Favorite National Epic?

[Sheilbh]

It really depends on what you consider a "national epic". Is it the theme or the author that counts? If the latter, then Paradise Lost is definitely the English epic.

Absolutely.  Milton's lucky in that before him he had Shakespeare and Spenser and Ben Jonson and so on.  But he's the first writer writing in English that gets anywhere near the respect given to classical authors.  He establishes English as a really capable, literary language for many people.

[Cerr]

Also, should have cut out the Tain as Ireland is a terrible, terrible place.

WTF.
Why do you think Ireland is a terrbile, terrible place?

[Ed Anger]

Not enough Armenians.

[The Brain]

Also, should have cut out the Tain as Ireland is a terrible, terrible place.

WTF.
Why do you think Ireland is a terrbile, terrible place?

They are terrorists and Catholics. You don't get much worserer in Western Europe.

[jimmy olsen]

Have you read the final chapters?  Ahab drops his pipe and screams "FROM HELL'S HEART, I STAB AT THEE!"  Somehow I doubt Ford ever said that on a production line.

Indeed, they were careful to keep Jews out of the factory when Henry was around.

I shouldn't have laughed at that, but I did.

[Cerr]

Also, should have cut out the Tain as Ireland is a terrible, terrible place.

WTF.
Why do you think Ireland is a terrbile, terrible place?

They are terrorists and Catholics. You don't get much worserer in Western Europe.

Yes all Irish people are terrorists and Catholics.
All Swedes are pig-fuckers.

[Cerr]

Not enough Armenians.

Well if Spellus is anything to go by then we're very lucky we don't have more.

[Martinus]

I'm surprised the poll lacks any French epics (I guess the Song of Roland would be the most likely candidate).

[The Nickname Who Was Thursday]

The US epic is The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn.

This isn't even a subject of debate.

[Grey Fox]

I'm surprised the poll lacks any French epics (I guess the Song of Roland would be the most likely candidate).

It's a Psellus poll.

[The Brain]

Also, should have cut out the Tain as Ireland is a terrible, terrible place.

WTF.
Why do you think Ireland is a terrbile, terrible place?

They are terrorists and Catholics. You don't get much worserer in Western Europe.

Yes all Irish people are terrorists and Catholics.
All Swedes are pig-fuckers.

Thanks. Thanks.

[Queequeg]

Not enough Armenians.

I was going to include one, but I'd have gotten shit for it.  Oddly enough, its about slaughtering Arabs, and therefore would probably get more approval on this forum than you would think.

Martinus, I kept putting in Roland until I realized that something was written down before it, I must have put it in four or five times when making the poll...only to forget it in the final draft.  Whoops. 

[Queequeg]

I love my historic ironies.  When Mehmet II conquered Constantinople, he said that he was glad to have avenged the Trojans by defeating the Romans.  Somewhere, Virgil was spinning in his ashes. 

[jimmy olsen]

I read to her all the time, because she likes being read to. I wasn't aware that horrible mutilation was mandatory.

You've been sadly misinformed then.

[Martinus]

Oh this qugueuguehegh guy is Psellus? That explains a lot.