¶ … Heroes as Cultural Ideals

Changing Heroes

As cultures values, beliefs, and desires change, so to changes the depiction of the ideal hero. By considering three heroes of ancient epics -- Gilgamesh, Shamhat, and Odysseus, one can determine how the idea of heroism and ideal man and womanhood has changed. Some of today's heroes include Martin Luther King Jr., Mahatma Gandhi, Nelson Mandela, Hillary Clinton, and Barack Obama. These are people who have championed the cause of peace and not for war; Hillary Clinton has shown that women can do anything that men can do. Although soldiers who fight for good causes, like those who were involved with the Allies in WWII and those combating terrorism, are still seen as heroes, the male heroes in epics are usually judged as such my their might and their war successes. For example, Gilgamesh is deemed powerful because of his strength. At the beginning of the epic, he is both revered and feared because of his ability to take advantage of his subjects. Odysseus's claims to fame are also strength related, his actions in the Trojan War and on his journey home. This suggests that the idea of the ideal man had changed significantly. No longer do we revere men for their might, but for their diplomacy.

For women, too, the expectations have changed. Shamhat, a character in The Epic of Gilgamesh, is a temple prostitute whose claim to fame is her ability to civilize the wild man, Enkidu, by having sex with him. The trapper tells Shamhat, "Spread out your robe so he can lie upon you / and perform for this primitive the task of womankind!" (The Epic Tablet I). This means that Shamhat is a hero because of her sexual ability. Today, those women who are able to succeed because of their intellect, not because of their sex, are considered to be heroic.

Works Cited

The Epic of Gilgamesh. Academy for Ancient Texts. n.d. 25 June 2009.