Defining the Epic Hero Clearly defined in The Epic of Gilgamesh, The Aeneid, and The Ramayana are the indispensable traits required by an epic hero. Through these works, each epic hero undergoes a series of particular events that illustrates the essential traits to being an epic hero: being a great warrior, piety, and knowledge. The first distinct quality of an epic hero, illustrated through the multiple characters, is his ability to be triumphant in war. One instance where great feats and divine actions are prominent is in The Epic of Gilgamesh when Gilgamesh and Enkidu defeat Humbaba and the Bull of Heaven. Gilgamesh and Enkidu are able to prevail against Humbaba’s “mouth [which is] fire; his roar [which is] the flood water; [and] his
The first example of this trait appears in The Epic of Gilgamesh. Throughout the epic, Gilgamesh becomes more knowledgeable. Utanapishtim says to Gilgamesh, “No one can see death, no one can see the face of death, no one can hear the voice of death, yet there is savage death that snaps off mankind . . . The face that could gaze upon the face of the Sun has never existed ever.” (The Epic of Gilgamesh) At this point in the epic, Utanapishtim is explaining to Gilgamesh the nature of death. The significance of this situation is that Gilgamesh is becoming more knowledgeable by broadening his perspective therefore making him a greater epic hero. Another example of a knowledgeable epic hero is Aeneas in The Aeneid. In the epic, Aeneas wanders off course from his destiny and falls madly in love with Dido. With the help of Jupiter, Aeneas realizes his mistake and how he has lost sight of his destiny to found a new city – so he leaves. This illustrates that Aeneas is knowledgeable enough to know that leaving Dido to follow his destiny will eventually lead to his duty of founding a new city. The last example of a knowledgeable epic hero is Rama from The Ramayana. Rama, is known to be knowledgeable because of the time spent with Sage Viswamithra. During Rama’s time spent with Sage Viswamithra, Sage Viswamithra enlightens Rama with many stories including: Thaka’s Story, Mahbali’s Story, Ganga’s Story, and Ahalya’s Story. Through these stories, Rama becomes more knowledgeable and furthermore a greater epic hero. To conclude, all these epic heroes share the characteristic of
Courage, selflessness, justice, and humility are all characteristics of epic heroes have exhibited. Both Beowulf and Shrek show the qualities of epic heroes. Beowulf is a brave warrior, and he is a wise king of the Geat’s. Shrek is an ogre that lives in a secluded forest and cannot express his emotions, but he is kind hearted and tries not to hurt anyone. Beowulf and Shrek are epic heroes because they receive assistance from allies, face supernatural foe, and reach lowest points where they appear defeated.
Yet in Greek Mythology an epic hero is usually defined by ten specific characteristics rather than this broad definition. The ten characteristics for an epic hero are: a noble birth, the hero must be ethically and morally upright, have superhuman strength or intelligence or courage, reflect the ideals of his or her particular society, be a strong and responsible leader, go on a quest, risk death for glory or for the greater good, perform great deeds, face enormous obstacles, and dies tragically. Not all epic heroes will possess all ten characteristics but rather a majority of the ten. While not every epic hero in Greek mythology falls into all ten characteristics, Theseus, son of the Athenian King Aegeus and cousin to Hercules, fits every aspect of a Greek epic
When modern readers think of the term “epic hero”, names such as Superman, Batman, and even real life figures such as LeBron James, AJ McCarron, and countless others instantly come into play. All of them have many similarities; they are all “larger-than-life” heroes who display many epic characteristics such as bravery, might, and supreme confidence. However, each is unique in his/her own way. Diving into the world of ancient literature, and one can find many more great heroes that define the term and provide countless entertaining stories of their journeys and battles throughout the primordial word. Beowulf from the
As a natural phenomena that occurs frequently yet is still not completely understood, death has confounded and, to a certain degree, fascinated all of humanity. Since the dawn of our species, people have tried to rationalize death by means of creating various religions and even attempted to conquer death, leading to great works of literature such as the Epic of Gilgamesh and the Cannibal Spell For King Unis. Considered one of the earliest great pieces of literature, the Epic of Gilgamesh tells an adventurous yet profound tale about the god-like king of Uruk, Gilgamesh, and his quest to find immortality. While his name now lives on through the Epic, Gilgamesh did not attain eternal life as the plant of immortality was stolen from him by a snake.
There are three main characteristics that make The Epic of Gilgamesh an epic. The first be...
One characteristic that Odysseus had to be an epic hero was that he was highborn. Odysseus was Prince Laertiades of Ithaca. The goddess Circe knew he was highborn and addressed Odysseus with his formal name “Prince Laertiades…'; (p. 120). When his men feared that he was dead and Odysseus returned to them unharmed, from their hearts they said, “You are back again my prince! How glad we are…';(p.120). Also, because Odysseus had not returned home to Ithaca, many men tried to wed his wife, Penelopeia, so that they could rule his kingdom.
The Epic of Gilgamesh has many similarities to The Legend of King Arthur. Although Gilgamesh and King Arthur have comparison they also have differences. The main difference is that one is an Epic and the other is a Legend. To compare and contrast The Epic of Gilgamesh and The Legend of King Arthor, one must first know what the words, "Epic" and "Legend" mean. Primarily, "epic" is a long narrative poem about the deeds of a semi-god, also known as a superhuman hero who's actions are depended on as the fate of a nation, tribe or a human race. This usually consists of an adventure filled plot and is concerned with timeless human problems such as honour, jealousy, war and hatred. These contain gods and goddesses and the setting is fixed in a far distant place at a time long past. Epics are based on legends and myths.
In The Epic of Gilgamesh, the characters and their lesson arise as the most memorable
Out of the two heroes Gilgamesh was the one who was most aggressive and pursued the more ambitious goal, though it was one near impossible to achieve. Gilgamesh wanted to have a power that only the gods possessed. He wanted to be immortal. Aeneas never sought such an unachievable task, and was not as determined as Gilgamesh was. Aeneas only had to find a place where the defeated Trojans could settle and found a new city. Once in the story he even had to be reminded of his destiny by the Jupiter when he was distracted by his love for Dido.
Often, literature is based on several heroes and their adventures. Most especially, the epic stories symbolize different countries, nations, and cultures. The authors usually shape the characteristics of these stars and profile their unique techniques of writing as well as their imaginative power. Gilgamesh is one of the most known heroes, whose character was developed in the famous “Epic of Gilgamesh” as the strongest of men, a fair judge, a brave warrior, and an ambitious builder who built the magnificent walls of Uruk to protect its people. On the other hand, there are some undesirable characteristics that he possesses such as selfishness, and arrogance mostly brought about by the fact that he is part human and part god. He is characterized
Perhaps one of the main reasons the Epic of Gilgamesh is so popular and has lasted such a long time, is because it offers insight into the human concerns of people four thousand years ago, many of which are still relevant today. Some of these human concerns found in the book that are still applicable today include: the fear and concerns people have in relation to death, overwhelming desires to be immortal, and the impact a friendship has on a person’s life. It does not take a great deal of insight into The Epic of Gilgamesh for a person to locate these themes in the story, and even less introspection to relate to them.
...teristics and literary devices. The general archetypical description of a hero follows an outline of a muscular figure and super abilities. Yet on the contrary, in myths, heroes may not possess any of those traits. Whether the so-called hero is learning their lesson, overcoming struggle or even descending into darkness, all heroes share some similar and almost identical characteristics. A vast majority of all mythological heroes share the same basic idea which, helps audiences identify whether or not the character is indeed a hero or not. From story to myth or fairytale to drama, the hero is one character who changes the plot entirely. Whether that hero may be saving a burning building, or discovering who they are themselves, our heroes all give us hopes and dreams that one day even our worth will be recognized by ourselves and others as our admirable hero’s are.
The Epic of Gilgamesh, one of the earliest known stories, recounts the tale of the reckless King Gilgamesh and his adventures with his friend Enkidu, a natural man created by the gods from clay to humble and teach Gilgamesh to become a better ruler. Through Enkidu’s death, the once fearless Gilgamesh becomes fearful of his own inevitable demise and journeys to find immortality. However, by finding compassion for his humanity, he is able to come to terms with his mortality and continue living wholeheartedly as the ruler of Uruk. In the Epic of Gilgamesh, Gilgamesh learns to accept his mortality by gaining compassion for himself.
Beowulf is characterized as an epic hero by possessing qualities in which common mortals lack, battling for the common good, and displaying honor in every act. An epic hero is the central character in an epic, a long narrative poem that recounts the adventures of a legendary hero in pursuit of a goal. According to Jankowski, “Understanding the significance of Beowulf 's acts requires an understanding of the key figures in the epic poem” (1). Epics have been used to preserve values and traditions. They are a rich resource for exploring the history and values of different world cultures. The epic hero character is a larger-than-life figure who is typically of noble birth. An epic hero uses his/her courage, skill, and virtue against
An epic is a long poem, usually derived from ancient oral stories, describing the adventures and deeds of a legendary hero. Typically, most epics follow a pattern or hold certain characteristics. These characteristics are; a hero, a quest, valorous deeds, divine intervention, and great events. The hero is usually the protagonist which is sent on a quest. As the heroes proceed on their quest, they will exhibit valorous deeds or actions that show their magnificent abilities. Epics also intertwine great events to set the theme of the story. Some of these events develop from myths or cultural aspects. Lastly, the hero must undergo divine intervention, or the help from a person or supernatural force. One of the most well known Anglo-Saxon epics is Beowulf. The story of Beowulf contains all of these characteristics, along with the values of the Anglo-Saxons.