Philosophy, Comedy, Tragedy And Epic Essay - 1701 Words

Philosophy, comedy, tragedy and epic. What do all of these literary components have in common? They are all still commonly known and widely used in today’s literature, but where did they originate? The answer is ancient Greece. Greek writers from as far back as the eighth century BC have shaped our modern literature in such a profound way that could never be ignored. Homer’s Iliad is a prime example of Greek literature that has impacted modern works. One such modern story influenced by Homer’s work is the Ranger’s Apprentice series written by John Flanagan. More specifically, the fifth and sixth books of Ranger’s Apprentice shows quite a few elements from book twelve of the Iliad, which details the battle at the Grecian wall. In book twelve of the Iliad, the Trojan army attacks the Grecian wall with five separate groups- one lead by the mighty warrior Hector, another by Aeneas, the next by Sarpedon, a fourth by Paris and the final by Helenus. These groups split off on foot due to their horses not being able to cross the steep trenches dug by the Greeks. On the Greek side, Leonteus and Polypoetes held off against the Trojans at a gate in the wall while the Aiantes (Ajax the Great and Ajax the Lesser) maintained morale for the other troops. Sarpedon’s war party targets the Argives, so Ajax the Great and Teucer rush over to help defend. The mighty warriors are locked in a stalemate for a while before Sarpedon makes a push to the wall, weakening a portion of the wall andShow MoreRelatedThe Epic Of Gilgamesh 1523 Words   |  7 PagesMohammad El-haj Mid-Term Humanities Question #1: The Epic of Gilgamesh The story focuses on Gilgamesh who is a king, goddess and man in the ancient Sumerian City state of Uruk. Gilgamesh is presented as the strongest and handsome man in the world but this makes the king feel superior to his subjects.’ Gilgamesh exploits young men through tiresome activities. In addition, Gilgamesh sexually exploits young women in his Kingdom until the residents of Urk cannot take any more and prays to gods for deliveranceRead More Latin Literature In History Essay1193 Words   |  5 Pagesof Latin poetry, he wrote a number of comedies in Latin as well. In addition, Ennius adapted Greek dramas to the Roman stage, and published a historical epic on Rome from its beginnings to the present (=around 200 BC). His most notable successors, Pacuvius and Accius, would write tragedies that built on previously used Greek themes, but individualized them enough to call the works their own. nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp; More is understood of early Roman comedy than of its drama, due to the amountRead MoreEssay about Latin Literature in History1232 Words   |  5 Pagesthe father of Latin poetry, he wrote a number of comedies in Latin as well. In addition, Ennius adapted Greek dramas to the Roman stage, and published a historical epic on Rome from its beginnings to the present (=around 200 BC). His most notable successors, Pacuvius and Accius, would write tragedies that built on previously used Greek themes, but individualized them enough to call the works their own. More is understood of early Roman comedy than of its drama, due to the amount of its existingRead MoreImpact of Greek Culture on the Romans790 Words   |  3 Pagesincorporated multiple aspects of the culture into their everyday life. The Romans were heavily influenced by Greek philosophy, theology, literature, art, and architecture. Greek philosophy was renowned. So much so that the Romans modeled their philosophic beliefs around great Greek philosophers such as Aristotle and â€Å"absorbed the works of the Epicureans and the Stoics† (Fiero 143). 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If Wyatt introduced the sonnet into English, it is Surrey  who introduced blank verse, the great epic and dramatic measure in English. His translation of the two books of Virgils  Aeneid  is doubly significant as the first English verse translation of Virgil and also as the first example of blank verse; one of the effects of the study of the classicsRead MoreComparison Between Christopher Marlowes Doctor Faustus and William Shakespeares Twelfth Night872 Words   |  4 Pagescentury verse dramas. Both plays are characterized by highly elaborate language, usually in iambic pentameter, although different types of verse structures are occasionally used to convey different moods or character types. Both plays combine tragedy and comedy within the same narrative, often showcasing comedic scenes after tragic ones and vice versa. However, Marlowe and Shakespeares use of language reflect fundamentally different views of the human character in literature. Marlowes language isRead MoreGeneral Types of Literature2253 Words   |  10 Pageslife either real or imaginary. The different varieties are: 1. Epic. This is an extended narrative about heroic exploits often under supernatural control. It may deal with heroes and gods. Two kinds of epic poetry are the popular or ancient, and the literary or modern. The ancient or popular epic is often without a definite author and is of slow growth; the modern is with a definite author. Here is an example of ancient Philippines epic: Example: THE HARVEST SONG OF ALIGUYON (an excerpt) (TranslatedRead MoreAncient Greek Theater1235 Words   |  5 PagesWorks of ancient Greek theater, particularly Oedipus the King, embodied the spirit of innovation that fifth century BC Athens was known for. The fifth century BC in Athens, aptly known as the â€Å"Golden Age,† was a time of great achievements in art and philosophy. Sophocles and other notable Greek playwrights Euripides and Aeschylus flourished in this time period. After Greece’s victory in the Persian War in 449 BC, Athens evolved into the hub of art, culture, intellect, and freedom under its leader, PericlesRead MoreAristotle s theory of the Tragic Hero1888 Words   |  8 Pagesthat he must face. Aristotle identifies tragedy as the most refined version of poetry dealing with lofty matters and comedy as the most refined version of poetry dealing with base matters. He traces a brief and speculative history of tragedy as it evolved from dithyrambic hymns in praise of the god Dionysus. Dithyrambs were sung by a large choir, sometimes featuring a narrator. Aeschylus invented tragedy by bringing a second actor into dialogue with the narrator. Sophocles