The Epic Poem in History

The epic poem was one of the most complex creations of the ancient world. It reflected the ancients’ true capacity for analytical and creative thought as well as their tremendous literary skills and abilities. Epic poems reveal a great deal about the values of ancient cultures. One might question whether the epics helped shape the identity of these cultures or whether they were simply a reflection of what already existed.

Epic poems often included deities important to the culture. For example, most of the Olympians are featured in Homer’s "The Odyssey" while many Hindu gods are critical characters in "The Ramayana." This reminds modern readers of the crucial connection between the ancients and their gods. Epic poems also explain a piece of history to the modern reader. We learn how Rome was founded in Virgil’s "Aeneid," the origin of the Indian concept of dharma from "The Ramayana" and how a selfish king finally learned that it was more important to be loved by his people than to live forever in "The Epic of Gilgamesh."

The themes in epic poems also provide important insight into the mind of the ancient world. Homer’s epics "The Iliad" and "The Odyssey" tell us that courage, honor, duty to country and bravery were important values to the Greeks. The glory of Rome was tantamount to all else according to Virgil’s "Aeneid" while adhering to one’s sacred duty was emphasized in "The Mahabharata."

More recent epics such as "Beowulf," "Paradise Lost," and "The Divine Comedy" are staples of high school and college English curricula in addition to "The Odyssey" and "The Epic of Gilgamesh" and students often balk at the challenging language and obscure references. It seems logical, however, to include a study of epic poems in history and social studies curricula wherein the ethos of a people is being discussed on a regular basis.

While the study of epic poems can be daunting for some students, their interest is quickly piqued when they are reminded that they are already familiar with a host of epics including the Harry Potter books, "Star Wars" movies and "The Lord of the Rings" trilogy. It is helpful to have students chart the epic hero cycle using one of these popular epics before applying it to one of the ancient epics as they will quickly recognize and identify with the different elements of the cycle.

A challenging but extremely worthwhile activity is having students write their own epic poem based on the elements of the epic hero cycle. This is easily adaptable to the study of any culture or civilization, modern, ancient, or in between. Students may choose either an existing literary or historic figure to write about, or make up a new character who would endure an epic journey.

Creative students will welcome the opportunity to create a comic book, children's book or video of the epic they are studying in class. In addition to employing students' creativity, a number of skills are utilized, including summarizing and analyzing.

A wonderful group project (especially if epics are studied towards the end of the year when it is difficult to capture students' attention) is to have students create an epic amusement park. The rides, shows, restaurants and games in the park should correspond to the events and places in the epic. Students may enjoy making a map of the park and thinking creatively about how to incorporate even the most unusual elements of the epic they are studying.

A study of the literature of a culture should be inherent in all history and social studies curricula as the literature and art of a people is often more telling about that civilization than the official records. What follows are more epic poem lesson plans.

Epic Poem Lesson Plans:

A Story of Epic Proportions: What Makes a Poem an Epic?

This is an excellent introduction to the genre of epic poems and to the epic hero cycle. The worksheet included is a great tool to help students identify and chart the journey of a hero be it Gilgamesh or Harry Potter. Additionally, students can gain an understanding of the difficulties of transmitting a story or history through oral tradition, which is how many epics survived until the invention of written scripts in their cultures. 

Lessons of the Indian Epics: The Ramayana

This lesson is extremely helpful to those teaching the Indian epic as it focuses on not only the plot but also on the values inherent in the story. In addition, it also provides an excellent list of links which can help students and teachers alike in their quest to comprehend this wonderful tale.

A Writer’s Odyssey

Although this lesson is geared towards juniors and seniors, there are elements of it that are certainly applicable to younger students, and it could be modified easily. What is most appealing about this lesson is that it requires a close examination of Homer’s "The Odyssey" and a comparison of the epic to Apollonio di Giovanni’s 15th-century painting "The Adventures of Ulysses" and to Romare Bearden’s "The Return of Odysseus" (Homage to Pintoricchio and Benin), a twentieth century interpretation of the subject.

Scops, Rappers and You: Historians with Style

This unusual lesson lets students compare the rhythm of "Beowulf" to Will Smith’s song “Wild Wild West.” Even teachers who are not teaching "Beowulf" can certainly use this lesson as a means to help students understand rhythm or epic poetry. Students should be encouraged to find songs that approximate the rhythm of whatever epic they might be reading, or to write their own song about the epic.