The Epic Poem & Literary Terms

An epic poem is:

• a short story

• a long narrative poem

• a type of novel

• a historical document

Epic poems are centered around the actions of which type of figure?

• Villainous figure of great national or international importance

• Heroic figure of great national or international importance

• Mythical creature of great national or international importance

What is one characteristic of epic poetry?

• A) Setting is large in scale

• C) Setting is small in scale

The journey home in ancient Greek is

• xenia

• nostos

• dike

• moira

Fill in the blank: In epic poetry, the poet begins by invoking the ____.

• muse

• hero

• audience

• narrator

Fill in the blank: A characteristic of epic poetry is that it starts in _______.

• medias res

• the beginning

• the end

What is a digression in the context of epic poems?

• A deviation from the main topic

• A type of poetic meter

• A character in the poem

• A specific type of rhyme scheme

Epithets are often used in epic poems to:

• enhance characterisation

• confuse the reader

• shorten the poem

Discuss the significance of repetitions in epic poems.

• Repetitions in epic poems emphasise important themes and enhance memorability.

• Repetitions in epic poems are used to confuse the reader.

• Repetitions in epic poems have no particular significance.

• Repetitions in epic poems are only used for aesthetic purposes.

What does 'repetition of epithets' refer to in the context of recurrent lines and phrases?

• A literary device used to emphasise a particular quality or idea

• A method of creating rhythm in poetry

• A technique for developing character traits

• A way to introduce new themes in a narrative