epic poem
3
6.7
- noun
- /ˈɛpɪk poʊm/
- Literature
:
poema épico
- Homer's epic poem, The Odyssey, contains an early use of the term.
- a long epic poem
Examples
-
Kalevipoeg, as we know, is the title character of Fr. R. Kreutzwald's epic poem.
Fiction book (1993) -
In his famous epic poem, Paradise Lost, John Milton explores themes of good and evil.
-
An epic poem in 12 parts.
-
"There will follow a better age," he wrote at the end of his Latin epic poem, Africa.
Academic text (2009) -
How does one distinguish between an "epic poem" and a "long poem"?
Academic text (1996) -
You could recite an epic poem for me.
-
There are epic poems, and on the other end of the scale, there are haiku.
Fiction book (1999) -
These are things I'll discuss next time when we turn to the beginning of his epic poem, The Cantos.
-
If the epic poem is the least read form of literature, it is, paradoxically, the most highly valued.
Academic text (1996) -
We're thinking, for example, of Homer's Odyssey and Iliad, but we could think of many other epic poems as well.
Synonyms
766
1.7
A short piece of writing that expresses feelings and ideas with rhythm and style
44
5.5
A long poem that tells of a hero's great journeys and actions
1
5.2
A long story about heroes and their great adventures
1
4.3
A story about a brave person who faces danger, for example a knight fighting a dragon
1
6.3
A long poem that tells the brave deeds and adventures of heroes
1
7.6
Poems that tell the brave deeds of heroes from old stories
A long poem that tells the brave deeds of a hero
A long poem that tells the stories of heroes and shows a society's values
How Long
- Literature
3
6.7
- Literature
- Literature
62
3.7
- Literature
1
4.8
Surface Forms
Morphology
The meaning 'a long narrative poem about heroic deeds' is directly and predictably derived from combining 'epic' (a long heroic poem) with 'poem' (a verse composition). This noun+noun composition is transparent and cross-linguistically common, so a B1 learner who knows both constituents will readily understand the phrase.
Etymology
The phrase epic poem comes from ancient storytellers who sang very long poems about great heroes and their adventures. The word epic first meant 'story' and poem meant a written or sung tale, so epic poem now means 'a long poem that tells the adventures of a hero'.