Home › Glossary › Letter W

Written epic

Genre
Pronunciation

Understanding ARPABET Pronunciation

Want to hear it? Click the Listen button to hear the browser speak the word using text-to-speech!

The pronunciation guide uses the ARPABET phonetic system—the same system used in speech recognition and text-to-speech applications.

Vowel Examples:
AE1 = cat, bat
EH1 = bed, head
IY1 = see, me
OW1 = go, boat
UW1 = boot, do
Stress Numbers:
0 = no stress (unstressed)
1 = primary stress (loud)
2 = secondary stress (medium)
Example:
AH0 TH IY1 N AH0
= a-THEE-na (Athena)

The stressed syllable (marked with 1) is pronounced louder and clearer than others.

Quick Definition

A long narrative poem in written form that recounts heroic deeds or foundational myths

Detailed Definition
Written epic is a long narrative poem composed by a known author (rather than evolving orally) that recounts heroic deeds, cultural origins, or cosmological visions within a unified artistic framework; unlike folk epics, it reflects individual style and thematic complexity, as in Virgil’s "Aeneid" or Milton’s "Paradise Lost," blending myth, history, and poetic innovation.
Example
Example in poetry:
Homer’s Iliad is a written epic codifying oral tradition; Virgil’s Aeneid is a literary written epic; Milton’s Paradise Lost is a Christian written epic; Statius’ Thebaid is a Roman written epic
Additional Notes
Written epic denotes a long narrative poem composed in writing (not orally transmitted), often self-consciously literary and thematically ambitious; includes works like Virgil’s "Aeneid" or Derek Walcott’s "Omeros."
Also Known As
Literary Epic Authored Saga Composed Heroic Poem Scripted Grand Narrative
Skip to main content