National epic

A National epic is an epic poem or a literary work of epic scope which seeks or is believed to capture and express the essence or spirit of a particular nation—not necessarily a nation state, but at least an ethnic or linguistic group with aspirations to independence or autonomy. National epics frequently recount the origin of a nation, a part of its history, or a crucial event in the development of national identity such as other national symbols. In a broader sense, a national epic may simply be an epic in the national language which the people or government of that nation are particularly proud of. It is distinct from a pan-national epic which is taken as representative of a larger cultural or linguistic group than a nation or a nation-state.

Usually most national epics frequently recount the origin of a nation, a part of its history, or a crucial event in the development of national identity such as other national symbols.

List of national personifications

Location	Image	Epic
Bangladesh		The Triumph of the Snake Goddess (lit. Manasa)
India		Mahabharata ("Poem of Greater India")
Palestine		The Book of One Thousand and One Nights
Pakistan		Hamzanama
United Kingdom		The Canterbury Tales (British Epic)
United States		The Columbiad

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