The Idea of Epic

The Idea of Epic by J. B. Hainsworth is a sweeping exploration of one of literature’s most enduring and contested forms. Moving from Homer and Virgil to Lucan, Milton, and beyond, Hainsworth examines how the epic has been defined, reshaped, and reimagined across centuries. He demonstrates that epic is never merely long narrative verse but always a conscious engagement with cultural memory, heroism, and form. With clarity and breadth, he shows how ancient epics both shaped and were shaped by...