In Sundiata: An Epic of Old Mali, fate and destiny are recurring themes. It is a frequent topic of discussion within the text. The griot telling the epic from oral tradition gives a clear opinion about man’s ability to intervene fate. Fate cannot be changed. A person has free will and their choices define them, yet any actions taken to alter their destiny is in vain. This theme appears, slightly differently, in The Epic of Gilgamesh as well. In the lives of Sundiata and Gilgamesh, a higher being sets a specific, unavoidable path for man to follow; however, Sundiata does not try to alter his eventual destiny while Gilgamesh attempts, and ultimately fails, to do so.
The griot, Djeli Mamoudou Kouyaté, clearly states at the beginning of the epic that man cannot control his own fate. He says, “You, perhaps, will be a king. You can do nothing about it. You, on the other hand, will be unlucky, but you can do nothing about that either. Each man finds his way already marked out for him and he can change nothing of it" (Niane 15). God sets man on specific paths; His motivations are a mystery. Mankind, in the face of the mightiness of God, is inferior. Simply, man is subservient to a higher being and has no control over destiny and fate. The griot’s word strike the reader as harsh but the message is clear. Before Sundiata’s birth, a …show more content…
The authors’ focus on man’s ability, or more accurately lack thereof, to change the paths God has set forth. In both stories, it is evident that fate is unchangeable. Sundiata is content with this fact of life. He actively works toward building the empire of Mali and becoming its greatest ruler. Gilgamesh, on the other hand, refuses to accept it. The fear of death overwhelms him to the point where he is willing to go against the wishes of the gods. Ultimately, his attempts are futile and he dies in Uruk. Fate and destiny are
The griot, Djeli Mamoudou Kouyaté, clearly states at the beginning of the epic that man cannot control his own fate. He says, “You, perhaps, will be a king. You can do nothing about it. You, on the other hand, will be unlucky, but you can do nothing about that either. Each man finds his way already marked out for him and he can change nothing of it" (Niane 15). God sets man on specific paths; His motivations are a mystery. Mankind, in the face of the mightiness of God, is inferior. Simply, man is subservient to a higher being and has no control over destiny and fate. The griot’s word strike the reader as harsh but the message is clear. Before Sundiata’s birth, a …show more content…
The authors’ focus on man’s ability, or more accurately lack thereof, to change the paths God has set forth. In both stories, it is evident that fate is unchangeable. Sundiata is content with this fact of life. He actively works toward building the empire of Mali and becoming its greatest ruler. Gilgamesh, on the other hand, refuses to accept it. The fear of death overwhelms him to the point where he is willing to go against the wishes of the gods. Ultimately, his attempts are futile and he dies in Uruk. Fate and destiny are