Epics are the major oral literary forms found among the various ethnic

groups. These epics have the following characteristics: The story is about a
supernatural or heroic person of ancient times; it is based on oral tradition; it is
composed in verse; and it is sung or chanted.
Epics still have a place in the life of cultural minorities and are sung
during times of gathering, such as weddings and wakes. They entertain the
community with the heroic deeds of their ancestors. They also convey the customs
and beliefs of previous generations, often providing examples for the next generation
to follow. Philippine folk epics stress such themes as strong kinship bonds,
reciprocity and cooperation, a deep sense of community, ethnic pride, and love of
freedom.
Through the epic, a human society transmits the memory of the ancestors, a total and
independent world and its very presence in the world.

Epic, long narrative poem recounting heroic deeds, although the term has also been
loosely used to describe novels, such as Leo Tolstoy’s War and Peace, and motion
pictures, such as Sergey Eisenstein’s Ivan the Terrible. In literary usage, the term
encompasses both oral and written compositions. The prime examples of the oral epic
are Homer’s Iliad and Odyssey. Outstanding examples of the written epic include
Virgil’s Aeneid and Lucan’s Pharsalia in Latin, Chanson de Roland in medieval
French, Ludovico Ariosto’s Orlando furioso and Torquato Tasso’s Gerusalemme
liberata in Italian, Cantar de mio Cid in Spanish, and John Milton’s Paradise Lost and
Edmund Spenser’s Faerie Queene in English. There are also seriocomic epics, such as
the Morgante of a 15th-century Italian poet, Luigi Pulci, and the pseudo-Homeric
Battle of the Frogs and Mice. Another distinct group is made up of the so-called beast
epics—narrative poems written in Latin in the Middle Ages and dealing with the
struggle between a cunning fox and a cruel and stupid wolf. Underlying all of the
written forms is some trace of an oral character, partly because of the monumental
persuasiveness of Homer’s example but more largely because the epic was, in fact,
born of an oral tradition. It is on the oral tradition of the epic form that this article will
focus.

Definition of Epic
The word epic is derived from the Ancient Greek adjective, “epikos”, which means a
poetic story. In literature, an epic is a long narrative poem, which is usually related to
heroic deeds of a person of an unusual courage and unparalleled bravery. In order to
depict this bravery and courage, the epic uses grandiose style.

The hero is usually the representative of the values of a certain culture, race, nation or
a religious group on whose victor of failure the destiny of the whole nation or group
depends. Therefore, certain supernatural forces, deus ex machina, help the hero, who
comes out victor at the end. An epic usually starts with an invocation to muse, but
then picks up the threads of the story from the middle and moves on to the end.

Difference Between an Epic and a Ballad

A ballad and an epic both are poems, which narrate stories. However, a ballad is
shorter in length than an epic, while it is composed to be sung on some occasions, and
not narrated. They are also known as folk ballads as well as popular ballads. Most of
the ballads have unknown origin and source and usually pass on orally from
generations to generations. On the other hand, an epic poem tells a story, but about
the heroic ideals of a specific society. The actual difference between the two is the
length and the fact that one is usually meant to be sung, while the other is to be
narrated. Both differ in style where a ballad is composed in a simple language, while
an epic demonstrates mastery in style such as Paradise Lost.

Examples of Epic from Literature

The Epic of Gilgamesh (~2000 BCE)

Perhaps, the Epic of Gilgamesh is the first example of an epic. It tells the story of the
life of an Assyrian king, Gilgamesh. Like all other epics, the narrative of this epic
revolves around the themes related to gods, human beings, mortality, legacy and
seduction. Like other epics, it is also composed in a grand style. Gilgamesh is a young
arrogant king due to his being half-god and half-human. His strength and masculine
beauty becomes a constant source of trouble for others. Therefore, gods grow sick of
Gilgamesh’s arrogant and troublesome attitude and decide to teach him a lesson. He
is made to fight his antagonist, Enkidu, and then go on a long journey to bring the
plant of life — a journey on which he learns the lessons of life. Although the epic is
written nearly 4,000 years ago, critics are unanimous that it is a human work.

The Iliad (800 BCE)

Iliad is another example of an epic. It was written by the popular Greek poet, Homer.
It relates the story of the Trojan wars, involving themes of courage, boldness, love for
one’s country and nostalgia of family. However, it describes many legends related to
the siege of Troy, the events took place before the siege, the gathering of the warriors
prior to the siege and the causes of the war. Later, the epic foretold the looming death
of Achilles and the destruction of Troy. The style of narration is grand, and suits an
epic poem — the reason that it is still one the most celebrated work of antiquity.

Paradise Lost (1667)

Written on the same traditions but on a different subject, Paradise Lost, is an English
epic by yet another blind poet of English origin, John Milton. It also is known
colloquially as the Protestant Epic. In this epic, Milton argues Satan’s fall from the
heaven as well as Adam and Eve’s fall from the Garden of Eden. Despite his blindness,
Milton did not stop from explaining “the ways of God to men.” He has depicted Satan
as a highly complex character, who is at war with God. Despite his different subject,
Milton has used several epic devices introduced by Homer such as invocation to the
muse, extended similes and grand style.

Function of Epic

As the epic poem is the earliest form of poetry, it is the earliest form of entertainment
as well. Epics were written to commemorate the struggles and adventures of kings and
warriors. The main function of epic poetry was to elevate the status of the hero among
the audiences to inspire them to be ready to perform heroic actions. Epic obtained
most of its themes from the exploits performed by legendary characters and their
illustrious ancestors. That is why these exploits became examples for others to follow,
and still lived in books. It is through epics, models of ideal heroic behavior were
supplied to the common people. Moreover, epics also were collections of historical
events not recorded in common history books — the reason that they are read today to
be enjoyed and be informed regarding the past.

General Characteristics

An epic may deal with such various subjects as myths, heroic legends, histories,
edifying religious tales, animal stories, or philosophical or moral theories. Epic poetry
has been and continues to be used by peoples all over the world to transmit their
traditions from one generation to another, without the aid of writing. These traditions
frequently consist of legendary narratives about the glorious deeds of their national
heroes. Thus, scholars have often identified “epic” with a certain kind of heroic oral
poetry, which comes into existence in so-called heroic ages. Such ages have been
experienced by many nations, usually at a stage of development in which they have
had to struggle for a national identity. This effort, combined with such other
conditions as an adequate material culture and a sufficiently productive economy,
tend to produce a society dominated by a powerful and warlike nobility, constantly
occupied with martial activities, whose individual members seek, above all,
everlasting fame for themselves and for their lineages.