Literary Term.
epithet
What is an Epithet?
• “Adjective or descriptive phrase that is
regularly used to characterize a person,
place, or thing” (Elements of Literature 1023).
• The Merriam Webster Dictionary defines
“epithet” as:
• 1 a : a characterizing word or phrase
accompanying or occurring in place of the name
of a person or thing b : a disparaging or abusive
word or phrase (390).
epithet defined
• A word or phrase that expresses a
character trait of something/someone
• A word or phrase added to the name of
a person or thing describing a
characteristic or attribute
Epithet examples
• Very common in Greek poetry, even called
‘Homeric Epithets’
• Swift-footed Achilles
• Gray-eyed Athena
• Flowing haired (Achaeans)
• Red-haired king (Menelaus)
• Odysseus
• Sacker of cities
• Great hearted
• Clever and wise
• The cloud gatherer
Epithets
• Epithets are used to help listeners form
“quick characterizations of characters
and snapshots of settings” (Jago 118).
• Epithets can be used to aid in
characterization of people and
description of settings.
Epithet and Transferred Epithet
(Gk. epithetos, added, 1579) is an adjective or adjective
phrase qualifying a noun by naming an important
characteristic of it.
• untroubled sleep peaceful dawn lifegiving
water
The epithet may also be metaphorical,
• lazy road tired landscape
A TRANSFERRED EPITHET is an adjective modifying a
noun which it cannot logically modify, yet which works
because the metaphorical meaning remains clear:
• Blind mouths! that scarce themselves know how to
hold / A sheep hook . . . . --John Milton
Epithet
A short, poetic nickname in the form
of an adjective or adjectival phrase
attached to the normal name.
This technique allows a poet to
extend a line by a few syllables and
characterizes an individual or a
setting within an epic poem.
Examples:
• The Homeric epithet often includes
compounds of two-words such as,
"fleet-footed Achilles" or "the wine-dark
sea.“
• In other cases, it appears as a phrase,
such as "Odysseus, the man-of-many-
wiles.“
Stock epithets
A stock epithet is a descriptive adjective or
phrase that is repeatedly used with—or in
place of—a noun or proper name. The
repetition of epithets, such as “swift-footed
Achilles,” helps listeners follow the narrative
by associating characters with familiar
identifying tags.
Epithet
• Epithet- a word or phrase that refers to a person,
place, event, etc. Some epithets in The Odyssey are
“wise Odysseus”, “gray-eyed goddess”, and “the queen
so many courted”.
• Odysseus was given the epithet “Wise Odysseus”
because he was intelligent when thinking of plans and
strategies. Athena was given the epithet “the gray-eyed
goddess” because she was a goddess with gray eyes.
Penelope had the epithet “the queen so many courted”
because many suitors wanted to make her their queen.
• The Odyssey: Epithet Homework
• An epithet is an adjective or phrase used to
characterize someone or something.
• Catherine the Great, Jesse “The Body”
Ventura, and baby boomers are epithets used
• to characterize an empress, a wrestler, and a
generation. Homer uses epithets as
• formulas to characterize places and people.
The epithet faithful Penelope instantly
• reminds us of Penelope’s outstanding
character trait.
• Part 1: Find and underline the epithets in
these quotations from The Iliad:
• a) “Then tall Hector of the shining helm
answered her….”
• b) “Quick-footed Achilles spoke sternly…”
• c) “Thus they buried Hector, tamer of horses”
• d) “At last his own generous wife came
running to meet him,
• Andromache, the daughter of high-hearted
Eetion…”
• Part 2: What does each underlined word mean?
• Odysseus is called:
• “versatile Odysseus”
• “wily Odysseus”
• “the strategist”
• “the noble and enduring man”
• Telemachus is called “clearheaded Telemachus.”
• How would you define clearheaded? What is its
opposite?
• Dawn is described as “rosy-fingered.” What does this
epithet help you see?
• Part 3: Make up your own epithets for
these Odyssey characters:
• the Cyclops -
• Circe -
• Calypso -
• Penelope -
• Odysseus
• Part 4: Make up your own epithets for
the following modern people:
• Britney Spears -
• George W. Bush -
• Joe Mauer -
• Yourself -
• Mr Cahill (yeah, you better be nice
