Analysis Of Odysseus And Epic Of Gilgamesh

Teresa Kilcrease English 2205 Dr. Paquette Hero or Zero Sept. 16, 2014 Odysseus and Gilgamesh When you think of someone who is a hero, what traits come to mind? A hero can often be described as someone who portrays heroic qualities such as strength, endurance, unselfishness and obedience. Both Odysseus in the Homers â€Å"Odyssey† and Gilgamesh in the â€Å"Epic of Gilgamesh† have the characteristics of strength and endurance, but Gilgamesh does not seem to act like a hero and I will tell you why. Odysseus, who is the son of Laertes, is described as a great warrior or a â€Å"cunning hero.† (Homer p. 227) He has strength and physical courage, but he also has brains. (Homer p. 227) Odysseus fought in the Trojan War and is eager to return home to his family in Ithaca but he is trapped on a luxurious island of the nymph Calyspso. (Homer p. 227) He has a wife Penelope and a son Telemachus who was just an infant when his father left. The story takes place ten years after the Trojan War. Gilgamesh, who is the son of the goddess Ninsun, is the shape of a wild co w, and of a human father named Lugalbanda. Gilgamesh means â€Å"the offspring is a hero† (The Epic of Gilgamesh p. 95) and he is the ruler and King of Uruk who is described as â€Å"a powerful King and an awe-inspiring warrior.† (The Epic of Gilgamesh p.95) and â€Å"There is no one more mighty than he.† (The epic of Gilgamesh, Tablet one, p.102) The story is said to have taken place around 2700 B.C. in Mesopotamia. Gilgamesh is a man who is on aShow MoreRelatedQuotation Analysis Of Gilgamesh1270 Words   |  6 PagesPart A: Quotation Analysis A. The similes used by the speaker help depict his lover’s image. He compares the movement of the separate strands of her hair like goats traveling down the side of a mountain. The speaker also compares when her teeth first appear as she smiles like a flock of sheep that arise after being washed. In his similes, the depiction of the flock of animals is repeated by the speaker in order to show that his lover is very fertile and the two should stick together. This sectionRead MoreWhat Makes A Hero?1541 Words   |  7 Pageswisdom, and in some cases, wealth and superhuman abilities. With time new stories and beliefs are uncovered. In ancient times there were heroes that we can study today through books. Some of the most well known heroes are: Achilles, Odysseus, Aneius, Socrates, Gilgamesh, Beowulf, and King Arthur. Achilles was a well known Greek hero. He was a warrior that faught long and hard for his people. He was a superhuman, believed to be part god. His mother dipped him in holy water when he was a child. HoweverRead MoreThe Epic Of Epic Heroes2181 Words   |  9 Pagesembody the traits of epic heroes represent an integral part of ancient literature. In fact, what would literature be without epic heroes? How different would The Odyssey be if Odysseus never went on his epic journey? Would the epic poem Beowulf still be read today if the character Beowulf never challenged Grendel and Grendel’s mother? In the story, The Epic of Gilgamesh, characters, both men and women, exhibit characteristics that could be considered heroic, but do they represent epic heroes? ApplyingRead MoreEssay about Reflecting on St. Augustine at ACS1475 Words   |  6 Pagesyet minuscule sins. This is important because it’s important for students to see him go through that in his odyssey to find his greater truth about life and his passion for wisdom. ACS uses historical and philosophical texts, such as â€Å"The Bible,† â€Å"Gilgamesh,† â€Å"The Odyssey,† â€Å"The Aeneid,† â€Å"The Confessions,† â€Å"The Qu’ran† and â€Å"The Inferno† to explore the idea of the â€Å"truth† in their own lives so they too can embark on a journey to a greater truth as Augustine did. These texts have the â€Å"literature, history