JINS 379 - The Epic Tradition

What is epic? What do we mean when we describe a story as an epic tale? What differentiates epic from other types of narrative? What is the secret of its enduring appeal? Who is the epic hero? Is he or she someone we should try to emulate? In “The Epic Tradition”, we will examine epic stories of a variety of time periods and cultures from an interdisciplinary perspective. We will examine the role of each epic within the community and society that engendered it, and consider what cultural significance modern epics in novel and movie format have for us today.

Prerequisite: Junior status.
Credits: 3 hours
NOTE: This course fulfills the Junior Interdisciplinary Writing-Enhanced Seminar Interconnecting Perspective of the Liberal Studies Program.
NOTE: This course counts toward the 63-hour Liberal Arts and Sciences (LAS) graduation requirement.
NOTE: This course is writing-enhanced.