Odysseus vs. Gilgamesh Essay - 1464 Words

The 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 supernatural. There are struggles with overwhelming difficulties while on a quest for self-discovery or some sort of goal, however all ordeals are overcome by quick intellect. Despite all the difficulties and obstacles, epic heroes always return from an†¦show more content†¦Odysseus does not leave his men behind when they are in the land of the Lotus Eaters. They all eat the lotus flower, which causes them to forget their homecoming and inspires them to stay on the island forever. Odysseus pull s his men from the island despite their protests. Gilgamesh is also a protector of the people in his city of Uruk. He is called the wise shepherd and protector of the people. Near death encounters and interaction with the supernatural is also a common trait with these heroes. Odysseus encounters gods and goddesses throughout the entire epic. Athena becomes his protector and Poseidon seeks revenge and attempts to kill Odysseus several times. Besides these encounters, Odysseus is seduced by Calypso and Circe. Gilgamesh challenges the gods as well. Ishtar becomes enraged when Gilgamesh refuses her as a mistress and sends the Bull of Heaven to kill him. The sun god, Shamash, is also a protector of Gilgamesh and assists in the killing of Humbaba. The supernatural presence is evident in almost every action inhibited by these heroes. Intellect is one final similarity between these two heroes. Odysseus trick the Cyclops called Polyphemus when he gets him drunk and stabs him in the eye, shor tly after introducing himself as Nobody. He is able to make a quick escape from the island. Gilgamesh uses intellect as well when he challenges the beast Humbaba, only attacking when his cloaks of fear are at its minimal. Besides all these similaritiesShow MoreRelatedOdysseus Vs. Epic Of Gilgamesh1772 Words   |  8 PagesMadison Aycock HST 328 Dr. Chang 20 Oct. 2017 Paper Topic One: Odysseus vs. Gilgamesh Sometimes it only takes a few seemingly small flaws to determine if one will live a lifetime of adversity, and this appears to be the case for both Odysseus in Homer’s Odyssey and Gilgamesh in the Epic of Gilgamesh. Unlike what their grand titles may suggest, these ‘ancient heroes’ were by no means perfect people, and, if anything, it would be more realistic to attribute the conceptRead MoreBiblical Vs. Classical Phenomenon2078 Words   |  9 PagesBiblical vs. Classical Phenomenon Throughout the semester, we have analyzed various texts that constitute some of the most important publications in the history of humankind. These myths and legends are known as the oldest in centuries and possibly the first sight of written text that humans have encountered. Dating back to the times of traditional oral-based stories, texts such as The Epic of Gilgamesh have given humankind a sense of emergence in the old times of script and literature. The Epic