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Similarities Between The Epic Of Gilgamesh And Iliad

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Epic verse is one of the most punctual types of writing started as an oral portrayal depicting a progression of legendary or historic occasions. Inevitably, these stories were composed down and read so anyone might hear to an audience. The Epic of Gilgamesh was composed around fifteen hundred years preceding the Iliad, however the two epics indicates a large number of the similarities and differences in respects of symbolism, themes and allegory. This research will provide an overview of both Epic of Gilgamesh and Homer’s Iliad in regard of themes, representation of epic heroes, symbolism, allegory and mindset of the time period in which these stories were written by authors. The Epic of Gilgamesh is said to be the most established known case …show more content…

For example; The Iliad is totally in place, notwithstanding, there are considerable measures of holes in the Epic of Gilgamesh. Furthermore, there isn't any issue in comprehension in The Iliad; however The Epic of Gilgamesh requires the knowledge of oriental dialects, for example, Sumeric, Akkadian, Hettite, and Hurritic so as to completely catch on (Abusch). Additionally, Iliad set amid the Trojan War, and apparently contains numerous heroes who could be thought to be epic (Gill). This is in the complexity to Gilgamesh, who is endeavoring to discover immortality and is forced to go up against his own particular mortality on his voyage. Another distinction is that in the Iliad, the war is pursued by humans, yet the pantheon of gods and goddesses favor one side and bigly affect the result. This is distinctive for Gilgamesh, who isn't entirely human …show more content…

It is a case of communication among cultures. These similarities concentrate on characters and themes. Initially, the two concentrate on epic heroes and their forceful deeds, yet additionally their human weakness. Particularly, we can see similarities amongst Gilgamesh and Achilles. Gilgamesh is an awesome warrior king who is from mostly divine and incompletely human parentage, Achilles is an extraordinary warrior who is blended divine and human, in any case, the two are mortal (Ziolkowsk). “How, O how could I stay silent, how, O how could I keep quiet? My friend whom I love has turned to clay: Enkidu my friend whom I love has turned to clay. Am I not like him? Must I lie down too, never to rise again?" (Epic of Gilgamesh, Tablet X, and column V.). For instance; when he loses his companion, Enkidu, Gilgamesh recalls the mortality in this citation and afterward he chooses to look for immortality. “Give me your armor to put on your shoulders; The Trojans might suppose I was you, Hold back, and give the Acheans' sons a breather, For breathing spells in war are very few. Then, with a shout, fresh men might easily turn tired men from the ships toward the city." So, like a fool he begged; for it would be an evil death and doom for himself he asked” (Lines 40-47 Book

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Similarities between the two heroes are abundant. For example, Gilgamesh and Thor are god-like and part god. Gilgamesh is two-thirds god, one-third man and Thor is a Norse god. Being that they are god and/or god-like, their strength is astonishing. Another similarity between them is their bravery.

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Every society has great stories that are told generation after generation some of which may be difficult to fathom. There are some stories that persist over time no matter the civilization. One example is the great flood. The flood depicted in Stephen Mitchell’s version of “Gilgamesh” bears a striking resemblance to the flood described in the Hebrew Scriptures while also having differences. It has been said that because the story of Gilgamesh came approximately six hundred years before the story of the flood in the Bible that the book of Genesis draws its inspiration from the epic of Gilgamesh.

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In the “Epic of Gilgamesh” and “The Odyssey” by Homer, all the gods are portrayed as being very near, and having a very close relationship with the mortals. The authors showed this through their interactions, even though each epic portrayed a unique mode of interaction between the gods and the mortals. For instance, in the “Epic of Gilgamesh,” this interactions are mostly indirect, whereas in Homer’s Odyssey, they are direct. Another thing the authors tried to show is that the gods are limited in their powers, at least some of them. The authors portrayed this through the gods favoring or disfavoring certain mortals.

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In comparison, it’s always observed on how different scholars find the similarity of especially marital settings, characters, and as well as the wanderings of the mythological world. Different events within the life of these characters cover broadly a huge range of epic encounters that are heroic. The character, emotional and psychological development of Gilgamesh can be borrowed especially from the ancient heroic perspectives of mortality and death while comparing with Achilles. Mesopotamian civilization has had several phases in which hero Gilgamesh has been in existence, however having similar attributes. One of the earliest stories of Gilgamesh is developed from Sumerian texts, one of the most influential and well-known poems (Michelakis & Pantelis 2007).

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Throughout history epic tales have been told about heroes attempting to explain various occurrences such as the ones in the Gilgamesh and Beowulf. Gilgamesh and Beowulf compare and contrast in beliefs, their leadership styles, and the journeys they go on. Although both Beowulf and Gilgamesh can be compared to each other, because of their opposing locations and personalities, they are contrasting to each other. Beowulf and Gilgamesh leaderships styles, although very different, do have some similarities. Both Beowulf and Gilgamesh possess great physical strength, and courageousness as leaders of their respective cultures.

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Silvy Elsa Mathew Hum 120 3/1/18 Paper 1 - The Epic of Gilgamesh and Homer’s Iliad The two main oldest epic tales in the world, ‘Epic of the Gilgamesh’ and Homer’s ‘Iliad’ deals with many significant issues that pose a meaning in the life of an individual and communities. The Epic of Gilgamesh was written 1500 years before Homer wrote the Iliad.

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Throughout the history of human existence, scholars have wondered what characteristics found in ancient literature exemplified in their corresponding ancient societies and how these classical works influenced said cultures. One way to answer these questions is to look at famous literary works and the epic heroes that comprise them. Characteristics of epic heroes such as those found in Beowulf, Gilgamesh, the Iliad, and the Odyssey often reflected traits that were seen as favorable within the societies in which they were written, which, in turn, led to these archetypal heroes greatly impacting surrounding societies. When comparing and contrasting epic heroes such as Beowulf, Gilgamesh, Hector, Achilles, and Odysseus it becomes evident that

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I who know him, I am terrified.” (pg.80). This quote shows that Gilgamesh is getting in over his head and is fighting with no purpose. “Gilgamesh, you are strong, but what is the Country of living to you?” (pg. 72).

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Asia Braxton 9/13/15 Mr. Fuller World Literature Compare Gilgamesh and Odysseusas Epic Heros The Epic Gilgamesh and of Odysseus are two tales of men who were of high power of there time. These two heroes are from two different time frames and they were both two men who were in search of there lives. The story of Gilgamesh was very popular and it deescribes different characteristics of that time.

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The Epic of Gilgamesh is the first epic poem to be written in ancient West Asia. It was written around the third millennium BCE in Mesopotamia by Sumerian people (Spodek, 127). The epic is based on actual an historical figure, a Sumerian king who reigned the city-state of Uruk around third millennium BCE. Ashurbanipal, the last Neo-Assyrian king who was literate, built a great library in his capital and preserved 20,000 tablets including the earliest complete version of The Epic of Gilgamesh (Spodek, 128). Sumerian attitudes towards gods, friendship, and the story of the great flood are revealed throughout the epic.

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Everybody likes rooting for a hero. And throughout the evolution of storytelling, from stories written in stone to those in tablets, heroes have always played a huge role in the stories we tell. As literature evolved, and more legends and tales began to appear in different cultures, the idea of a traditional epic hero was established. Stories like "The Epic of Gilgamesh," and "The Odyssey," set the mold for this type of heroes, an influence that can clearly be seen when analyzing literature. In fact, most of these characters, regardless of the time and place they were created in, shared similar characteristics to the two kings.

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The Epic of Gilgamesh is the oldest story known to mankind, being written on Sumerian clay almost five thousand years ago (Garone). Since the story was originally known orally, the culture and themes from The Epic of Gilgamesh must have existed long before it was finally inscribed (Mark 4). Having known this, the cultures and themes can be compared to today’s society, discovering about how they have shifted and evolved, and also observe how they are similar. The ancient days of Gilgamesh has brought culture that has greatly influenced today’s society. Because Gilgamesh was set around the time of late Babylonian or early Sumerian society, the Babylonian and Sumerian cultures also play a role in shaping the world into what is is today (Mark).

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The Epic of Gilgamesh and the Bible have a few similar events and historians think that they may refer to the same event. The Epic of Gilgamesh and the Bible share a similar event, the flood, and a similar character, the serpent. Though there are still several distinctions between the two stories. The Bible and the Epic of Gilgamesh both contain a serpent as one of the less significant characters.

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The Epic of Gilgamesh: Relevant Truth for Today’s Society The Epic of Gilgamesh is set in Uruk, an ancient city of the ancient Mesopotamian civilization of Sumer, now modern-day Iraq. The epic was said to be written by Sin-liqe-unninni, but it is based on five earlier Sumerian poems with no known author. The piece was difficult to translate, and there are two main version for the Epic of Gilgamesh. This is the result of the environment during the time the piece was being written.

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To compare the epics a gauge is to be set. Action being the first of criteria as percolated by Aristotle to every form of literary criticism the comparative study between epics may also began from the same. Action should have following three qualifications: first it should be one action, second it should be an entire action and third it should be a great action. Aristotle himself imputes that the unity of action is missing from the epics because of the very nature of an epic poem. Epic should be an entire action consists the dimension of a beginning, middle an end.

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