Indian epic poetry

Homer once stated “what he greatly thought, he nobly dared”. These words eloquently written in Homer’s epic poem, The Odyssey, capture how Odysseus’ personality traits and attributes positively affect the hero status he has earned. His courage, wisdom, and intelligence drive his quest to return home to be reunited with his wife Penelope, and son Telemachus. Over the span of twenty years, Odysseus, pushed to the limits physically through battle, uses his will and perseverance to come out a hero.…

Hook: The definition of a hero is a person who is admired or idealized for courage, outstanding achievements, or noble qualities (“Hero”). B. Link: In The Old Man and the Sea, Santiago encounters many challenging events in which he overcomes. Through his accomplishments, Santiago’s actions display a man who is courageous, determined, and humble. On the other hand, there is Henry Fleming who enlisted in the war to become a hero, but by the end of The Red Badge of Courage, Henry remains a coward…

throughout time. They fill the lore of cultures in all time periods and give societies a beacon of hope. The Epic of Gilgamesh and Beowulf are cultural examples of heroes. These stories gave their respective cultures hope and the thrill of a higher stratosphere of ability and honor. More importantly, these heroes help present day historians learn more about the cultures that idolized them. The Epic of Gilgamesh begins by narrating the rule of Gilgamesh, King of Uruk. Gilgamesh if two thirds god…

Mahabharata has the honor of being the longest epic in world literature but it is not a mere epic; it is a romance, telling the tale of heroic men and women, and of some who were divine; it is a whole literature in itself, containing a code of life, a philosophy of social and ethical relations, and speculative thought on human problems. It is an embodiment of a scripture which provides traditional, ritual and mythical ground for modern Hindus. In a patriarchal society, men set the rules and…

Nobility is one of the few great qualities in a man. In the novel, The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn Jim showed that he is noble several times. One main example of Jim being noble is fleeing to Jackson’s Island to protect the separation of his family. Jim is also a great adult that Huck has in his life. Huck was truly blessed to have Jim in many aspects of this great expedition down the Mississippi River. Jim showed that he is a noble character in The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn on multiple…

The early Middle-Age poem, “The Dream of the Rood”, attempts to reconcile the vast differences between Christian and Pagan beliefs in order to attract Germanic Pagans to the Christian faith. In other words, the poem supports elegiac beliefs with heroic values to make the Christian faith more appealing to those who still hold on to their ancestral Pagan beliefs. The unknown poet draws on heroic elements of wealth, fame, and honor to enhance the Christian story of the crucifixion. Other Pagan…

Publius Vergilius Maro, usually referred to as Virgil, is recognized as the greatest of the Roman poets. His best-known work, the epic poem Aeneid, describes the adventures of Aeneas alongside his fellow survivors of the Trojan War. With many characters filling important moral and symbolic roles, Dido allows the protagonist to exercise an important Roman value, pietas. Dido’s character is present in the first half, books one through six, of the Aeneid. With all of this mention, she must be…

Throughout Anglo-Saxon literature, grand works are often tied with paganism and the beliefs associated with it. However, not all works of literature fall into this classification. As Christianity began to make its mark upon the ancient world, so did its influence upon various parts of Anglo-Saxon society. As a result, many new texts and practices were altered to reflect this shift. The presence of Christian doctrine greatly increased as people began to move away from opposing religions, and…

In ancient Roman history, Virgil a great poet wrote two of the most epic poems in The Iliad and The Aeneid. Both poems contained main characters that were meant to showcase the greatness that was to be a standard for being a great Roman hero in respect to Achilles and Aeneas through respect to Gods, duty to their country and loyalty to family. Although these characters were similar in their own respect, Virgil made a clear distention in the two using their personalities and different motivations…

“There’s heroes and there’s legends: Heroes get remembered, but legends never die” (The Sandlot). This idea of building a reputation that lives on after one is gone is seen in Beowulf, an epic poem by an unknown author from the mid-sixth century. Nearly everyone cares about how they are perceived and their reputation in one way or another, whether it is striving to make people like them or trying to become an unforgettable legend. In either case, the desire to have a good reputation is a strong…