English is in a relationship

with History.

     “Books are the carriers of civilization. Without books, history is silent…”-Barbara Tuchman

Carl Jung:In order for us to understand the people we are today, we have to learn about those who came before us.

Epics Myths  

What is the difference?

What can we read to learn about ancient history?

Epic• Long, narrative (story-

telling) poem about a serious subject

• Purpose: entertain, teach, inspire

• Setting: world-wide– Characters are usually on a 

long journey • Gods may take part in the 

story or an interest in the epic hero

Epic (cont.)

• Epic hero: hero of the story whose goal is to save his people during a time of crisis– Usually superhuman (braver, stronger, etc. than 

average humans) “larger than life”– Faces many challenges – Sometimes makes human errors and takes 

unnecessary risks

Batman

Myth• Traditional story• Anonymous, or 

unknown, origin• Often explains how 

some part of the earth was created

Myth (cont.)• Human action is usually 

controlled by the gods or supernatural beings

• Many myths start as oral tradition

• Oral tradition: stories passed down by word of mouth from one generation to another

Myth Example: Pandora’s Box