Theses on the epic

The purpose of this article is to explain the specifics of the heroic epic genre (Heldendichtung, epic poetry, poesie heroique, etc.) to readers who are not specialists in the field of folklore. These explanations are given in five sections, corresponding to important aspects of epic studies, namely: 1. Hero and plot; 2. Style, gender space, composition; 3. Epic Storyteller; 4. ‘Geography' of the epic; 5. ‘Epic community.' They indicate the scope of the very concept of epic and the range of texts related to it, including written epic monuments; works that exist in both oral and written form; texts which belong only to the popular tradition. The epic's variety of genres (‘small' and ‘large' forms, epic cycles), its dominant pathos (restoration of disturbed initial well-being), its thematic range (‘military' and ‘matrimonial collisions'), and a stable set of plot and composition links are described. The epic is strongly associated with consciousness of ethnic/national identity. In archaic traditions, it remains faithful to the mythological interpretation of events (the fairytale or mythological image of the hero's opponents; the action is attributed to the ‘time of creation' and to the generic epic past). The motives of the hero's activity objectively coincide with common tribal interests, with the desire to harmonize the world order, to suppress chthonic and demonic forces, to organize a number of social institutions, etc. In ‘classical' epic forms, the hero's adversaries are demythologized (their place is taken by generic figures of historical enemies), as well as epic conflict, in which memories of actual historical events are refracted; patriotic pathos receives maximum expression. The distribution of the epic has a scattered, ‘focal' character, both on the world map and within the national traditions. Finally, the figure of the epic storyteller is just as exceptional within the local community; his skills are refined over the years, and he only receives the right to exercise his activities from a certain status - professional, social or ritual.