The Epic Of Gilgamesh And The Ramayana - 1088 Words

In two ancient classics, we see a clear display of an abuse of power. In both The Epic of Gilgamesh and The Ramayana, we find protagonists who commit deeds of treachery in the name of slaying a monster. These slayings seem justified at first; however, as we examine them further we find that they are no more than heinous acts in the name of asserting power over the other. Both Gilgamesh and Rama kill monsters in the name of supporting what they believe in, but their beliefs are not always justified. When we closely examine the scenes of the monster slayings in both epics, we find that our that protagonists appear as power hungry war mongers and not the heroes that they claim to be. Both of these â€Å"heroes† kill in the name of supporting their own beliefs. For Rama, he kills in the name of subduing women’s sexuality while Gilgamesh kills in the name of claiming resources, particularly cedar trees, for his own. Let’s begin with one of the earliest stories ever wr itten, The Epic of Gilgamesh. In this story, Gilgamesh is king of Uruk; he eventually meets his partner in crime Enkidu, who is a wild man created by the gods to keep Gilgamesh from becoming an oppressive king. After Gilgamesh and Enkidu duke it out and, naturally, become best friends; they decide to go on a conquest for some cedar trees -- like best all best friends do. When they reach the forest, it does not take long until they run across Humbaba. Humbaba, being the guardian of the Cedar forest is not pleased withShow MoreRelatedGilgamesh and Ramayana1559 Words   |  7 Pagesï » ¿An Epic Definition There was a time when gods and demons roamed the earth. A time when humanity lived at the mercy of divine beings, who executed their wills against the humans, following their own selfish desires and placing humans in a position of piety to these dominant beings. This time on earth is one of great men who fought against these demigods, giving them great fame passed on as stories in the oral tradition. Though it is unrealistic to believe that these men truly fought against divineRead MoreThe Epic Of Gilgamesh, And The Mahabharata971 Words   |  4 Pagessuch as: the Ramayana, The Epic of Gilgamesh, and the Mahabharata. Each of these texts depicts a hero or protagonist that is unique to their culture and although each of these heroes embark on a different journey with different purposes and goals in mind, they all display a variety of features that people of then and now can relate to. It becomes transparent that each of the journeys these heroes undertake are a lot like that of the lives of people today. The Epic of Gilgamesh is one of theRead MoreEast Vs. West Literature Essay931 Words   |  4 Pages25 October 2016 East vs. West Literature Essay   Ã‚  Ã‚   Eastern and Western Literature has so many unique characteristics of their own. Eastern Literature usually deals with epics such as The Ramayana and Confucius. While Western Literature typically are epics like Beowulf, The Odyssey, and similar characteristics are also in Gilgamesh.   These types of literatures are so rich in their text and have so many different beliefs.   The Eastern and Western Literature compares throughout topics like gender rolesRead MoreA Leader Is Good And Ethics Essay1424 Words   |  6 Pagescharacteristic to develop the capabilities of others instead of accentuating their own skills. The epics of Gilgamesh and The Ramayana present opposing perspectives of effective leadership based on the personal integrity of one’s morality and ethical standards. In Gilgamesh, Gilgamesh is a very terrifying ruler, he harasses his subjects and oppresses them under his tyranny. In contrast, in The Ramayana, Rama is a very different kind of leader. He acts in accordance to the code of dharma, showing theRead MoreThe Epic of Beowulf733 Words   |  3 Pagesend. Beowulf meets all the features of an epic poem: it is a long narration of a national hero ( he is recognized, rewarded and glorified by the king himself and his people), his travel on the sea, his adventures and the heroic episodes hes the central figure in. Moreover, the main protagonist, Beowulf, is a brave young man, like Gilgamesh, Achilles or Hercules, with more-than-human strength and wiser, more courageous than others. Unlike the other epic heroes we have studied untill now, BeowulfRead MoreElements Of The Epic Of Gilgamesh918 Words   |  4 PagesThe epic hero has been part of world literature since time immemorial. Epic tales have contained within them, various elements that have helped define the genre. These tropes have existed at least since the writing of the ancient Mesopotamian text, The Epic of Gigamesh. These vital characteristics transcend region, as they have been employed in the literature of disparate parts of the world. These elements can be seen the Old Engli sh tale of Beowulf, as well as in the ancient Indian epic The RamayanaRead MoreGreek Myths And Stories Serve A Greater Purpose1799 Words   |  8 PagesGreek myths and stories serve a greater purpose than to simply entertain someone. These stories also serve as a way to teach important lessons and explain the history of certain things. Although the Epic of Gilgamesh, The Illiad,The Ramayana, and the Golden Compass are all very different they all have similar aspects that connect the stories and serve a greater purpose. These myths and stories serve as an insider into what it was like to live in that specific society. Myths allow us to learn whatRead More12 Literary Piece1670 Words   |  7 PagesChristianity originating from Palestine and Greece 2. Koran: The Muslim bible originating from Arabia 3. The Iliad and the Odyssey: These have been the source of Myths and Legends of Greece. They were written by Homer. 4. The Mahabharata: The Longest epic of the world. It contains the history of religion in India. 5. Canterburry: it depicts the religion and customs of English in early days. This originated from England and written by Chaucer. 6. Uncle Toms Cabin: written by Harriet Beecher StoweRead MoreThe Modern Epic of Batman Essay731 Words   |  3 Pages An epic is a long narrative poem that tells the exploits of an epic hero. Epics are comprised of an epic hero and an epic battle between good and evil. The earliest known epic today is The Epic of Gilgamesh. This tale is about Gilgamesh’s search for eternal life. Although epics have been around for thousands of years, the epic tradition still has an enormous impact on modern writing and film. In fact, Batman, a story about Bruce Wayne trying to conquer all criminals in Gotham, can be seen as modernRead MoreThe Movie Ramayan 1257 Words   |  6 PagesSachinbhai Patel Dr. M HUM – 121 July 16, 2015 Paper # 2 Movie- Ramayana This movie Ramayan is based on one of the great literature epic of India Called Ramayana, the other being the Mahabharata. Ramayana story transmitted orally for generations but not recorded until the eighth century B.C.E. It was written by the poet Valmiki. In this great epic story the main person was Rama who was an seventh incarnation of the Lord Vishnu who is the care take and protector of this world, Rama was like a Buddha