EPIC VOCAB
This Latin phrase means the story begins "in the middle of the action" rather than at the beginning.
What is In Medias Res?
According to scholars like Campbell, the three main phases of the journey are Departure, Return, and this middle phase.
What is Initiation?
A pattern in storytelling or character type that appears across different cultures and eras to symbolize something universal.
What is an Archetype?
Before they were written down, epics were transmitted through speech and song via this method.
What is Oral Tradition?
"Sing, O Muse, of the man of many devices..." is an example of this opening prayer for inspiration.
What is an Invocation of the Muse?
This stage sets up a contrast with the strange new world the hero is about to enter; it is where the hero is comfortable.
What is the Ordinary World?
This character often provides the hero with a talisman or magical help but usually leaves before the final leg of the journey.
Who is the Mentor?
This blind poet is credited with composing both the Iliad and the Odyssey.
Who is Homer?
Unlike a standard metaphor, this literary device is an extended comparison that often spans several lines to illustrate a scene or emotion.
What is an Epic Simile?
The adventure "really begins" when the hero commits to the journey and enters the Special World by crossing this.
What is the First Threshold?
This character type uses mischief, lying, or deceit to navigate challenges; they can be the hero, the enemy, or a side character.
Who is the Trickster?
Because so little is known about the author's life, or if he was even one person, scholars refer to the debate as this.
What is the Homeric Question?
These descriptive phrases, such as "swift-footed Achilles," replace names and helped oral poets memorize lines.
What are Epithets (or Formulaic Language)?
Occurring in the "Inmost Cave," this is the moment the hero faces their greatest fear or a life-or-death battle.
What is the Supreme Ordeal?
An Epic Hero is not just a brave soldier; they must be a figure of divine descent or superhuman ability who embodies these specific things.
What are Cultural Values (or Ideals)?
Ancient epics often feature this plot device, where gods or supernatural beings influence the hero's fate.
What is Divine Intervention?
This convention reflects ancient beliefs about fate and human agency, where gods or supernatural beings actively aid or hinder the hero’s progress.
What is Divine Intervention?
At the end of the journey, the hero returns with this—a treasure, lesson, or knowledge that heals or helps the community.
What is the Elixir?
In the Hero's Journey, this character represents a "refusal of the call" because they are terrified of the unknown.
Who is the Reluctant Hero?
Epics cover great distances and often include these two specific types of "settings."
What are Supernatural Realms and The Underworld?