Epic: Form, Content, and History

by Frederick Turner

Epic does many things. Among others, it defines the nature of the human storyteller; recalls the creation of the world and of the human race; describes the paradoxical role of the hero as both the Everyman and the radical exception; and establishes the complex quest underlying all human action. Epic illustrates that these ingredients of epic storytelling are universal cultural elements, in existence across multiple remote geographical locations, historical eras, ethnic and linguistic groups, and levels of technological and economic development. Frederick Turner argues that epic, despite being scoffed at and neglected for over sixty years, is the most fundamental and important of all literary forms and thereby deserves serious critical attention. It is the source and originof all other literature, the frame within which any story is possible. The mission of this book is to repair gaps in the literary understanding of epic studies―and offer permission to future epic writers and composers. The cultural genres of Marvel Comics, gothic, anime, manga, multi-user dungeon gaming, and superhero movies reprise all the epic themes and motifs. Consider The Wizard of Oz , Star Wars , The Lord of the Rings , Lost , The Matrix , Superman , Harry Potter , and Narnia . Here can be found the epic beast-man, the miraculous birth of the hero, the creation myth, the founding of the city, the quest journey, the descent into the land of the dead, the monsters, and the trickster. This book will be of interest to all readers fascinated by folklore, oral tradition, religious studies, anthropology, mythology, and enthusiastic about literature in general.

386 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 2012

About the author

Frederick Turner is the author or editor of a dozen books, including Into the Heart of Life: Henry Miller at One Hundred. He lives in Santa Fe, New Mexico.

Librarian’s note: There is more than one author in the Goodreads database with this name.

Reviews

[Connie Kronlokken]

Looking at literature from an anthropological standpoint, as well as in the light of all the scientific research that has been done, Turner argues that "epic is basically about human evolution - that is, epic is the traditional way we have explained to ourselves as a species, our emergence from nature and the stresses within our own nature that result from that emergence and our look back at it." He finds many non-Western works which are unmistakably epic. Discussing these, as well as the "Western canon" epics, he defines what constitutes the epic in broad strokes, including the storyteller, the creation myth, the hero, the quest, kinship troubles (which include an innovative look at how women fit in), natural man and the fall, the descent into the underworld, the founding of the city, history of the people and new mediums of communication.

Defending epic, which gets no respect, Turner says "a new generation has, however, grown up without the prejudices against epic that accompanied the revolt against grand narrative. Even when their elders are content with the novel's elegant little narratives of suburban divorce and private existential struggle, the young are unashamedly epic in their tastes."

I found the book an extraordinarily helpful shift in thinking about literature, and many other things, such as the relationship between shame and beauty. Homo sapiens, among other species of animals, chose knowledge. "Anybody writing or reading an epic will already have opted for knowledge. So the issue now becomes 1) was the act done freely? and 2) does knowledge deserve death?" The answers to these questions are the grand narrative of epic.

Turner leaves us with the exciting sense that "it is story that opens up the world, that truly represents the world as branchy, free and full of surprises." This book will shake up your received opinions!