A story cannot be spoken of as the product of any individual, but must be treated as the product both of its author and the culture that embraced it. A piece of literature can, therefore, act as an almost living representation of a whole culture’s sense of identity. By analyzing the major themes in several pieces of literature, from ancient epics to those more modern, I will herein demonstrate a gradual change in human identity. I will present aspects of famous epics that show how the individual man has gradually superseded the community as the focal point of epic literature. These aspects are, namely, a humanization of the hero, and a shift in the hero’s benefactors. In order to properly show this gradual change in theme, I will be examining
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Gilgamesh himself is portrayed as nearly undefeatable, and no attempt seems to have been made to humanize him as a character. His early quests have meaning mostly in that they showcase his power and his love for Enkidu., and also serve as a reminder for the people that gods are fickle, and that life might best be lived with as little interaction with them as possible. It is noteworthy that, in large, all of the good deeds that Gilgamesh and Enkidu do are for the benefit of the people of Uruk. His final quest, however, becomes one of self-preservation. Superficially, this is done with a search for immortality, but at the end, Gilgamesh learns that his immortality comes by way of his legacy. This in particular is striking, as …show more content…
Dante’s Inferno is a classic example of an individual benefitting from the struggles of a community, evidenced by the warnings given him by the tortured souls he encounters. As the hero of an epic, Dante is markedly different than Gilgamesh or Aeneas. He makes no claim of divine parentage, though the implication that he is going to paradise does lend him some measure of invulnerability in his struggle. In keeping with the trend of further humanizing epic heroes, Dante is presented as the most lifelike hero to date. He struggles with the horrors he witnesses, and his empathy for the sinners causes him to faint on several occasions. Dante eventually learns to accept that God’s justice is supreme, and that sufficient mercy has already been given to
Gilgamesh himself is portrayed as nearly undefeatable, and no attempt seems to have been made to humanize him as a character. His early quests have meaning mostly in that they showcase his power and his love for Enkidu., and also serve as a reminder for the people that gods are fickle, and that life might best be lived with as little interaction with them as possible. It is noteworthy that, in large, all of the good deeds that Gilgamesh and Enkidu do are for the benefit of the people of Uruk. His final quest, however, becomes one of self-preservation. Superficially, this is done with a search for immortality, but at the end, Gilgamesh learns that his immortality comes by way of his legacy. This in particular is striking, as …show more content…
Dante’s Inferno is a classic example of an individual benefitting from the struggles of a community, evidenced by the warnings given him by the tortured souls he encounters. As the hero of an epic, Dante is markedly different than Gilgamesh or Aeneas. He makes no claim of divine parentage, though the implication that he is going to paradise does lend him some measure of invulnerability in his struggle. In keeping with the trend of further humanizing epic heroes, Dante is presented as the most lifelike hero to date. He struggles with the horrors he witnesses, and his empathy for the sinners causes him to faint on several occasions. Dante eventually learns to accept that God’s justice is supreme, and that sufficient mercy has already been given to