Great Works Of Literature

Taken from M. H. Abrams and Geoffrey Galt Harpham, A Glossary of Literary Terms, 9^th ed.

• The hero is a figure of great national or even cosmic importance.
• The setting is ample in scale; it may be worldwide or larger, i. e.: the Mediterranean basin, the Underworld.
• The action involves extraordinary deeds in battle, or an arduous and dangerous journey.
• Gods or other supernatural beings take an interest or active part in the action.
• An epic poem is a ceremonial performance, and is narrated in a ceremonial style which is deliberately distanced from ordinary speech, i. e.: contains epic similes and Homeric epithets.