Favorite National Epic?

[Queequeg]

I tried to keep the biggies.

Sorry if I confuse anybody; I translated the titles of a few, half translated others...

[jimmy olsen]

Moby Dick is not an epic poem.

You should have posted "John Brown's Body"

http://www.amazon.com/John-Browns-Stephen-Vincent-Benet/dp/092958726X/ref=cm_lmf_tit_15

[Martinus]

You forgot Poland. :p

[The Brain]

Moby Dick? meowtf

I suppose the Eddas.

[Queequeg]

You forgot Poland. :p

I did it on purpose.

Timmy, I specifically said "National Epic" as several of these are in prose anyway. 

Moby-Dick seemed the best American answer to Milton and Dante, but that could be argued about.  Didn't want to leave out such an important country when we have Ireland there.    I'd argue that the slot for Paradise Lost as a "national epic" is more questionable than Moby-Dick though.

[The Brain]

You forgot Poland. :p

I did it on purpose.

Timmy, I specifically said "National Epic" as several of these are in prose anyway. 

Moby-Dick seemed the best American answer to Milton and Dante, but that could be argued about.  Didn't want to leave out such an important country when we have Ireland there.

Why would America necessarily have a national epic?

[Savonarola]

Moby Dick is not an epic poem.

However it is an epic drum solo.

[Queequeg]

You forgot Poland. :p

I did it on purpose.

Timmy, I specifically said "National Epic" as several of these are in prose anyway. 

Moby-Dick seemed the best American answer to Milton and Dante, but that could be argued about.  Didn't want to leave out such an important country when we have Ireland there.

Why would America necessarily have a national epic?

The Uzbeks, Filipinos and Finns have one.  No way they get one and we don't.

[Caliga]

I voted the Iliad, but I like the Odyssey better.  Your selection of poll options is a bit odd... but then again, you're Spellus (or used to be).

[Queequeg]

Sav, how did you vote?  You've had avatars and profile quotes from several of these.

[Sheilbh]

Moby Dick is not an epic poem.

You should have posted "John Brown's Body"

http://www.amazon.com/John-Browns-Stephen-Vincent-Benet/dp/092958726X/ref=cm_lmf_tit_15

Walt Whitman's America's epic poet.

I don't think the Shahnameh's considered an epic by anyone.  It's the Persian national book and series of tales but there's another Medieval Persian poem that is considered the national epic but I can't remember its name

[jimmy olsen]

I voted the Iliad, but I like the Odyssey better.  Your selection of poll options is a bit odd... but then again, you're Spellus (or used to be).

Ah, it all makes sense now. I was wondering who that was.

[Queequeg]

I voted the Aeneid, but I like the Odyssey better.  Your selection of poll options is a bit odd... but then again, you're Spellus (or used to be).

I couldn't decide if I wanted the Spanish one to be Mio Cid or Don Quixote, or Igor's Campaign or War and Peace for Russia.  Split the choice, made it weird. Also, should have cut out the Tain as Ireland is a terrible, terrible place.

[Sheilbh]

Divine Comedy, followed by War and Peace.

I voted the Iliad, but I like the Odyssey better.  Your selection of poll options is a bit odd... but then again, you're Spellus (or used to be).

The Odyssey's not noble enough, perhaps?  And preferring it's really recent.  Until the turn of the 20th century the emphasis was overwhelmingly on the Iliad.

[grumbler]

The US epic is The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn.

This isn't even a subject of debate.