"The first epics were intended for recitation; the literary epic is meant to be read"

This quote by Lascelles Abercrombie speaks to the evolution of the legendary from its earliest form to its modern type. The very first epics were intended to be recited, either by a bachelor or a group of individuals. This was a method of protecting the stories and passing them down through generations. The literary epic, nevertheless, is implied to be checked out. This type of the epic is written down and can be checked out by anybody, regardless of their ability to recite the story. This shift from oral to written type has permitted the impressive to reach a much broader audience and to be preserved for longer amount of times. The literary epic has likewise enabled more complicated stories to be informed, as the written form enables more information and nuance than the oral kind. This quote talks to the significance of the written kind of the impressive and how it has enabled the category to evolve and reach a much larger audience.