The Odyssey and “A Tale of Two Brothers:” Various Cultures, Similar Virtues
Ancient World Literature consists of folktales, stories, poetry, and other forms of written and verbal work. Within these cultures, are traditions, virtues and beliefs held dear to the people. Through these stories, people were taught how to live and how to be an upstanding citizen in the eyes of the people around them and their god(s). Many can easily recognise how cultures differ, however, it is also quite painless to identify how they cohere. The Ancient Egyptian myth, A Tale of Two Brothers, and the Ancient Greek epic, The Odyssey by Homer” would be an example of such. Although these stories derive from two different pagan and polytheistic cultures, the similarities …show more content…
(No place Like home quote). Although Odysseus continuously went outside of his marriage throughout his journey and stayed on the Island of Kike for a year, there is no argument to prove that he once had no interest of going home. Whether he was with his men or not, he consistently tried his best to get home to his home, possessions, and family. He was also proud of the family he came from. He would often glorify himself after he showed his personal strength, cleverness, or bravery, by referring to himself as Laertes’s son. (QUOTE). Staying true to family ties was one of the greatest ways to show honour to oneself. Similarly, in A Tale of Two Brothers, Batau leaves his brother’s home because he was disloyal and did not show him honour by asking about the story his wife had told him. Although, during those times, when a woman alleged rape she was believed and gone unquestioned, in this instance Batau did no evil. Due to his family ties, he therefore, believed that his brother would ask for his version of events. Once he found out his brother was going to kill him he told him the story then cut off his own penis. In this, the author may have been given a visual note that blood is truly thicker than water and that if there is no family, then there is nothing. From accounts of Batau and Odysseus one can easily identify that family loyalty and honour are to …show more content…
Throughout both, one could easily identify how the cultures were different due to their religious beliefs yet similar due to their faith and family beliefs. Many ancient cultures believed in honouring one’s own country, one’s own family, and oneself. It was quite apparent in The Odyssey and A Tale of Two Brothers that honouring one’s own family and oneself was important in both cultures. Though these countries were many miles apart and these stories were written in different time frames, the similarities are not far apart. This displays world literature as an adhesive force to showcase similarities rather than
Ancient World Literature consists of folktales, stories, poetry, and other forms of written and verbal work. Within these cultures, are traditions, virtues and beliefs held dear to the people. Through these stories, people were taught how to live and how to be an upstanding citizen in the eyes of the people around them and their god(s). Many can easily recognise how cultures differ, however, it is also quite painless to identify how they cohere. The Ancient Egyptian myth, A Tale of Two Brothers, and the Ancient Greek epic, The Odyssey by Homer” would be an example of such. Although these stories derive from two different pagan and polytheistic cultures, the similarities …show more content…
(No place Like home quote). Although Odysseus continuously went outside of his marriage throughout his journey and stayed on the Island of Kike for a year, there is no argument to prove that he once had no interest of going home. Whether he was with his men or not, he consistently tried his best to get home to his home, possessions, and family. He was also proud of the family he came from. He would often glorify himself after he showed his personal strength, cleverness, or bravery, by referring to himself as Laertes’s son. (QUOTE). Staying true to family ties was one of the greatest ways to show honour to oneself. Similarly, in A Tale of Two Brothers, Batau leaves his brother’s home because he was disloyal and did not show him honour by asking about the story his wife had told him. Although, during those times, when a woman alleged rape she was believed and gone unquestioned, in this instance Batau did no evil. Due to his family ties, he therefore, believed that his brother would ask for his version of events. Once he found out his brother was going to kill him he told him the story then cut off his own penis. In this, the author may have been given a visual note that blood is truly thicker than water and that if there is no family, then there is nothing. From accounts of Batau and Odysseus one can easily identify that family loyalty and honour are to …show more content…
Throughout both, one could easily identify how the cultures were different due to their religious beliefs yet similar due to their faith and family beliefs. Many ancient cultures believed in honouring one’s own country, one’s own family, and oneself. It was quite apparent in The Odyssey and A Tale of Two Brothers that honouring one’s own family and oneself was important in both cultures. Though these countries were many miles apart and these stories were written in different time frames, the similarities are not far apart. This displays world literature as an adhesive force to showcase similarities rather than