The Cambridge Companion to the Epic (Cambridge Companions to Literature)

"Every great civilisation from the Bronze Age to the present day has produced epic poems. Epic poetry has always had a profound influence on other literary genres, including its own parody in the form of mock-epic. This Companion surveys over four thousand years of epic poetry from the Babylonian Epic of Gilgamesh to Derek Walcott's postcolonial Omeros. The list of epic poets analysed here includes some of the greatest writers in literary history in Europe and beyond: Homer, Virgil, Dante, Camões, Spenser, Milton, Wordsworth, Keats and Pound, among others. Each essay, by an expert in the field, pays close attention to the way these writers have intimately influenced one another to form a distinctive and cross-cultural literary tradition. Unique in its coverage of the vast scope of that tradition, this book is an essential companion for students of literature of all kinds and in all ages"--Provided by publisher. Every Great Civilization From The Bronze Age To The Present Day Has Produced Epic Poems. Epic Poetry Has Always Had A Profound Influence On Other Literary Genres, Including Its Own Parody In The Form Of Mock-epic. This Companion Surveys Over Four Thousand Years Of Epic Poetry From The Babylonian Epic Of Gilgamesh To Derek Walcott's Postcolonial Omeros. Unique In Its Coverage Of The Vast Scope Of The Epic Tradition, This Book Is An Essential Companion For Students Of Literature Of All Kinds And In All Ages.--jacket. The Epic Of Gilgamesh / A. R. George -- Greek Epic / Jasper Griffin -- Roman Epic / Peter Toohey -- Heroic Epic Poetry In The Middle Ages / Karl Reichl -- Dante And The Epic Of Transcendence / John Freccero -- Italian Renaissance Epic / Giuseppe Mazzotta -- Camões's Os Lusíadas: The First Modern Epic / George Monteiro -- The Faerie Queene: Britain's National Monument / Cathrine Bates -- The Seventeenth-century Protestant English Epic / David Loewenstein -- Mock-heroic And English Poetry / Claude Rawson -- Romantic Re-appropriations Of The Epic / Michael O'neill -- Ezra Pound, T. S. Eliot, And The Modern Epic / John Whittier-ferguson -- Derek Walcott's Omeros / Robert Hamner -- Epic In Translation / Paul Merchant. Edited By Catherine Bates. Includes Bibliographical References (p. 264-273) And Index. Every great civilization from the Bronze Age to the present day has produced epic poems. Epic poetry has always had a profound influence on other literary genres, including its own parody in the form of mock-epic. This Companion surveys over four thousand years of epic poetry from the Babylonian Epic of Gilgamesh to Derek Walcott's postcolonial Omeros. The list of epic poets analyzed here includes some of the greatest writers in literary history in Europe and beyond: Homer, Virgil, Dante, Camões, Spenser, Milton, Wordsworth, Keats and Pound, among others. Each essay, by an expert in the field, pays close attention to the way these writers have intimately influenced one another to form a distinctive and cross-cultural literary tradition. Unique in its coverage of the vast scope of that tradition, this book is an essential companion for students of literature of all kinds and in all ages. -- P. [i] Cover 1 Contents 7 List of Contributors 9 Preface 11 Chronology 13 1. A. R. George. The Epic of Gilgamesh 17 2. Jasper Griffin. Greek epic 29 3. Peter Toohey. Roman epic 47 4. Karl Reichl. Heroic epic poetry inthe Middle Ages 71 5. John Freccero. Dante and the epic of transcendence 92 6. Giuseppe Mazzotta. Italian Renaissance epic 109 7. George Monteiro. Camões's "Os Lusíadas": the first modern epic 135 8. Catherine Bates. "The Faerie Queene": Britain's national monument 149 9. David Loewenstein. The seventeenth-century Protestant English epic 162 10. Claude Rawson. Mock-heroic and English poetry 183 11. Michael O'Neill. Romantic re-appropriations of the epic 209 12. John Whittier-Ferguson. Ezra Pound, T. S. Eliot, and the modern epic 227 13. Robert Hamner. Derek Walcott's "Omeros" 250 14. Paul Merchant. Epic in translation 262 Guide to further reading 280 Index 290 Machine generated contents note: Preface Catherine Bates; 1. The Epic of Gilgamesh Andrew George; 2. Greek epic Jasper Griffin; 3. Roman epic Peter Toohey; 4. Heroic epic poetry in the Middle Ages Karl Reichl; 5. Dante and the epic of transcendence John Freccero; 6. Italian Renaissance epic Giuseppe Mazzotta; 7. Camões's Os Lusi;adas: the first modern epic George Monteiro; 8. The Faerie Queene: Britain's national monument Catherine Bates; 9. The seventeenth-century Protestant English epic David Loewenstein; 10. Mock heroic and English poetry Claude Rawson; 11. Romantic re-appropriations of the epic Michael O'Neill; 12. Ezra Pound, T. S. Eliot, and the modern epic John Whittier-Ferguson; 13. Derek Walcott's Omeros Robert Hamner; 14. Epic in translation Paul Merchant; Guide to further reading; Index. This companion surveys over 4000 years of epic poetry. The list of epic poets analysed here includes some of the greatest writers in literary history in Europe and beyond: Homer, Virgil, Dante, Camẽs, Spenser, Milton, Wordsworth, Keats and Pound, among others