National Epic

I would like to inform all my readers that this journal will be going all over the board. Since it encompasses two classes, it is likley that some of what you read will not be applicable to you.

It is also likely that myth will take up more space here because, at heart, I am a philologist, and philology is really little more than myth under the guise of science.

For another class I am writing a paper on National Epics, in particular the Kalevala.

National epics are, as a general rule, mythic stories which serve as the foundation of a people. While all cultures have some sort of myths, only a very few have come together to generate national epics. These cultures have a strength and lasting power, though different than many others.

National epics are going to form a running theme throughout this journal, so expect them to reappear. For now, I am going to list all the epics I can think of and their country/people group.

Iliad and Oddesy: Ancient Greece
Ramayana: Hindi (India)
Kalevala: Finland (relatively recent addition)
Song of Roland: Franks (now France)
Sigfried Saga: Germany
The Eddas: Norse (Iceland)
Beowulf: England (only sort of, not always considered an national epic; it may in fact be King Arthur)
The Epic of Gilgamesh: Babylon
The Torah: Israel
The Lord of the Rings: England (Tolkien rote the LotR to serve as a national epic for England. Only time will tell how well it worked)

If anyone can think of something not on this list, feel free to comment and I'll add it.