Odysseus Vs. Epic Of Gilgamesh - 1772 Words

Madison 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 concept of imperfection with them instead. However, that is not suggesting that heroism equates to imperfection, but rather that these heroes have earned their titles from their battles with their imperfections. In the introduction of the Epic of†¦show more content†¦(Gilgamesh Tb.I P5.) Odysseus, however, was very different from Gilgamesh in terms of his ruling style. While Gilgamesh had exercised harsh and unjustified rule, Odysseus had difficulties controlling and disciplining his crewmen. Throughout Odysseus’ journey home, on the boat given to him by the Phaeacian King Alci nous, there were many instances where the crewmen did not follow his leadership, made their own decisions, and even talked back to him. For example, whilst Odysseus and his crewmen approached the island of the Sun god Helios, he reminded them of Circe’s dangerous prophecy regarding the temptations of Helios’ island. Thus, he ordered his men to sail forward (Homer, Od. 12.294-299); however, one seaman, Eurylochus, pleaded him to let them stop for the night and rest; the rest of the crewmen agreed with Eurylochus cheerfully, to which Odysseus gave in and allowed them to rest one night, if only they all promised not to harm Helios’ cattle. (Homer, Od. 12.328-329) Under better authority, the crewmen would not have pleaded to their leader, nor would their leader have given in so easily; however, Odysseus was easily manipulated and lacked the necessary authoritative skill. Unfortunately, this was neither his only nor greatest flaw. Actually, Odysseus’ greatest known flaw is what is known as hubris, and it is often described as a sense of excessive pride or defiance of the gods. Odysseus’ greatest show of hubris occurred on theShow MoreRelatedBiblical 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 of Gilgamesh