Status and Heroism In his classic fantasy tale, The Hobbit, J.R.R. Tolkien writes, “I am looking for someone to share in an adventure that I am arranging, and it 's very difficult to find anyone. 'I should think so — in these parts! We are plain quiet folk and have no use for adventures.’” Homer’s Odyssey, chapters eight and nine, and Vyasa’s The Mahabharata, In the Beginning and The Ring & the Well, are primary forms of epic poems telling the grand tales of Ulysses and Drona, respectfully. Both authors tell of divine deities of the culture, glory of war, justice, and power. Two historically revered epic poems, the Odyssey and The Mahabharata, espouse very similar yet also very different values of status and heroism that provide insight into
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The Odyssey and the Mahabharata both start with the main heroine telling their stories of sorrow and how they overcame their troubles. Ulysses tells of the heavy hand Heaven laid upon him, while Drona depicts his poor life in a village. The men however, then go on to tell about their adventures and this shows that society is able to overcome distresses and can work towards a better life through determination and a good work ethic. The two epic poems are also similar in the way they revere family names. In the Mahabharata, Kripa asks Karna, “Tell us your name, and the name of your father and mother, and your royal name.” In the Odyssey the Cyclops is seen crying on the cliff, “calling out to his father Poseidon for vengeance.” These two examples tell us that society is driven by power, family names, and social order. Along with power, Homer and Vyasa both yearn for respecting their country, home, and teachers. Ulysses was being kept captive at Calypso’s cave, one of the many places he visited, and was being persuaded to marry her; however, he deemed that “there is nothing dearer to a man than his own country and his parents, and however splendid a home he may have in a foreign country, if it be far from father or mother, he does not care about it.” He greatly looks towards his parents and his country as mentors and thrives to …show more content…
Heroic deeds and extended travel are significant aspects to an epic poem. The Odyssey tells tales of great lands being traversed and many regions being explored. Ulysses tales depict him being the land of the Cyclops, great hurricane blowing them back to Aeolus’s Island, and the wooded island of Zacynthus. The Mahabharata however, focuses more on one specific area where the events happen. Drona grows up in the Kingdom of Panchala and when he is no longer a beggar, lives in Hastinapura where the majority of the story takes place. Another difference between these two poems is how foreign creatures and gods are described. In the Odyssey, the Cyclops and the husky girl of the land of Laestrygonians are described as being hideous and evil people. This shows how Greek society valued status in not only money and wealth, but also in looks and family name. Indian epics tell more about Gods and how they enhance the adventures or stories in the poem. The Gods and Goddess are seen as more divine and elegant, such as Karna “entering the arena like a golden lion, wearing the earring with which he was born, and the golden armor bearing the sun wheel upon the breastplate.” His presence is well noticed and his sun wheel, symbolizing the Dharma wheel, enhances the beauty and reverence for the Gods and supernatural
The Odyssey and the Mahabharata both start with the main heroine telling their stories of sorrow and how they overcame their troubles. Ulysses tells of the heavy hand Heaven laid upon him, while Drona depicts his poor life in a village. The men however, then go on to tell about their adventures and this shows that society is able to overcome distresses and can work towards a better life through determination and a good work ethic. The two epic poems are also similar in the way they revere family names. In the Mahabharata, Kripa asks Karna, “Tell us your name, and the name of your father and mother, and your royal name.” In the Odyssey the Cyclops is seen crying on the cliff, “calling out to his father Poseidon for vengeance.” These two examples tell us that society is driven by power, family names, and social order. Along with power, Homer and Vyasa both yearn for respecting their country, home, and teachers. Ulysses was being kept captive at Calypso’s cave, one of the many places he visited, and was being persuaded to marry her; however, he deemed that “there is nothing dearer to a man than his own country and his parents, and however splendid a home he may have in a foreign country, if it be far from father or mother, he does not care about it.” He greatly looks towards his parents and his country as mentors and thrives to …show more content…
Heroic deeds and extended travel are significant aspects to an epic poem. The Odyssey tells tales of great lands being traversed and many regions being explored. Ulysses tales depict him being the land of the Cyclops, great hurricane blowing them back to Aeolus’s Island, and the wooded island of Zacynthus. The Mahabharata however, focuses more on one specific area where the events happen. Drona grows up in the Kingdom of Panchala and when he is no longer a beggar, lives in Hastinapura where the majority of the story takes place. Another difference between these two poems is how foreign creatures and gods are described. In the Odyssey, the Cyclops and the husky girl of the land of Laestrygonians are described as being hideous and evil people. This shows how Greek society valued status in not only money and wealth, but also in looks and family name. Indian epics tell more about Gods and how they enhance the adventures or stories in the poem. The Gods and Goddess are seen as more divine and elegant, such as Karna “entering the arena like a golden lion, wearing the earring with which he was born, and the golden armor bearing the sun wheel upon the breastplate.” His presence is well noticed and his sun wheel, symbolizing the Dharma wheel, enhances the beauty and reverence for the Gods and supernatural