Comparing Gilgamesh, Ramayana, And The Odyssey

The famous literary works of Gilgamesh, Ramayana, and The Odyssey have been studied, written about, and heralded in the literary world many times over. Each of the literary pieces has been held in the highest esteem for varying different reasons. Some of them have been because of the literary influences that they have produced over the subsequent years and the religious influences they had. The purpose of this writing assignment is to compare and contrast the religious influences found in each of the literary works. The story of Gilgamesh is based on a historical king with the same name who lived in the ancient Sumerian city of Uruk in what is present-day southern Iraq around 2700 BCE. He is described throughout the story as more …show more content…

The Ramayana existed in only the oral tradition as far back as 1,500 BC, but in the fourth century BC is generally accepted as the date of its composition in Sanskrit. The collection of poems recounts the tales of Prince Rama and his wife Sita. These collections of kavya’s, or poems, are said to have laid the ground work for what is now known as Hinduism. The seven poems found in the Ramayana are ones that teach a moral or spiritual lesson. One of the principles of Hinduism is having the unity of existence through love. In this collection, one of the poems tells of a woman named Kaikeyi, who uses her finger in place of the pin in King Dasratha’s, chariot wheel which prevents his chariot from falling and that ultimately ensures a victory. For Kaikeyi valor, she was given a reward. The reward was two boons, of which Kaikeyi can use at her discretion. She chose to use her boon. She used the first boon by demanding her son, Bharata, be given the throne. She used the second boon on her husband. She exiled him to the forest for 14 years. This proves that a mother’s love for her child will surpass all …show more content…

This can also be interpreted as a deep love for her husband as well. According to the virtues of Hinduism as stated before; the unity of two people, assuming the unity is human love not spousal love, exists through love. She had such an unrelenting love for her son that she sacrificed her husband to save her son’s life. The Ramayana is still a very popular topic in India. The Ramayana is extremely popular. “India nearly shut down when a dramatized series of the Ramayana appeared on television in the 1980s. Recitation of the Ramayana earns great merit. Rama and Sita are seen as the ideal married couple. In North India, the Ramayana is acted out in the annual pageant Ram-Lila. It was a favourite subject of Rajasthani and Pahari painters of the 17th and 18th centuries. Gandhi called it the greatest book in the world. Tulsi Das, medieval author of the Hindi translation, said, "Whenever I remember Rama's name, the desert of my heart blooms lush and green.”