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Asked by: Sameh Ruisaenz
books and literature poetryWhat makes Beowulf an epic poem?
Last Updated: 10th April, 2020
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People also ask, how is Beowulf considered an epic?
Beowulf is considered an epic poem in that the main character is a hero who travels great distances to prove his strength at impossible odds against supernatural demons and beasts. The poem also begins in medias res or simply, "in the middle of things," which is a characteristic of the epics of antiquity.
Furthermore, why is Beowulf not an epic poem? Beowulf always thought of himself as the best and that no one could defeat him, that nothing could defeat him. Beowulf was a great warrior but he was no hero. Beowulf was not a hero because he wanted fame for his deeds, was born a noble, and only thought about himself. Beowulf wanted fame and fortune for his deeds.
Similarly one may ask, what makes an epic poem?
An epic is a long, often book-length, narrative in verse form that retells the heroic journey of a single person or a group of persons. Elements that typically distinguish epics include superhuman deeds, fabulous adventures, highly stylized language, and a blending of lyrical and dramatic traditions.
What makes a story an 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.