Does True Epic Survive the Transition from Oral Storytelling to Literary Work? Oral storytelling has been a cherished tradition for thousands of years. All cultures have adapted their own unique form of painting a picture with words. Whether it is teaching lessons, instilling moral values, recording history, bringing meaning to the unknown, or simply entertaining an audience, the oral tradition is a necessity to all societies. Though the written word is a well respected art form in and of itself, there are many ways in which the oral telling of stories can achieve more than a literary work. I do not believe true epics, such as Homer’s The Iliad and The Odyssey, survive the transition from oral storytelling to literary works. I believe this to be true because a reader will not get the same story as an audience listening to an oral telling. One of the ways that the literary transitions of epics falls short of the oral telling is the lack of control the author has over the reader’s understanding of the intended emotional response. Devices such as emphasis, volume, delivery, intonation, cadence, and facial expressions are all together lost when a work is being read as opposed to heard and seen. An oral storyteller has the ability to change a single sentence from a sorrowful tragedy to a comedic parody using simply their voice and tone. The first lines of Homer’s The Iliad could be argued to be the most important in the book. Within the first stanza, the whole tone and mood of the epic is set; imagine the immense power a story teller possess here: “RAGE: Sing, Goddess, Achilles’ rage, Black and murderous, that cost the Greek incalculable pain, pitched countless souls of heroes into Hades’ dark, and left their bodies to rot as feasts for dogs and birds, as Zeus’ will was done. Begin with the clash between Agamemnon-The Greek warlord-and godlike Achilles” (Iliad 1.1-8). A reader has the potential to mistake such powerful words for playful sarcasm, a satire of the powerful Gods of the Greeks. An audience, however, could hear the clear and authoritative tone of the speaker and immediately be aware of impeding war. Epics such as these, the stories of intriguing, intricate journeys taken by larger-than-life characters were meant to be enjoyed as festive events. With their exceptional raconteuring, men like Homer captivated audiences of all social standings, from the poor and commonwealth to the highest social elite; all found themselves entranced by the excitement of the orators performance in the telling of Gods and men. When such works are translated to paper they can lose their luster and be read as flat, dry, and boring. Another way printed epics founder in the presence of oral tradition is that most authors do not have the ability to write they way they speak. Apollonius of Rhodes was strictly a literary poet, most of his works being composed in private and on papyrus. Given this, Apollonius had the grueling task of writing, revising and polishing his works numerous times so that ideas would be better grasped whilst reading in ink. Vergil was considered by most to be a literary poet as well; it is thought that Vergil composed his works in private, but first as a spoken poetic stanza and not to be written until each line perfected. Working so adamantly in private, the author had time to create his own sort of poetic language that could be read almost exactly as the way he spoke (Otis, 5-14). Although the reader may not physically see the emotion of the poet, the work itself was tailored so that correct emotion could be evoked through reading. The works of Vergil are considered secondary epics to differentiate them from more primitive works like those of Homer who were thought to be strictly oratory until later translated on to papyrus by scholars. The beauty of oral storytelling is the spontaneity with which the narrator tells the story. Because speakers like Homer do not have the ability to edit or improve whilst in the midst of a tale, words are organic and the experience becomes more personal for the audience. This also gives the orator the ability to tailor their epic for each audience, altering details or word choice in the story allows the listener a greater chance to form a bond with or attach meaning to the story being told. For example, if Homer were performing for those of the social elite he could tailor his hero to reflect traits of the elite and similarly if he were performing for common workers of the field. “It was King Pelias who sent them out” (Argo 1.4). This being the first line of Apollonius’ written work The Voyage of the Argo, the reader gets a simple glance of the setting of the epic and then immediately embarks with the Argonauts. Although the point is made, little to no detail is given to the reader, leaving the statement open to interpretation. Due to this lack of detail upon first opening the book, there are few reasons for the reader to invest in this King or the successful voyage of the Argo. With oration, there is more room for embellishment and detail that could be given to character and setting. Compare this to the lack of description the reader is given of King Pelias in the above quote. An oral storyteller would have a difficult time keeping an audience interested and invested in his tale if these were his first words. Orators like Homer chose to use epithets like “Menelaus, the red-haired king” (Odyssey 4.153) for both reader and speaker to readily identify each character as so many are introduced throughout the epic. Oration provides the opportunity for spontaneity where the written word does not. An audience may find themselves memorized by the talents of a storyteller because the story is in constant motion. With emotion and body language, a person may feel like they are in the midst of brutal war or in the embrace of an affectionate lover. Being in this sort of rapt state, it could be nearly impossible for an audience to lose focus, needing to know the fate of a hero before the night’s end. Where as a reader could be in the height of story’s excitement and simply put down the book for another day, creating a disconnect between the reader and the epic. Although it may seem minor to the common reader, by creating this disruption to the story’s natural progression it could easily defeat the author’s purpose to keep the reader immersed. Such as in Vergil’s The Aeneid: “He took a heavy spear and cast it hard, winged in the air, so that it crashed clean through the brazen shield of Maeon, then stove in his breastplate and his breast.” (The Aeneid 10.465-468). In the midst of this intense battle scenario, a reader could break away, drastically changing the tone of the scene. For example, if the above quote was not read to its end, there is a risk that the reader will lose emotional investment in the main character’s actions: “He took a heavy spear and cast it hard, winged in the air…” By stopping here, it defeats the author’s intent of full immersion. In addition, the scene loses its natural flow and sense of drama. Throughout history, the art of oration has evolved. Although popular culture no longer has a demand for oration in its most classic form, the idea of being a part of a great epic still appeals to many audiences of all ages. Where once there were men like Homer spinning epics in ornate halls, there are now entertainers like Bill Cosby, Johnny Cash, and a host of others that all made their careers tailoring their stories to the audiences of their time. Bill Cosby used the power of laughter to tell anecdotes of the journey of parenthood, whereas Johnny Cash used the medium of folk music to tell tales of morality of the dangers of drugs and violence. Both performers had an incredible following and managed to influence several groups of people, even those beyond their time. The epic works discussed in this paper like Homer’s The Odyssey and Apollonius’ The Voyage of the Argo were so cherished by modern popular culture, that they have both been translated on the silver screen numerous times in both movies and small television dramas. In following the natural evolution of popular entertainment, movies could be considered an accepted form of oral storytelling; the reader is still visually wrapped in the work while gathering the intended meaning of epic and relishing in the excitement of the quest or journey. And it doesn’t end there; the ideas of exciting journeys of Gods and men have even been transferred to one of the most technological advances of our day: video games. Games like God of War and Age of Empires both give the player the ability to take part in their own sort of epic by participating in fantastical quests that loosely follow Greek and Roman Mythology. Game creators have to generate a whole world that embodies ideas first fantasized by Homer, Vergil, Apollonius, as well as several others. In transferring these ideas of old into some of society’s most popular entertainment, it shows the lasting power they posses. A good story not only lasts, but continually inspires and captivates its audience through almost any medium. Though our culture has evolved in several ways, people still seek to be entertained and informed through storytellers and their mediums of plays, operas, concerts, stand up-comedy, or even the simplicity of a sweet bedtime tale. This continuing effort to seek out a good story is a sort of nod to the traditions of our past. Even though the times and the tales have changed, the reasons behind telling stories have not. Parents and educators still use stories to instill moral values in children knowing that these lessons will be more easily understood and practiced if they are taught in a more meaningful and impactful way. This does not end in adolescence, for most, learning through oration is still a favored and cherished medium. Although not every literary work discussed in this class or paper, I believe that specifically Homer’s great epics did not properly survive the transition from oral to literary works.