Has anyone tried writing a modern epic?

[D. Gray Warrior]

Something I have always wanted to do is write a story that captures the style and feel of ancient epics like Beowulf and the Iliad.

Obviously, such a story would need to be writing a poetic style since that is how these stories were written.

I'm wondering if anyone here has tried this and how you would go about it?

Would you need to throw our modern story telling conventions for it to work?

 

[pmmg]

Tried it, no. But the book paradise lost is in this style. It is quite impressive.

 

[JBCrowson]

I have not tried, I have seen on some of the poetry websites people writing poem-stories as long as novels. None were in a fantasy setting from what I saw, but I did not have time and interest enough to read any of the works.

I would guess the story-telling would be similar, in that the elements of a good story are constant across style, genre, time, author's culture.

 

[Finchbearer]

Just short length. Nothing can really better it though. It’s meant to be spoken word - performed, so reading it feels flat.

 

[Finchbearer]

Something I have always wanted to do is write a story that captures the style and feel of ancient epics like Beowulf and the Iliad.

Obviously, such a story would need to be writing a poetic style since that is how these stories were written.

I'm wondering if anyone here has tried this and how you would go about it?

Would you need to throw our modern story telling conventions for it to work?

There are lots of modern retellings of the old epics though, so you wouldn’t have to stick to poetic prose.

 

[Karlin]

It should be poetic, if it's to be an Epic. In my mind, that means rhythm, not necessarily rhyme. I rewrote a short section of Gilgamesh with Chinese heroes. It might be interesting to post it here in the appropriate forum

 

[Mad Swede]

I think you're possibly a little confused by epics like Beowulf and the Iliad. They were meant to be told, and their style reflects the way stories were told (in terms of rythm and structure) to an audience in those cultures during those periods. That doesn't mean you should aim for a similar style when writing a modern epic. Yes, you can aim for a rythm in your text, and I've translated texts like that for a fellow author here in Sweden. It's much harder than you think to sustain that rythm even in a short story and I would suggest writing the story in a normal style to make sure the story and character arcs work before trying to put it in a certain form of prose.

 

[Prince of Spires]

Tolkien has. If you're looking for examples. Several of the stories set down in the Silmarillion originally started as Epics in the style of Beowulf. The story of Beren and Luthien for instance exists in Epic form (with both rhym and rythm). You can find them in the History of Middle Earth series. This one specifically in part 3, The Lays of Beleriand. If you're after a non-rhyming version, then I'd argue that the Silmarillion is the thing closest in feeling to those old Epics in form and prose.

If you're looking for something published this century, then I'm not sure. There's probably something out there, but nothing of similar fame.

 

[Karlin]

You may find this epic, oral tradition, interesting:Epic of Manas - Wikipedia Epic of Manas - Wikipedia

 

[Karlin]

Here is part of my own shot at it. Based on Gilgamesh, with some Biblical stuff throw in (they are not much different). If interesting, I'll post the whole thing in the appropriate forum.

Humbaba raised his voice and spoke:

“Where does your conceit come from, Monkey, Pig and Bear?

A matched set of timid beasts!

Your weapons are a cosmic joke

The cedars laugh and curse as you creep through the holy woods

Your compliant rod, a rotten cane,

That will break at the first blow

Your nine-pronged rake, a farmer’s tool

Will melt at the first sign of battle