What is epic verse?

Answer 1

In everyday conversation, "epic" is often used loosely to refer to anything big or important or long. All such uses are metaphorical extensions of its basic meaning, in which it denotes a literary genre, an extended verse narrative. In the Western tradition, the first great epics were Homer's Iliad and Odyssey. The term is also applied to similar narratives in other traditions--for example, the Indian Mahabharata. Even in literary criticism, one sometimes finds it used of works which do not strictly qualify--for example, Whitman's "Song of Myself."

Strictly speaking, though the word "Epic" should be restricted to tales which engage multiple generations of characters. The Illiad, e.g. is not epic, whereas The Odyssey is, in that the Illiad is just a war story, told as such, as opposed to Telemachus's search for his father moves it into the Epic catagory.

I would consider Evelyn Waugh's "Sword of Valor" trilogy to be epic, following as it does the death of the father and older sons, the survival of the remaining son, and the adoption of the estranged wife's bastard son

Non-literary uses like "epic movie" or "epic event" are common in advertising and occasionally appear even in formal prose, but it is probably safer to avoid them when writing for English teachers.

Answer 2

Epic verse is a form of poetry that typically consists of long, narrative poems that recount heroic deeds and adventures. It often includes elevated language, formal structure, and focuses on themes of heroism, culture, and the supernatural. Examples of epic verse include Homer's "Iliad" and "Odyssey."

Answer 3

Epic verse is a long, narrative poem; the main theme usually details the story of a hero and a journey or event they have participated in.

Often epic poetry is written in 'heroic meter', a verse form which complements the grandiose nature of the topic.