The Heroes Of The Epic Of Gilgamesh - 1215 Words

Heroes and heroines have been gargantuan archetypes from prehistory to present. In modern times, the prominent heroes in literature and media are that of Harry Potter, Superman, Wonder Woman, and much more. There is good reason for this. In today’s sense, heroes and heroines are the epitome of what humans want in themselves. Noble, kind, selfless; these are all traits that embody the modern hero. This was not always the case, however. In ancient literature, the heroes are not good role models, most of the time. Gilgamesh in The Epic of Gilgamesh is prideful and selfish in his conquests. Achilles in The Iliad drug his enemy’s body around his friend’s funeral pyre for days on end. Heroines in ancient literature are closest to what is considered a hero today, even if their methods are unconventional. Lysistrata in Lysistrata leads a sex strike in order to end a war, and Antigone in Antigone nobley buries her brother despite it being unlawful. Feminine heroism, as se en in Lysistrata and Antigone, has a more straightforward plan to reach the goal of the heroine, and the goal is that of the greater good. The heroines in ancient literature represent the ideal character traits of goodness, selflessness, nobleness, humility, and more. Comparing that to masculine heroism, where the hero is usually sidelined by his own self-interest, such as in The Epic of Gilgamesh, and the goal is typically to further the hero’s own-self, such as immortality. Masculine heroism, however, exhibitsShow MoreRelatedSuper Heroes in the Epic of Gilgamesh676 Words   |  3 Pages The Super two Heroes Epics have been around for centuries until this present time and considered typically from oral tradition, narrating the deeds and adventure of legendary figures. Forever it will be until the end of the world. Because one key concept of an epic is the presence of a hero and yet they are able to withstand all the trials and challenges they may go through. Who will convince the gods on your behalf that you may find the life you are seeking? Love as a motivating forceRead More Beowulf vs. Gilgamesh as Epic Heroes Essay1025 Words   |  5 Pagestwo time periods there stood two great men: Gilgamesh, the selfish, lustful king, and Beowulf the proud and boastful warrior. These two men, both powerful and well-respected, embody the true essence of what it means to be an epic hero. Gilgamesh’s lifestyle and rash decisions make him the perfect candidate for a life lesson by the gods. Beowulf and his boastful nature ultimately lead him to be great in life and to later fall. Finally, the two epic heroes both share some of the same good and bad qualitiesRead MoreGilgamesh704 Words   |  3 Pages2016 Essay #1 Epic heroism usually denotes to an individual of highest social class such as great kings or leaders. Epic heroes are outstanding fighters, sometimes carrying some divine powers. To show his heroic elements, the hero must confront some supernatural enemies, quests, war, or adversity. The Epic of Gilgamesh depicts most of these characteristics of epic heroism. The description about his birth to the journey and adventures in his life meets the characteristics of an epic hero. AlthoughRead MoreEpic Passages of The Epic of Gilgamesh and Homers Odyssey921 Words   |  4 Pageshero? In the two epic passages The Epic of Gilgamesh and Homers Odyssey, heroism appears to be a clear distinction with the literature, and has the same basic framework as today’s definition of a hero. Historically, in the texts, heroes such as Gilgamesh and Odysseus are protagonists viewed and credited with great bravery and most certainly heroism. Nearly all of the heroic figures throughout time, both ficti tious and living and are viewed as a protagonist in their own epic challenge or struggleRead MoreAnalysis Of The Epic Of Gilgamesh And Odyssey Essay1548 Words   |  7 Pagesmisogyny into stone. There are some exceptional cases in the famous epic poems, the Epic of Gilgamesh of the Sumerians and Akkadians and the Odyssey from Homer of the Greeks. We all can agree that these epic poems or at most the authors did not view women with our modern perspective – equality among gender. However, we cannot deny that female characters helped set the path of the epic heroes’ journey to their goals. In these epic poems, women are portrayed as figures and themes of knowledge, motherhoodRead MoreEssay on Gilgameshs Heroism1557 Words   |  7 Pagescan all be heroes if they truly feel in their hearts the need to help others in even the smallest ways. In our modern world heroes are defined in so many ways. Anyone can be a hero, a best friend, a devoted mother/father, a teacher, etc. On the other hand, in the older days, before laws and technology, heroes were the men who fought against evil things, who rescue damsels in distress; they were the manly men, the kings knights, god like creatures, brave warriors. As criteria for any epic story a heroRead MoreEssay on Gilgamesh and Odysseus996 Words   |  4 PagesGilgamesh and Odysseus were two heroes from two totally different time periods that were both in search of the meaning of life. The epics that the two characters are featured in Gilgamesh, was developed from early Mesopotamia and the Odyssey in early Greece. Gilgamesh was a very popular and it was very valuable to the historian of Mesopotamian culture because it reveals much about the religious world, such as their attitudes toward the gods, how a hero was defined and regarded, views about deathRead MoreEpic Of Gilgamesh : The Epic Hero1641 Words   |  7 PagesGilgamesh is an ancient Mesopotamian hero, featured in the famous tale of â€Å"The Epic of Gilgamesh†, who embarks on a perilous quest for immortality. This idea, â€Å"†¦touches on the most fundamental questions of what it actually means to be human†¦Ã¢â‚¬  (Homer 33), and gives us light into the minds of the people during the era. Gilgamesh’s tale gives us a glimpse at how the people of that day viewed a â€Å"hero†, and allows us to reflect upon what we consider a â€Å"hero† today. Using the Epic Hero Cycle, I will analyzeRead MoreOdysseus vs. Gilgamesh Essay1464 Words   |  6 PagesThe epic poems The Odyssey, written by Homer, and Gilgamesh, translated by David Ferry, feature the struggles and triumphs of two epic heroes, Odysseus and Gilgamesh. Epic heroes exemplify six common traits. They are all strong fighters, complete with physical beauty and intimidation. The epic hero is dangerous yet protects ordinary people. There is always an encounter with death and the cosmos. They are superhuman, but they are not supernatural , although they come in contact with the supernaturalRead More Comparing the Hero in Epic of Gilgamesh and Homers Iliad Essay730 Words   |  3 PagesThe Hero in Epic of Gilgamesh and the Iliad    One and the same lot for the man who hangs back and the man who battles hard. The same honor waits for the coward and the brave. They both go down to Death, the fighter who shirks, the one who works to exhaustion. (IX,385-88) Thus muses Achilles, one of epic poetrys greatest heroes. Epic poetry, one of the earliest forms of literature, began as an oral narration describing a series of mythical or historic events. Eventually