The story of a well planned climb that turned into a grueling adventure that turned out well in the end. As these stories are told over and over again - and they always are - the details get stretched to supernatural proportions for dramatic effect.
a long narrative poem recounting actions, travels, adventures, and heroic episodes and written in a high style
a long narrative poem, usually about the great deeds of a folk hero, stated in lofty, elevated language, as Homer's Iliad. Cp. saga. a similar long narrative poem, more sophisticated in literary style and less heroic in content, as Vergil's Aeneid and Milton's Paradise Lost.
a long poem focusing on the story of a hero involving gods and heroic exploits, Homer Iliad, Odyssey and Vergil's Aeneid are all examples. University of Victoria's electronic list of Literary and Rhetorical Terms
(OALD) 1(a) long poem about the deeds of one or more great heroes, or a nation's past history. (LTC) The most ambitious kind of poem. An epic presents the great deeds of an heroic figure or group of figures. The classical models are Homer's Odyssey and Iliad, and Virgil's Aeneid: they are massive narrative poems, focusing on a crisis in the history of a race or culture.
very long multiparter story, involving a great many characters and situations, often following them for a long period of time. Back to Abbreviations
A long narrative poem celebrating the adventures and accomplishments of a hero. More generally, the term "epic" has come to be applied to any narration of national or cultural identity that has a broad, all-encompassing scope.
A long, narrative poem that describes the history of a nation, community, or race. The central figure is the epic hero who experiences legendary, mythical adventures where he displays extraordinary strength, courage, and moral fiber against supernatural forces. Epic poems include Beowulf, The Illiad, The Odyssey, and Paradise Lost.
n. a long narrative poem on a serious subject centred about a heroic figure on whose actions depends to some degree the fate of a nation or a race. "The Iliad" and "The Odyssey" by Homer are considered as folk epics.
a long narrative poem about a mythical or historic event (examples: The Iliad, The Odyssey)
a long narrative poem telling of a hero's deeds
very imposing or impressive; surpassing the ordinary (especially in size or scale); "an epic voyage"; "of heroic proportions"; "heroic sculpture"
constituting or having to do with or suggestive of a literary epic; "epic tradition"
a grand and sweeping tale told in grand and sweeping language , and the hero of classicism is a large-than-life figure
a heroic struggle that spans great expanses of time
a long, complex story, often told in poetic form
a long narrative poem about the deeds of a traditional or historical here or heroes, while a legend is a story handed down for generations among a people and popularly believed to have a historical basis
a long, narrative poem, a literary form undervalued today, but which was probably the equivalent of a Cecil B
a long narrative poem in an elevated style that deals with the trials and achievements of a great hero or heroes
a long narrative poem, on a grand scale, about the deeds of warriors and heroes
a long narrative poem that relates heroic events in an elevated style
a long, narrative poem usually retelling the deeds of a great hero
a long, narrative poem whose hero is a noble person, upon whose actions hinge the fate of a nation or a people
a long, often book-length, narrative in verse form that retells the heroic journey of a single person, or group of persons
a long poem about great heroes and their deeds
a long poem of heroic proportions
a long poem recounting the adventures of a hero in a grand or elevated style
a long poem, told in dignified language, celebrating the actions of a hero
a long poem which tells a story involving gods, heroes and heroic exploits
a narrative that embodies, in the life story of an heroic character, the life and ideal values of a civilization
a poetical narrative of heroic achievements
a series of adventures linked together by a single great struggle or quest, some unanswered question weaving many threads of narrative into a coherent tapestry that will bear being told over a long period of time
a struggle of the warrior, representing the cultural values of the society, in heroic conflict with its enemies
The descriptive name given to a climb that starts well but turns into a hairy adventure. Usually heard time and time again in the pub and are some of the best climbing stories.
a long narrative poem, usually depicting the values of a culture through the adventures of a hero
A long narrative that tells of the deeds and adventures of a hero or heroine. See Poetry, Hero/Heroine
A kind of narrative writing derived from Homer that features formal conventions such as an epic hero, invocation of the Muse, epithets ("rosy-fingered Dawn"), epic similes, catalogues, and a descent to the underworld. The subject of epic is usually very broad and important: the wrath of Achilles, the mind of Odysseus (Homer), "arms and the man" (Virgil), the state of souls after death (Dante), or justifying the "ways of God to man" (Milton). Some works called epics, such as Beowulf or the Song of Roland, were not composed to imitate the classical epics. These are sometimes called " folk epics."
a long narrative poem emphasizing a person's heroic deeds and actions of significance.
Slang term for a climbing adventure that was long, arduous and provided some sort of unexpected excitement.
An extended narrative poem, usually simple in construction, but grand in scope, exalted in style, and heroic in theme, often giving expression to the ideals of a nation or race. Sidelight: Homer, the author of The Iliad and The Odyssey, is sometimes referred to as the "Father of Epic Poetry." Based on the conventions he established, classical epics began with an argument and an invocation to a guiding spirit, then started the narrative in medias res. In modern use, the term, "epic," is generally applied to all lengthy works on matters of great importance.(See also Chanson de Geste, Cycle, Epopee, Epos, Heroic Quatrain) (Compare Ballad, Narrative, Tragedy) (Contrast Mock Epic)
A long narrative poem an a great and serious subject, related in an elevated style, and centered on a heroic or quasi-divine figure on whose actions depends the fate of a tribe, a nation, or the human race. See Epic Poetry for more information.
A long narrative poem that relates the deeds of a hero. Epics incorporate myth, legend, folk tale, and history, and usually reflect the values of the society from which they originate.
A long, serious poem that tells the story of a heroic figure. Two of the most famous epic poems are the Iliad and the Odyssey by Homer, which tell about the Trojan War and the adventures of Odysseus on his voyage home after the war.
a long narrative poem about the deeds of a great hero. The Odyssey is an epic about the deeds of Odysseus.
A long narrative poem on a serious subject or action involving heroic characters. An epic is told in a formal and elevated style.
A narrative poem on the grand scale in majestic style concerning the exploits and adventures of superhuman hero (or heroes) engaged in a quest or some serious endeavor.
A long narrative poem, told in a formal, elevated style, that focuses on a serious subject and chronicles heroic deeds and events important to a culture or nation. Milton's Paradise Lost , which attempts to "justify the ways of God to man," is an epic. See also narrative poem.
a poem that is a long narrative about a serious subject, told in an elevated style of language, focused on the exploits of a hero or demi-god who represents the cultural values of a race, nation, or religious group in which the hero's success or failure will determine the fate of that people or nation. Usually, the epic has a vast setting, and covers a wide geographic area, it contains superhuman feats of strength or military prowess, and gods or supernatural beings frequently take part in the action. The poem begins with the invocation of a muse to inspire the poet and, the narrative starts in medias res (starting a story at midway through and then recapping The epic contains long catalogs of heroes or important characters, focusing on highborn kings and great warriors rather than peasants and commoners.
a narrative poem or oral composition that celebrates a heroic episode of history.
A climbing adventure in which abnormal events occur on such a routine basis that the feats undertaken to survive them come to seem routine as a consequence.
a long, serious narrative poem, typically articulating a historical, national or mythological narrative.
a long poem telling the story of a hero
a long narrative poem usually about gods, heroes, and legendary events; celebrates the history, culture, and character of a people. Examples: Homer's Iliad and Odyssey, Milton's Paradise Lost.
A long, serious poem that tells the story of a heroic figure — the ancient Greeks tended to write a lot of these, as exemplified by Homer (not Simpson, silly; look him up!), who wrote not one, but two epics: The Odyssey and The Illiad.