How to tell students what to look for without telling them what to see is the dilemma of teaching.

For the stage displays the first vigorous expression, as the natural thing and without conspicuous restraint, of private individuality.

The first epics were intended for recitation; the literary epic is meant to be read.

No poet will ever take the written word as a substitute for the spoken word; he knows that it is on the spoken word, and the spoken word only, that his art is founded.

It is more difficult to keep the attention of hearers than of readers.

That is to say, epic poetry has been invented many times and independently; but, as the needs which prompted the invention have been broadly similar, so the invention itself has been.

With several different kinds of poetry to choose from, a man would decide that he would like best to be an epic poet, and he would set out, in conscious determination, on an epic poem.