Characteristics of Epic Poetry: Invocation, Homeric Similes, ‘Choric’ Nature, High Seriousness, In Medias Res, Athletic Contest etc ,

Invocation, Homeric Similes, ‘Choric’ Nature, High Seriousness, In Medias Res, Athletic Contest etc

 Introduction: Though epic is considered by Aristotle as second only to tragedy no elaborate discussion on epic is available in Aristotle’s Poetics. Many critics however deal with some salient characteristics of epic as a distinct form of literature. In a nutshell, epic is a long poem, written in a grand style on a great and serious subject. It celebrates in the form of continuous narrative, the achievements of one or more heroic personages taken from history or legend or mythology. The doings of those heroic personages are usually war like, involving large members of secondary characters. The epic also provides a background of Gods and spirits who join in the action from time to time.

 An Invocation: The very first characteristic of an epic is that it always begins with a prayer or an invocation. At the very outset of the epic, the epic poet is found making a prayer to some Gods or Muses to inspire him in his contemplate task or writing a great poem like epic. Milton, for example, begins his Paradise Lost by calling upon the Holy Spirit. Thus form of invocation is also present in Homer’s Iliad and Virgil’s Aeneid. These classical poets call the Muses to their aid at intervals when they have something especially important to relate.

 Homeric Similes: The second characteristic of an epic is that it always uses long drawn similes which are often called Homeric similes. Milton follows this practice of using quite a number of long drawn similes in his Paradise Lost. The epic similes imply a dignity of style in which the comparison stipulated is nothing plain or commonplace but of certain magnitudes and of wider range.It is so often called a poem-within-a-poem. We may refer to a beautiful epic simile used by Milton in Book-I of Paradise Lost. While Milton goes to describe Satan’s gigantic size, he compares him to a huge typhoon and a sea beast called Leviathan, whose vast size is a matter of great wonder. Homer gives us a description of the Armour of Achilles which runs through several pages. Milton too does the same thing in describing the shield and spear of Satan.

Athletic Contest

  ‘Choric’ Nature: The third characteristic of the epic is what professor Tillyard calls its ‘Choric’ nature. What he means the word ‘Choric’ is that epic poetry is in a sense public poetry – generally nationalistic or tribal. The poet here not only expresses his own thoughts and feelings, but the thoughts and feelings of some large groups or communities. So, Dante in the Divina Commedia was in many senses a spokesman for the medieval Christianity and Milton for English and European Protestantism in his own time.

High Seriousness: The 4^th characteristic of the epic is that it is always marked by what has been called its ‘high seriousness’. The poet knowingly sets out to make something which will be the best of which he is capable. Milton in particular had this high sense of duty and dedication. He leads a busy life in the politics of his time, and yet he always felt himself to be a man chosen by God to write a poem which would place England among the greatest cultural nations of Europe.

In Medias Res: As the Roman critic and poet Horace calls it ,Epic begins in the middle of the story. The narrative then goes both in flashback as well as forwarding. For example, the story of Paradise Lost begins with the loss of Paradise and then we learn how the are fallen and how Satan takes revenge.

 Athletic Contest: Another characteristic of epic is that at involves a description of some kind of ‘athletic contest’ or ‘games’. This rather surprising feature is found in most ‘sophisticated’ epics. Homer tells us how Achilles arranged a day of athletic competitions in honour of his dead friend, Patroclus. Virgil followed the same device of arranging a funeral games in the Aeneid.

Conclusion: To crown them all, epic must be written in a grandiloquent style. Even a long and dangerous journey made by the hero should be described with all majesty. In Paradise Lost Milton describes Satan’s journey through space with a dignified style quite befitting of an epic. In fact, Milton’s style is marked by the richness of imagination, the majesty of melody and a superb descriptive power. He has, therefore rightly been described as ‘the God & gifted’ organ voice of England.

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