Introduction. Le voyage de Calliope: épopée et quête identitaire

Myth is the telling of a sacred story which took place in the primordial time of beginnings. The first and noblest guise it has assumed over the centuries has been that of the epic. By recounting the deeds of gods and heroes, this literary genre has had a significant impact on the construction process of peoples’ identities. In fact, it has enabled Europe to define its own axiology, to conduct both linguistic and political debates, and even to explore issues relating to cultural and gender otherness. This monographic journal issue examines the relationship between epic and identity in European literatures. It includes contributions questioning the relationship between tradition and innovation in the construction of new epics; the process of circulation of major epics through exegesis and translations; and the rewriting of epic poems and their adaptation to other literary genres.