epic poems

Storm Over Asia
$9.99
After being impressed by some of Director Pudovkin's earlier films, I was curious to see "Storm over Asia" which is billed as 'Pudovkin's Masterpiece'- and I couldn't agree more! Unlike the other films I'd seen (End of St Petersburg, Chess Fever) this grand epic takes us to remote Mongolia for a real dose of authentic culture, complete with genuine Mongolians, their traditional homes, a lama and local Buddhist temple ceremonies. Excellent photography and attention to details already makes the cultural aspect a most interesting and exciting experience for the armchair traveller and dreamer of exotic places. Picture quality throughout is very good, and the music is outstanding, being an original score by Timothy Brock incorporating perfectly-suited Russian and Mongolian melodies and sounds. For the Buddhist temple ceremony even authentic instruments must have been used to replicate the music played on such occasions, making the cultural experience more than merely visual. The story itself blends fact with fiction, highlighting the plight of the Mongolian tribesmen who live a simple life, and are exploited by foreigners who want to profit from the fur trade. The focus is on one Mongolian who resists the exploitation, then by a twist of fate becomes the pawn for British troops in the region who want to use him to gain more control over the Mongolian natives. Politics and cultural identity make the plot, but a large part of the film's success is no doubt due to Pudovkin's skill in imagery and depicting emotions and drama with poignant images. An excellent film in itself, enhanced even more by its authentic filming location in Mongolia and genuine cultural experience.

The History of Joan of Arc: The Maid of Orleans- A Historically Accurate Epic Poem
$15.00
Little Jehanne Darc , peasant maid from the village of Domremy, France, was born into an era of constant internal conflict and war with the English. At the age of 13 she was visited by visions from God which directed her to lead an army in defense of her beloved country. For this, she ultimately suffered a fiery death and a position as the most revered martyr in history. This is the story of Saint Joan, told in a unique format, by one of her greatest admirers, John Martin Atkins. A 48 year old scholar from southern Indiana, John was too old to carry a gun but too patriotic to sit at home and read about the Great War in 1917. As he sought a way to do his part, he discovered that the YMCA was launching a pioneer program to provide lectures for the Doughboys. John leapt at the opportunity and was soon in France. Joan of Arc was his favorite subject; a most appropriate selection, here in the country of her birth, her triumphs and the ultimate tragedy. Not only did he thrill the troops with his vivid and passionate tale of her life, he simultaneously studied at the very places of her exploits to keep his lectures fresh and exciting. Domremy, Tours, Orleans, Rheims and Rouen was the hallowed ground for his research and inspiration between lectures. The war ended but he remained in France to study her life and set foot on every foot of ground that she trod. After much soul searching he determined that the form of his essay should be that of Epic Poetry. And thus began a 35 year labor of love. When questioned regarding his motive for writing this historically factual Epic Poem, he replied: "I sought to pluck so precious a literary jewel from the dusty pages of history and place it, if I could, into the fine art of poetry." At the end of this long period of gestation, John could not find a publisher. He then asked his grandson, Richard for help. A promise was made and after another long period, a team of first cousins finally brought this beautiful work to light. We are pr

The Kalevala: An Epic Poem after Oral Tradition by Elias Lonnrot (Oxford World's Classics)
$15.95
It seems that almost every country in the world has its own epic tale that's been told for many centuries. In Greece, there's The Iliad & The Odyssey. In India, there's The Ramayana. In England, there's King Arthur. And finally, in Finland, there's The Kalevala. A majority of Earth's population have either heard of or read King Arthur, The Iliad, and The Odyssey. The Ramayana and The Kalevala have not been achieving the same fame the others have had for many years. There should never be any neglect for these classic works. The Kalevala, in particular, may not be as grand as The Odyssey, but the imaginative fantasy that comes with it is equally enthralling. The entire book is a compilation of Finnish mythology and Karelian folklore. Elias Lonnrot is the official "author," though these works are not his own.

In the Kalevala, there are mythic gods and creatures (the kind that you would find in other national epics). The central character is Vainamoinen, an old man who becomes a driving force for many of the stories that are featured here. Personally, I'm not sure if he's supposed to be either a god or a godlike being, but maybe I should look deeper into that. Many other characters like Joukahainen, Lemminkainen, Ahti, and Kullervo have adventures of their own. All of them have diverse themes, and many of the characters have different motives. I won't spoil anything, but I will say that a few of these chapters are not for the squeamish.

If you're expecting some extravagant prose in the Kalevala, you'll be surprised that the poetic writing is very straightforward, and never overly complex. There are only a few Shakespearean sentences here and there. If there ever is complicated writing that's located in this book, then the incomplete sentences in almost every stanza should be counted. There are many phrases that feel as if they should end with a period, but many of them go on to the next stanza without an actual period to stand in between them. This makes it a bit complicated when being read through, but overall, it doesn't detract from the fine fantasy that these tales convey.

As in influential part of Finnish Independence, The Kalevala is certainly something to look forward to. It moves along as an actual epic, and it gives an insight on Finnish mythology and folklore. One might be put off by its uncomplicated writing (though it may be the translator's fault), but as a whole, it should be as endearing as The Odyssey. I'm hoping that it'll gain worldwide recognition sometime in the future.

Grade: A+

Bikeman: An Epic Poem
$12.99
Thomas Flynn's Bikeman is so moving, but it is also so fascinating. His choice of epic mode and idiom seem strangely fitting. I hope to read it with my students--ideed I bet it would be a remarkable and quite interesting choice for the high school classroom studying September 11th. Tremendously interesting for discussion.