Prof. Q

UT Arlington

The Epic, The Epic Hero, and The Epic World In Media

The Iliad – The Aegean WorldGilgamesh – MesopotamiaBeowulf – ScandinaviaSundiata – MaliThe Divine Comedy – Earth, Heaven, Purgatory, Hell

The World of The Epic

The term “Epic” can also apply to:• Epic Films• Epic Novel (specially sci-fi and fantasy)• Epic Video Game• Epic Music

The Epic – Epic Across Media

Epic Fail?

Epic Music • Symphonic and Instrumental with Chorus Harmonization• Focus on Drums• Sounds are symbolic of warhttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TsNlhUxwGjU

Music that Tells an Epic•Music of any genre that tells the story of a hero figure, remembers great deeds, or promotes heroic traits.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n9QjrmvW2t8

Epic Music vs Music that Tells an Epic

Elements of The Epic Across Media

In Medias Res

Vast Setting

Gilgamesh• He who has seen everything, I will make known to the lands.

I will teach about him who experienced all things,Anu granted him the totality of knowledge of all.He saw the Secret, discovered the Hidden,he brought information of (the time) before the Flood.He went on a distant journey, pushing himself to exhaustion,but then was brought to peace.

Beowulf• Lo! the Spear-Danes’ glory through splendid achievements• The folk-kings’ former fame we have heard of,• How princes displayed then their prowess-in-battle.• From many a people their mead-benches tore.

Sundiata• I am a griot. It is I, Djeli Mamoudou Kouyat, son of Bintou• Kouyatd and Djeli Kedian Kouyatd, master in the art of eloquence.• […]• I am going to tell you of Maghan Sundiata, of Mari-Djata,• of Sogolon Djata, of Nard Maghan Djata; the man of many names• against whom sorcery could avail nothing.

Epic Invocation and Statement of Theme

Commonly Known Places

Epic Catalogue

The assassin has overcome my final defense, and now he’s come to murder me.In the end, what separates a man from the slave?Money? Power?No. A man chooses. A slave obeys.You think you have memories.A farm.A family.An airplane.A crash.And then this plane.Was there really a family?Did that airplane crash, or was it hijacked?Forced down?Forced down by something less than a

man something bred to sleepwalk through life until they’re activated by a simple phrase spoken by his kindly master…

Long and Formal Speech

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oG25S51qJQQ

Divine or Supernatural Intervention

Heroes with Heroic (Societal) Values

Underworld / Afterlife

Religion Plays a Role“I am Alpha and Omega, The First and The Last, The Beginning and The End”

- Revelations 22:13- Quoted in Fallout 3- Quoted in Xenogears

Nostalgia

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uytFKoygdrE

Which do you consider the most essential elements of the epic? Why?Can you think of any text in addition to the ones discussed / mentioned today that have some or most of the elements that make up “the epic”? Explain.Which do you consider the most essential elements of the epic hero? Why?Can you think of any text in addition to the ones discussed / mentioned today that have some or most of the elements that make up “the epic hero”? Explain.A text is not necessarily considered an “epic text” because it has one or two elements from the epic. How many elements should a text have before we consider it an “epic film / game / novel”? Is there “something more” to the epic as a genre beyond a combination of its elements?How does the journey play a role in the development of the hero? How do other characters?

Discussion Questions