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"Xenia is the Greek relationship between two people from different regions. This [value] allowed for the members of the relationship to safely travel into the other member's territory and receive a place to stay and something to eat" (Biggs et al. 2009). This is one reason why Penelope's suitors in the "Odyssey" are seen as especially brutal, because they violate the principles of being a good guest to a hospitable host.
The Indian hero Rama is almost always shown with a bow over his shoulder, and Odysseus is famed for his skill as an archer (Murthy 2004). However, unlike Odysseus, Rama only attacks when provoked and only engages in aggressive behavior when others are under threat, such as his beloved wife Sita by the evil monarch Ravana. Although the suitor's eating his food and wooing his wife could be considered provocation,...
Also, Rama's willing submission to the will of others stands in profound contrast to Odysseus' proud individualism and command of his men and troops. While Odysseus alone survives his wanderings, largely as a result of his own cleverness and the help of Athena, Rama is far more dependant upon others for assistance, demonstrating the value of interconnectedness in Indian society.
Gilgamesh, in contrast to both good rulers Odysseus and Rama is actually oppressive towards his people at the beginning of the tale. More so than the other heroes, he has much to learn about the nature of human compassion and existence. While it is true that like Gilgamesh, Odysseus often falls afoul of the gods, this is more due to his cleverness than his brute strength.
Although favored by his patron goddess Athena, Odysseus must leave his home to fight in the Trojan War. He is condemned to further years of wandering because he blinds Poseidon's son the Cyclops. As a wanderer, he is forever a strange man in a strange place, always looking for home. The Greeks greatly valued home as a physical place and home as an existential concept -- the Greeks were known for calling all non-Greeks barbarians, by virtue of not being Greeks, and within Greece there were frequent civil wars between different city-states because of local pride. However, hospitality towards strangers was demanded by the Greek sense of fear of being placeless. "Xenia is the Greek relationship between two people from different regions. This [value] allowed for the members of the relationship to safely travel into the other member's territory and receive a place to stay and something to eat" (Biggs et al. 2009). This is one reason why Penelope's suitors in the "Odyssey" are seen as especially brutal, because they violate the principles of being a good guest to a hospitable host.
The Indian hero Rama is almost always shown with a bow over his shoulder, and Odysseus is famed for his skill as an archer (Murthy 2004). However, unlike Odysseus, Rama only attacks when provoked and only engages in aggressive behavior when others are under threat, such as his beloved wife Sita by the evil monarch Ravana. Although the suitor's eating his food and wooing his wife could be considered provocation, Odysseus is overall a more aggressive figure than the Hindu prince deity. Also, Rama's willing submission to the will of others stands in profound contrast to Odysseus' proud individualism and command of his men and troops. While Odysseus alone survives his wanderings, largely as a result of his own cleverness and the help of Athena, Rama is far more dependant upon others for assistance, demonstrating the value of interconnectedness in Indian society.
Gilgamesh, in contrast to both good rulers Odysseus and Rama is actually oppressive towards his people at the beginning of the tale. More so than the other heroes, he has much to learn about the nature of human compassion and existence. While it is true that like Gilgamesh, Odysseus often falls afoul of the gods, this is more due to his cleverness than his brute strength.
Epic and Epic Heroes Epic is probably one of the most fascinating forms of ancient narratives and its contribution to the growth and evolution of literature cannot be overestimated. To seek a clear definition of an epic would be a futile attempt since there appears to be lesser consensus on its definition than we have on tax cuts today. Philosopher, writers and oral masters since the times of Aristotle to Seamus
Epic heroes are drawn from ancient mythology and similar long narratives and epic poems. The term is variously used to refer to any celebrated figure in ancient legends. The heroes belong to a princely stature that is usually born to royalty, gods and special circumstances. These heroes are usually set apart from the ordinary people that lived then. They accomplish extra ordinary things and exceed the abilities of normal humans.
Epic of Gilgamesh In a time when natural disasters were the whims of the Gods, when hunger, disease, and death stalked ones life as surely as the wild beasts of the land, the epic poem of Gilgamesh found its way across the ancient landscape. It was unearthed as part of a library collected thousands of years before our time, yet "reflects an ancient range of human experience and emotion not
He is not afraid to battle Grendel and his mother; in fact, he seems to welcome the challenge. This is important to the story because it helps back up the poet's tales of bravery and courage, and helps show that Beowulf is indeed an epic hero. A hero has to be brave in battle, and understanding off the battlefield, and Beowulf is both. He is not afraid to rise
Leed (1991) notes another commonality Gilgamesh shares with contemporary society, and that is the habit of travel. In contemporary society for example, millions of people travel far from their homeland each and every day, whether for work, in the pursuit of knowledge, to reclaim new lands or to vacation. Gilgamesh engages in his pursuits in frequent travel, as noted by the questions often queried of him regarding his appearance, "...why
Hero and Saint An Analysis of the Hero and the Saint from St. Francis to Kierkegaard's Abraham Francis of Assisi is one of the most famous saints of the Church and Dante is one its most famous literary heroes. St. Francis received his vocation at the beginning of the 13th century, while Dante had his celestial vision roughly some hundred years later. One was a friar, the other a poet. Yet both