Gilgamesh And Hospitality Analysis

Improved Essays
An epic is a long narrative novel that is designed in an elevated style that deals with the trials and achievement of great heroes. The virtues that are celebrated in the novel are of national, military, religion, and political as well as historical significance. For instance, Odyssey is one of the earliest epic that is still in existence in a number of ways. The epic of Odyssey opens with the subject and the statements of Muse who identifies the techniques that is associated with trials and tests of heroes. Similarly, the epic of Gilgamesh is an epic novel that is regarded in most cases as the first great work of literature. The independent stories of this epic were later used as sources of a combined epic. The epic of Gilgamesh is the oldest surviving works of literature in the world. Therefore, the epic of Odyssey and the epic of Gilgamesh evaluate the use of hospitality in a number of instances particularly by expressing their grievances in the novel. …show more content…
This theme is essential in the novel since it enables the reader to learn the characters through the theme. As a point of fact, hospitality is a major theme in the literary work that seems to be odd to modern readers. The presence of hospitality in the novel implies the civility by the degree of hospitality offered throughout the Odysseus epic. Hospitality is an act of virtue as well as an honorable characteristic in the sense that it was important to show hospitality to the friends and the family guests in the novel. Since hospitality in the novel is regarded as a divine right, the host to the guests showed them nobility and social standing that determines

Related Documents

  • Superior Essays

    “You are free to choose, but you are not free from the consequences of your choice. ”- Ezra Taft Benson. In the Odyssey, by. Homer, Greek hospitality plays an important role in Odysseus’ journey home to Ithaca.…

    • 1307 Words
    • 6 Pages
    Superior Essays
  • Superior Essays

    Tilya Means Dr. Devona Mallory ENGL 2111.2 April 20, 2016 Epic of Gilgamesh and Sunjata Analysis God has his mysteries which none can fathom. 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.…

    • 886 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Superior Essays
  • Improved Essays

    The Epic of Gilgamesh serves as the oldest surviving piece of literature in existence and weaves a narrative of a tyrannical king who gradually changes into an upstanding and benevolent ruler of the ancient city-state of Uruk. This work is more than a poem surrounding Gilgamesh: it incorporates extensive themes such as longing for immortality, the clash between nature and nurture, and one man’s path to enlightenment. Through Gilgamesh’s pursuit of harmony among the multiple faces of his being: a ruler, a mortal man, and two-thirds deity, this epic reveals the changing perspective of kingship. To begin with the character the epic is crafted around, Gilgamesh is the king of the ancient city-state of Uruk. Gilgamesh’s journey transforms his manner…

    • 929 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Improved Essays

    At a glance, one may assume that The Epic of Gilgamesh and I and Thou have no relation to each other. This can be believed when the plots of the epic and book, respectively, are taken into account. The Epic of Gilgamesh is an epic poem written by ancient, anonymous authors that tells the story of Gilgamesh, the King of Uruk, and how he gradually becomes a noble king through a series of events, with his best friend Enkidu by his side. I and Thou is a book written by Martin Buber in 1923. This book is about how humans find meaningfulness for their lives through relationships with objects and with others.…

    • 1564 Words
    • 7 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Improved Essays

    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.…

    • 833 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Improved Essays

    The Journey of Gilgamesh The oldest piece of literature in the world today has transcended time. The main character of Gilgamesh reflects a journey that we must all make in life, learning we will not live forever. This lesson transforms Gilgamesh from a tyrannical leader to a humble king. Gilgamesh undergoes this transformation through a hero's journey.…

    • 1118 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Improved Essays

    The Epic of Gilgamesh is an Akkadian poem written in 2500 BCE. The theme of the epic poem concerns human beings search for immortality. Gilgamesh goes on a series of quests to become immortal. The quests include subjects in bravery, honor, friendship and death. Gilgamesh’s adventures raise questions that can relate to the people of the time period.…

    • 1315 Words
    • 6 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Improved Essays

    The fantastic story of The Epic of Gilgamesh is one of the world’s oldest known documents to ever have been written down. Its main character is that of a human-like god, named Gilgamesh, who goes on the greatest journey of his life. With help from the gods along the way, he battles and faces many challenges that are new and exhilarating to his normally posh lifestyle. The Historical context of The Epic of Gilgamesh dates all the way back to around 2000 BCE.…

    • 882 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Improved Essays

    Now we get to The Epic of Gilgamesh. Said to be the oldest written series of poems and stories about the wild and adventurous King of Uruk. The Epic of Gilgamesh is said to be stories and poems directly from ancient Mesopotamia and they are said to give us many hints as to what life was like back then. These poems are able to give us a sense of…

    • 1134 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Improved Essays

    The Epic of Gilgamesh is a story of how two best friends are brought together to balance each other’s strengths and weaknesses. The story focuses on the main theme friendship and the relationship between Gilgamesh and Enkidu. In the epic, the theme of friendship is the core to the story. The powerful friendship between Gilgamesh and Enkidu is one of the most important factors from beginning to end of the story.…

    • 874 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Improved Essays

    The Epic of Gilgamesh is a widely known and respected ancient poem which tells the story of Gilgamesh and his friend Enkidu. The Epic of Gilgamesh contains two main quests: Gilgamesh and Enkidu’s journey to kill Humbaba and Gilgamesh’s journey to seek eternal life. During both quests, the Mesopotamian gods not only provided guidance to Gilgamesh and Enkidu, but also obstacles that the two had to overcome. Despite the power of the gods, it is clear that The Epic of Gilgamesh sheds light on both the positive and negative human emotions of the gods as proven by Gilgamesh and Enkidu 's multiple interactions with them.…

    • 1206 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Superior Essays

    An epic hero is often described as the big hero in a story or reading and is also the main character. They often illustrate great qualities including strength, determination, and bravery. Heroes are said to always have a quest, sometimes more than one, and they most likely have helpers or assistants helping them through these quests. During these quests, the evil characters always seem to be after the hero. They must show the qualities of a hero or they would not be able to accomplish their quests thoroughly.…

    • 1174 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Superior Essays
  • Improved Essays

    beginning of the epic, the King is seen as selfish and can even Pamela Witkowski Dr. Asma Sayed COMP 102 (AS05) 6 October 2014 Roles of Women in The Iliad and Gilgamesh Gilgamesh is the epic about a powerful King named Gilgamesh who searches for immortality after his best friend, Enkidu, is killed. At the beginning of the epic, the King is seen as selfish and can even be considered a cruel authoritarian leader; his people are not happy with him in power. The journey he forgoes is to look for the plant of immortality, and he has to learn to deal with eventual mortal death. The Iliad is the epic occurring during a part of the Trojan war. Helen of Troy is captured by Paris and is the reason for the start of the Trojan war.…

    • 1095 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Superior Essays

    An Epic Hero is a brave and noble character in an Epic Poem, admired for achievements or affected by events. There are eight elements of an Epic Hero Cycle. The eight elements of an Epic Hero Cycle are: (1) the main character has to be possessed of supernatural abilities; (2) the hero is charged with a quest; (3) the hero is tested, often to prove the worthiness of himself and his quest; (4) the presence of numerous mythical beings, magical and helpful animals, and human helpers and companions; (5) the hero travels take him to a supernatural world, often one that normal human beings are barred from entering; (6) the cycle must reach a low point where the hero nearly gives up his quest or appears defeated; (7) a resurrection; and (8) a restitution.…

    • 1696 Words
    • 7 Pages
    Superior Essays
  • Improved Essays

    Odyssey Literary Analysis

    • 962 Words
    • 4 Pages

    The Odyssey represented a cunning hero, named Odysseus, King of Ithaca. This work of literature highlighted the tantalizing journey he and his man were forced to make fueled by the Trojan War coupled with the Fall of Troy. Odysseus and his men were antagonized by an innumerable amount of hindrances and misfortunes in their ten year journey back to Ithaca. Critics emphasize that although Homeric characters are generally static. Odysseus and his son are fairly different.…

    • 962 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Improved Essays