Final answer:
A typical characteristic of an epic poem is that it involves a journey through unfamiliar places (option d), as seen in classic works such as Homer's The Iliad and The Odyssey. These poems are long, narrate heroic deeds, and are structured with artistic diction and complex construction.
Step-by-step explanation:
The typical characteristic of an epic poem is that it involves a journey through unfamiliar places. Epic poetry, as exemplified by Homer's works such as The Iliad and The Odyssey, often narrate the deed and adventures of heroic figures and are constructed on a grand scale.
Not only does an epic poem involve complex characters and recognition scenes, but it also transcends a mere recount of events by adding mass, dignity, and artistic diction to the narrative, aiming for a single tightly constructed action that has a beginning, middle, and an end.
Epic poems differ from realistic stories about everyday events, are not confined to plain prose, and extend beyond short stories of 10 pages. They are grand in scale, often utilizing a specific metre, and embrace elements such as reversals of the situation and scenes of suffering, cumulatively working to produce a vivid and engaging reading experience that maintains a unity of action.