Monsters, Gods, and Heroes: Approaching the Epic in Literature
Timothy B. Shutt
Sep 2008 · Recorded Books · Narrated by Richard Davidson
1.0star
1 reviewreport
headphones
Audiobook
7 hr 44 min
Unabridged
family_home
Eligible
info
reportRatings and reviews aren’t verified Learn More
Want a 46 min sample? Listen anytime, even offline.
Add
About this audiobook
From the very outset in the West-from the time of Homer himself in about 750 BCE-the epic has been the most highly regarded of literary genres. It is rivaled only by tragedy, which arose a bit more than two centuries later, as the most respected, the most influential, and, from a slightly different vantage point, the most prestigious mode of addressing the human condition in literary terms. The major epics are the works that, from the very outset, everyone had heard of and everyone knew, at least by reputation. They are the works that had the most profound and most enduring cultural influence. And they are very much with us still, some more than others, but all-or all the most successful ones-are more or less firmly enshrined in cultural memory. They are still read. They are still taught. They still gain imitators and admirers. The stories they tell still shape our imagination and aspirations. In this course, we will revisit the epics, examining the stories told and the characters. We will consider the various styles represented and the societies in which these epics were constructed. Finally, we will arrive at an understanding of the epic as a genre and as a reflection of ancient history.
Ratings and reviews
1.0
1 review
Rate this audiobook
Tell us what you think.
Listening information
Smartphones and tablets
Install the Google Play Books app for Android and iPad/iPhone. It syncs automatically with your account and allows you to read online or offline wherever you are.
Laptops and computers
You can read books purchased on Google Play using your computer's web browser.
