Heroes and Society Throughout time, societies evolving values have been expressed through literature; the most influential of literature being the epic. Epics typically follow the “hero’s journey”, in which the protagonist goes through personal trials and change of nature. These heroes and their journeys have helped create a better understanding of the growing and changing values of our own humanity. The Epic of Gilgamesh is possibly the oldest pieces of literature produced by human beings in ancient Mesopotamia. It is a story of a king named Gilgamesh, who was destroying his kingdom by his wild and reckless deeds. The gods punished him for his deeds by killing his fabricated friend Enkidu. Now fearing death, Gilgamesh went on a journey in …show more content…
Beowulf was a great warrior who defeated monsters. He became king because of his deeds. He treated his people with respect and kept them safe. Beowulf dies in one last battle with a dragon, in order to protect his people. During the Middle ages, society needed strong respectful leaders in order to have strong and respectful communities, and Beowulf was the perfect example. In the Song of Roland, the hero also fights in a war, much like Achilles. However, it is more of a religious war. Roland is a Christian warrior who wants to defeat the pagans. He dies as a martyr for his land and his religion. The Song of Roland depicts the importance of religion to society. Someone like Roland who is willing to lose his life fighting for his beliefs, was someone to be highly respected. Another epic of religion is the Divine Comedy, the story of Dante’s Inferno. Dante is the hero who goes into Hell to understand and repent his sins, in order to gain righteousness. This epic relies heavily on religion, especially Catholicism, to express that everyone is a sinner. No matter what you believe in, everyone strays from the path and it is possible to find your way back. Dante’s inferno is a story about redemption, and it offers society an understanding of how to perceive