- Invocation: The poet begins by invoking a deity or muse for inspiration and guidance.
- Epic hero: The protagonist is a larger-than-life hero who embodies the values and ideals of a nation or culture.
- Setting: The story takes place in a grand and often mythical setting, such as the battlefield or the underworld.
- Epic similes: These are extended comparisons that use "like" or "as" to compare the hero to something vast or impressive.
- Catalogs: These are lists of people, places, or objects that add detail and depth to the story.
- Flashback: The poet uses flashbacks to fill in the backstory of the hero or to provide additional context for the events of the poem.
- Deus ex machina: A god or goddess intervenes in the story to help or hinder the hero.
Structure Style:
- Dactylic hexameter: This is the meter most commonly used in epic poems. It consists of six feet, each with a long syllable followed by a short syllable.
- Enjambment: This is the continuation of a sentence or phrase from one line to the next without a pause or punctuation.
- Alliteration: This is the repetition of the same consonant sound at the beginning of two or more words.
- Assonance: This is the repetition of the same vowel sound in two or more words.