an idea of what the essay is about and what theses it conveys. The introduction should start with the title of the essay and end with the thesis statement.

The main goal of the introduction is to make readers feel intrigued about the whole concept of the essay and serve as a hook to grab their attention. Include some interesting information about the author, the historical background of the poem, some poem trivia, etc. There is no need to make the introduction too extensive. On the contrary, it should be brief and logical.

Body Paragraphs

The body section should form the main part of poetry analysis. Make sure you have determined a clear focus for your analysis and are ready to elaborate on the main message and meaning of the poem. Mention the tone of the poetry, its speaker, try to describe the recipient of the poem’s idea. Don’t forget to identify the poetic devices and language the author uses to reach the main goals. Describe the imagery and symbolism of the poem, its sound and rhythm.

Try not to stick to too many ideas in your body section, since it may make your essay difficult to understand and too chaotic to perceive. Generalization, however, is also not welcomed. Try to be specific in the description of your perspective.

Make sure the transitions between your paragraphs are smooth and logical to make your essay flow coherent and easy to catch.

In a nutshell, the essay conclusion is a paraphrased thesis statement. Mention it again but in different words to remind the readers of the main purpose of your essay. Sum up the key claims and stress the most important information. The conclusion cannot contain any new ideas and should be used to create a strong impact on the reader. This is your last chance to share your opinion with the audience and convince them your essay is worth readers’ attention.

Problems with writing Your Poem Analysis Essay? Try our Essay Writer Service!

Poem Analysis Essay Examples 

A good poem analysis essay example may serve as a real magic wand to your creative assignment. You may take a look at the structure the other essay authors have used, follow their tone, and get a great share of inspiration and motivation.

Check several poetry analysis essay examples that may be of great assistance:

• https://study.com/academy/lesson/poetry-analysis-essay-example-for-english-literature.html
• https://www.slideshare.net/mariefincher/poetry-analysis-essay

Writing Tips for a Poetry Analysis Essay

If you read carefully all the instructions on how to write a poetry analysis essay provided above, you have probably realized that this is not the easiest assignment on Earth. However, you cannot fail and should try your best to present a brilliant essay to get the highest score. To make your life even easier, check these handy tips on how to analysis poetry with a few little steps.

• In case you have a chance to choose a poem for analysis by yourself, try to focus on one you are familiar with, you are interested in, or your favorite one. The writing process will be smooth and easy in case you are working on the task you truly enjoy.
• Before you proceed to the analysis itself, read the poem out loud to your colleague or just to yourself. It will help you find out some hidden details and senses that may result in new ideas.
• Always check the meaning of words you don’t know. Poetry is quite a tricky phenomenon where a single word or phrase can completely change the meaning of the whole piece. 
• Bother to double check if the conclusion of your essay is based on a single idea and is logically linked to the main body. Such an approach will demonstrate your certain focus and clearly elucidate your views. 
• Read between the lines. Poetry is about senses and emotions – it rarely contains one clearly stated subject matter. Describe the hidden meanings and mention the feelings this has provoked in you. Try to elaborate a full picture that would be based on what is said and what is meant.

Write a Poetry Analysis Essay with HandmadeWriting

You may have hundreds of reasons why you can’t write a brilliant poem analysis essay. In addition to the fact that it is one of the most complicated creative assignments, you can have some personal issues. It can be anything from lots of homework, a part-time job, personal problems, lack of time, or just the absence of motivation. In any case, your main task is not to let all these factors influence your reputation and grades. A perfect way out may be asking the real pros of essay writing for professional help.

There are a lot of benefits why you should refer to the professional writing agencies in case you are not in the mood for elaborating your poetry analysis essay. We will only state the most important ones:

• You can be 100% sure your poem analysis essay will be completed brilliantly. All the research processes, outlines, structuring, editing, and proofreading will be performed instead of you. 
• You will get an absolutely unique plagiarism-free piece of writing that deserves the highest score.
• All the authors are extremely creative, talented, and simply in love with poetry. Just tell them what poetry you would like to build your analysis on and enjoy a smooth essay with the logical structure and amazing content.
• Formatting will be done professionally and without any effort from your side. No need to waste your time on such a boring activity.

As you see, there are a lot of advantages to ordering your poetry analysis essay from HandmadeWriting . Having such a perfect essay example now will contribute to your inspiration and professional growth in future.

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