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The Epic: A Very Short Introduction
Very Short Brilliant, Sharp, Inspiring
The epic is an ancient and universal form of artistic expression. Storytellers around the globe have long told of heroes who are touched by greatness and win lasting fame. These sprawling heroic tales convey the grandeur and pain of human life. They have been preserved for millennia in Sumerian clay tablets, Egyptian papyrus rolls, fragmentary manuscripts salvaged from European monasteries, oral traditions in Africa and Central Asia, and contemporary poetry and film.
In this Very Short Introduction, Anthony Welch places the Western epic canon alongside traditional heroic poetry from Asia, Africa, and the Near East. Tracing shared themes and practices that unite the world's epic literature, the author asks what roles epic poets serve in society and how do they differ from other narrative forms. Welch argues that the epic confronts key aspects of the human condition - heroism, community, sacrifice, death - with special force and urgency. Ranging widely from Gilgamesh to Derek Walcott's Omeros, this book acquaints readers with some of the world's greatest literary works and asks why the epic holds such power over our imaginations.
ABOUT THE The Very Short Introductions series from Oxford University Press contains hundreds of titles in almost every subject area. These pocket-sized books are the perfect way to get ahead in a new subject quickly. Our expert authors combine facts, analysis, perspective, new ideas, and enthusiasm to make interesting and challenging topics highly readable.
The epic is an ancient and universal form of artistic expression. Storytellers around the globe have long told of heroes who are touched by greatness and win lasting fame. These sprawling heroic tales convey the grandeur and pain of human life. They have been preserved for millennia in Sumerian clay tablets, Egyptian papyrus rolls, fragmentary manuscripts salvaged from European monasteries, oral traditions in Africa and Central Asia, and contemporary poetry and film.
In this Very Short Introduction, Anthony Welch places the Western epic canon alongside traditional heroic poetry from Asia, Africa, and the Near East. Tracing shared themes and practices that unite the world's epic literature, the author asks what roles epic poets serve in society and how do they differ from other narrative forms. Welch argues that the epic confronts key aspects of the human condition - heroism, community, sacrifice, death - with special force and urgency. Ranging widely from Gilgamesh to Derek Walcott's Omeros, this book acquaints readers with some of the world's greatest literary works and asks why the epic holds such power over our imaginations.
ABOUT THE The Very Short Introductions series from Oxford University Press contains hundreds of titles in almost every subject area. These pocket-sized books are the perfect way to get ahead in a new subject quickly. Our expert authors combine facts, analysis, perspective, new ideas, and enthusiasm to make interesting and challenging topics highly readable.
160 pages, Paperback
Published February 27, 2025
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Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews
December 15, 2025
Considering this is a Very Short Introduction, do not expect much new information if you are familiar with the tradition of epic poetry. If you are not, however, this is a great first read.
Welch deftly navigates the complex themes at the heart of the epic tradition, without getting too bogged down in specific poetic works or long-winded explanations of scholarly debates. One might disagree with Welch's specific definition of an epic or his rather short chapter on the descendants of epic literature in modern pop culture. However, this book does the one thing a Very Short Introduction should do; scratch the surface and let the reader catch a glimpse of the dazzling world underneath.
It convincingly argues that ancient epics are fundamentally human stories, which accounts for their enduring appeal. This book has inspired me to pick up some of the classics, as well as given me some crucial context and interesting themes to watch out for while reading them.
An excellent Very Short Introduction!
Welch deftly navigates the complex themes at the heart of the epic tradition, without getting too bogged down in specific poetic works or long-winded explanations of scholarly debates. One might disagree with Welch's specific definition of an epic or his rather short chapter on the descendants of epic literature in modern pop culture. However, this book does the one thing a Very Short Introduction should do; scratch the surface and let the reader catch a glimpse of the dazzling world underneath.
It convincingly argues that ancient epics are fundamentally human stories, which accounts for their enduring appeal. This book has inspired me to pick up some of the classics, as well as given me some crucial context and interesting themes to watch out for while reading them.
An excellent Very Short Introduction!
October 4, 2025
2.5 stars. Insightful enough, but I didn’t learn much that I didn’t know already. To be fair, I’ve read most of the texts that he talks about multiple times.
Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews