The document discusses the characteristics of epics and tragedies. It states that an epic is a long narrative poem that relates a serious subject involving heroic or divine figures and concerns the fate of a group. Epics originated as oral stories and use conventions like catalogs and invocations. They describe heroic deeds, voyages, and exploits. A tragedy dramatizes the downfall of a great person from good fortune to misfortune and arouses catharsis in audiences by illustrating how character relates to fate in an imperfect universe. The tragic hero is not perfectly good but makes flawed choices and undergoes a reversal of fortune before achieving some realization and dying bravely.

1. THE EPIC & TRAGEDY
Dr. Gerald R. Lucas

2. THE EPIC
Is a long narrative poem
Relates a great and serious subject
Is related in an elevated style
Centers around a heroic or quasi-divine figure
Concerns the fate of a tribe, nation, or humanity
Started as an oral literary form

3. CHARACTERISTICS
Ranked by Aristotle as second only to tragedy
Expansive - the most ambitious literary type
Concerned with nation building
Where heroes come from - heroic ideal
Cosmic importance - gods take notice
Ceremonial

4. CONVENTIONS
In media res
Argument
Invocation
Epic question
Catalogs
Formal - aristoi

5. ACTIONS
Heroic deeds in battle
Facing great odds
Voyages
Great enterprises
Performing of exploits
Admirable actions

6. TRAGEDY
A drama that illustrates the sudden and catastrophic fall
of a great person from fortune to misfortune.

7. TRAGEDY
Arouses a catharsis from the audience
Dramatizes a casual relationship between character
and fate
Illustrates a universe that is not perfectly ordered
Suggests a great waste, like something great and noble
has ended

8. TRAGIC HERO
Is not eminently good or
noble
Possesses a hamartia
Makes important choices
Undergoes a peripeteia
Achieves a degree of
anagnorisis
Dies bravely