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.

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

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.

The epic poet has behind him a tradition of matter and a tradition of style; and that is what every other poet has behind him too; only, for the epic poet, tradition is rather narrower, rather more strictly compelling.

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

There is only one thing which can master the perplexed stuff of epic material into unity; and that is, an ability to see in particular human experience some significant symbolism of man's general destiny.