The Epic of Gilgamesh & the Odyssey

The Epic of Gilgamesh & the Odyssey

Introduction

This paper discusses the accounts of human excellence will be elucidated in the history of human thought, from the ancient Greek and Roman time, through the Medieval Age and Early Modern Age, to the Modern Age and contemporary civilization. The paper explores the topic of epic heroes that what makes them heroic. Further, it examines that why epic tales are so frequently about journeys and what they reflect about their societies.

Discussion

Heroes are considered to be surrounded by an aura of magic. Radiate glamorous and attractive, and have the strong personality. Have the ability to silence the room full and busy just by their presence. So we can say that the personality of the hero is not tied to his or her identity as a human being. Hero is the product of the link between his work and his personality and both of which are linked to one another closely.

In the epics only the feudal class is staged. The epic hero is a knight gifted with superhuman strength, able to endure all kinds of physical or mental suffering. Exemplary in his loyalty to his lord, he was elected to perfection and is always a community whose existence is at stake.

Death is the most moving moment of the story and holds a lesson and is guided by the vision of religious and feudal society: the suffering and death are noble when they suffered for God and the suzerain. And the public, it is chivalrous and popular, is called the great religious and collective emotions. The other characters have defined roles, such as friend, confidant, traitor, enemy, cowardly, etc.. They are in the story to further emphasize the heroism and virtues of the hero.

The Epic of Gilgamesh and The Odyssey, like sacred texts, bridge the oral and written traditions of Greece, but they tell a very different story about human relations with the divine. The gods of this epic poem is made in the image of humans. The gods decide human events, often for trivial and all-too-human reasons, despite the best efforts of humans to have them do otherwise. Neither Gilgamesh nor Odysseus offers much analytical insight into leadership. They are heroes, however, and as such display heroic traits that leaders may need. Dangerous quests bring out endurance, courage, and self-sacrifice in Gilgamesh. The journey home requires the endurance and restraint of Odysseus. Homer tells us that Odysseus used deception and disguise, traits that Machiavelli will extol in some circumstances.

The hero on a journey or quest appears in many epics, myths, fairy tales and legends. Greek mythology has many epics with questing heroes and their heroic experiences, including Odysseus. He just wants to return to home after the Trojan War, but somehow his various adventure filled journey takes ten years. Such questing heroes also appear in many other cultures in mythology, For example, Gilgamesh, the epic hero from ancient Mesopotamia. He starts his journey in the search of ...