Epic poetry is usually expressed in a form of an extensive poem that tells a tale of heroic adventures or historic legends. The English word “epic” originated as in the late 16th century. “Epic” was derived from the Latin word epicus, which formerly originated from Ancient Greek as the adjective epikos, from epos, meaning “word, story, poem” (1). Today, the English word “epic” is commonly used as an adjective to accompany the word “poetry” or “poem” in order to reflect the original meaning.
Paradise Lost by John Milton is an example of an epic poem, which illustrates key concepts of human ontology. Using the preconceived format of an epic poem, Milton recites a story about Adam & Eve, Satan and God as well as Paradise and the fallen in a series of ten books (2). The poem contains densely packed storytelling, which discusses some of the biggest topics of controversy to date such as justice, utopia, feminism and leadership. The epic poem has been read throughout generations and inspired a variety of ideas about the nature of human being.
The vast amount of dialogue and very limited biased narration leaves plenty of room for ambiguity. Paradise Lost acts as a clean slate for readers to gain independent interpretations. “From their perspective, Milton’s final poems form a perspective on history—on the politics as well as the poetry of a history seething with contradictions, yet rife with possibilities” (3). Creating a completely ambiguous statement is nearly impossible. However, Milton succeeds at forcing each reader to illuminate their individual ideas by breaking his own rules and cross-examining the actions of his heroes leading to more questions than answers.
Works Cited:
- “Epic | Definition of Symbolism in English by Oxford Dictionaries.” Oxford Dictionaries | English, Oxford Dictionaries, en.oxforddictionaries.com/definition/epic.
- Milton, John. Paradise Lost: 1677. Scolar Press, 1968.
- Wittreich, J. “”Preface”.” Why Milton Matters: A New Preface to His Writings, Palgrave Macmillan, 2016, pp. xi-xxv.
