More Than Just a Head

In the epics Beowulf  and Gilgamesh, both of their adversaries had their heads cut off. Beowulf cut off Grendel's head, and Gilgamesh cut off Humbaba's. Afterwards they both picked up the heads and carried them around. Some people may ask why these epic heroes chose the head rather than any other part of their body. Back in those times they didnt have any other way to prove, or show off their victory, so they cut off their heads and carried them as trophies. Both Gilgamesh and Beowulf were victorious in their epic battles,  therefore they gained the right to cut off their heads and honorably carry them around, and hang it up in rememberence of their victories. 

Beowulf and Gilgamesh Motives

I think in Gilgamesh and Beowulf, both characters fight their monster for something in return. Gilgamesh wants to gain immortality, and the only way to achieve that is to impress the gods. In Beowulf, Beowulf wants to achieve fame and glory for being a war hero and great leader. Although Beowulf has good intentions of fighting to save Herot from Grendel, I believe a part of him wants to be recognized as a hero, and he wants to gain treasure. Whether it is immortality or fame, Gilgamesh and Beowulf are somewhat similar through their motives of killing their monster.

Fear and Friendship

I think it is very interesting, in the epic Gilgamesh, how the fear is presented. In the beginning, Gilgamesh is telling Enkidu that he will go first because he is not afraid and nothing can discourage him. Gilgamesh is very impatient and wants to get to the woods immediately to begin the fight with Humbaba but as they approach the gate Gilgamesh is overcome by fear. So Enkidu steps up and tries to encourage Gilgamesh even though he is paralyzed by fear.  Enkidu is encouraging and supportive of Gilgamesh throughout the entire story. I think that this is an accurate representation of how fear and friendship works.

Gilgamesh VS Hector

I think Gilgamesh and Hector have one very interesting point in common. Gilgamesh went to fight Humbaba with Enkidu, and he did not decide to fight until after Humbaba fought Enkidu and fell to the ground. Hector, from The Iliad, avoided face to face combat with Achilles until he thought his brother, who was really Athena in disguise, would stand by his side and fight. Both characters were too afraid to go into battle unless they had someone with them, or they did not have to do anything but kill the enemy. I personally think Hector and Gilgamesh are cowardly to a point.

Armor : A Great Protector

Through the extensive reading I have done on Beowulf and the Iliad, I have come to the conclusion that armor during this time was extremely important. In Beowulf we read that throughout the many wars he fought with monsters, his mail shirt, or armor, was the one thing that kept him alive. For instance, in lines 624 and 625, it discusses the fact that if it weren't for his mail armor protecting him, the blade that Grendel's mother tried to stab into him would have killed him. We see this same importance of armor in the Iliad. Had it not been for Achilles knowing the armor that Hector was wearing, he might not have been able to kill him. Armor was important in many ways, and these were just a few.

A True Friend

 In the epic The Iliad a Greek warrior by the name of Achilles is out to seek revenge on a Trojan warrior named Hector, who killed his best friend and wears his armor.  Achilles does what a true friend should do, when Hector wears the armor of Achilles friend that shows great disrespect. As the chase continues even the gods turn to help Achilles seek revenge. Suddenly Hector has no where to go and knows his time has come, and he choses to stand and fight, but Achilles will-power is to extreme for Hector. In Hectors last words he is pleading and begging for mercy, but Achilles takes it to the extreme of dragging him around the walls of  Troy by a chariot . I think that standing up for your friends is ways a good thing, but maybe he took it a little to far , but ways of life change as well as punishment do too.

Achilles: True Hero?

In the Iliad, an epic poem by Homer, Achilles is well-known as the hero for avenging his friend Patroclus' death. After he killed Patroclus, Hector committed a vile act and did not properly bury him. Although Achilles has a good reason to kill Hector for what he has done, I believe he goes too far. A good hero is supposed to be a role model, and Achilles let his feelings get the best of him. First, he and the Greeks repeatedly stabbed the body of Hector. Then, Achilles openly defiled the body by dragging it behind his chariot. Achilles may have had a good reason for doing this, but I believe it was not the right way to handle the situation. For this reason, I believe Achilles is not a true hero, just a willful friend bent on revenge.

Similarities

I think there are some similarities between Beowulf and The Iliad. They had similar goals. Both Beowulf and Achilles killed for good reasons.  Beowulf killed Grendel to defend Herot and to stop him from harming more people. Achilles killed Hector to avenge the death of his best friend, Patrolus. Beowulf and Achilles ruthlessly killed their enemies who were weaker. They then proudly show that they had won the battles.

Beowulf

I believe Beowulf is the perfect example of an epic hero. Not only is he courageous and strong, but he possesses a quality that all great hero's should have, which is leadership. You can tell that Beowulf is a leader in part one when he voluntary goes to Denmark to kill Grendel. But this quality really shines in part two when Beowulf goes to fight the dragon. Beowulf ,an old man at that time, goes to fight the dragon alone instead of sending his warriors.

The Heroes' Challenges

The challenges each hero faces vary in several different way. Although Beowulf's and Gilgamesh's enemies are supernatural beings, Achilles' nemsis is the human Trojan hero Hector. Grendel, Beowulf's inevitable challenge, is considered a monster from hell and is a threat to the people of Herot and must be killed in order to bring peace. Gilgamesh's enemy is the forest giant Humbaba, but he never does threaten Gilgamesh. Therefore Gilgamesh's battle with Humbaba is a self caused conflict and could have been avoided. Achilles' fight with Hector is to avenge the death of Patroclus. Achilles' challenge was neither an unavoidable deed nor a self caused conflict. He reacted to Hector's murder of Patroclus which set of Achilles to duel Hector.

Small Scale Battle vs. Total War

Beowulf, Gilgamesh, and The Iliad all involve epic battles. Beowulf fights the monster Grendel. Gilgamesh defeats the beast Humbaba. Finally, Achilles avenges his friend Patroclus by defeating Hector. Both Beowulf and Gilgamesh fight their fight and the battle is over. However, Achilles' battle, on the other hand, is only a small part of a large scale war known as the Trojan War.

A Look Into the Monsters

I found the monsters of the epics Gilgamesh and Beowulf  to be the more interesting characters. For them both to be monsters, they both are pretty different from the other. Humbaba, for example, was a servant to the gods, while Grendel hated them and was even referred to as a son of Caine. In Gilgamesh, Humbaba does not do anything to provoke the attack from Gilgamesh and Enkidu, but Grendel simply attacks and kills without remorse. Even though both are monsters, it does not mean that they both deserved the same end.

Epic Poem

The definition of a Epic Poem is " a long  narrative poem telling of a hero's deeds". The three that we have discussed have been remembered and cherished because they exemplify this definition superbly. Not only does the epics, Beowulf, Gilgamesh and the Iliad all give extraordinary heroes who portray wonderful traits it also gives you incite to a few of their flaws  such as selfishness, greed, and self control. These flaws are what have allowed the poems to stand above others throughout the years.Readers get the since of the perfect hero but feel they can relate to him when they are revealed he isn't completely perfect.

Grendel: The Superior Villian

I think most of you would agree that Grendel was the superior villain. He came to Herot every night for twelve years without anyone stopping him; he clearly had no fear (that is, until Beowulf came along). I mean, he is certainly a better monster than Humbaba because Humbaba begged and pleaded for mercy. If Grendel and Hector were in a battle together I would probably bet on Grendel to win, after all, Hector was just a mere human. Grendel, through my eyes, was stronger and defiantly more fearful than the cowardly Humbaba and Hector, the mortal.

Not Just Battling Monsters

Not every epic hero necessarily has to battle a monster, as seen in the Iliad. Unlike Beowulf and Gilgamesh, the brave prince of Greece Achilles must fight a fellow warrior like himself. After learning his best friend Patroclus was killed by his rival Hector, Achilles seeks to take revenge on him. As seen in the other two epics Beowulf and Gilgamesh seek to win a battle against an evil monster. Even though all three of these heroes had to engage in battle, Achilles proved that not every epic hero has to fight a monster to earn glory.

Beowulf

The epic, Beowulf, uses a couple of literary terms including alliteration and kennings. Alliteration is the repetition of consonant sounds in words close to one another. For example, in line thirty-one there is the repeated "w" sound in went, wondering, and warriors. Also this epic uses kennings which are hyphenated words. For example, the words razor-sharp and strong-hearted are kennings. There are many other examples of alliteration and kennings throughout the epic Beowulf, but these are just a few examples.

Gilgamesh is not a real hero.

Gilgamesh who is the hero of the epic tale with the same name had no reason to kill the villain the story Humbaba.He only killed Humbaba for his own selfish gain.This is not usually a trait or characteristic of an epic hero,most epic heroes are selfless and only want to help other. As is the story for the another story we read called "Beowulf". Beowulf went to go help out King Hrothgar,who was having a problem with a monster called Grendel killing his people.

Worthy of Praise

In part two of the epic Beowulf, Wiglaf, one of Beowulf's many warriors, deserves all the praise. Beowulf has to fight a gruesome dragon at a very old age, not to mention he is also a king. Beowulf has many younger warriors that he brings to the battle only to make them stand and watch the fight atop a hill. Beowulf suffers a mortal injury, and Wiglaf is the only warrior who stays to help Beowulf.  In my opinion all the other warriors acted cowardly, and Wiglaf is the only one besides Beowulf who deserves praise.

The Quest for Full Immortality

In comparison of Gilgamesh and Beowulf, they both are in search of full immortality. Gilgamesh is two-thirds god and one-third human, and he ventures on a quest for full immortality by killing Humbaba the guardian of the cedar forest. Beowulf is full human and travels on a journey to fulfill immortality by becoming an epic hero for his people and killing Grendel the monster of the village. Both epic heroes ultimately succeed in attaining immortality, despite their differences and struggles. In the end, both heroes conquer their fears and defeat the monsters that stand in the way of their immortal power.

Beowulf and Gilgamesh Contrast

In the epic poems Beowulf and Gilgamesh, the characters show some differences to the fact of why they are fighting who they are fighting. In Beowulf, Beowulf hears of Grendel and what he has done to all of the Danes and thinks of it not only as a challenge but also as a responsibility to kill the demon. In Gilgamesh, Gilgamesh sees his situation quite differently than Beowulf; Gilgamesh hears of Humbaba, guardian of the Cedar Forest, and wants to find and kill him only because he wants fame and immortality. The heroes show some differences as to why they are fighting their enemies in the epic poems.

Achilles and Gilgamesh: A Different Type of Hero.

The two epic heroes, Gilgamesh and Achilles, while from different time periods and locations, have certain similarities that are usually uncommon when referring to heroes. These two heroes are both concerned with fame over anything else, Gilgamesh choosing to fight Humbaba without being provoked, and Achilles wanting to make sure that his name is remembered throughout history. Another point that could be made is that Gilgamesh and Achilles give into their anger unlike most epic heroes, Gilgamesh being driven to kill Humbaba when Enkidu is put into danger and Achilles kills Hector as revenge for his cousin Patroclus. These two characters intrigue me because they're so unlike the usual heroes found in epics. They at first come across as selfish but the more you look into them you find out they're really layered characters with some conflicting traits.

Beowulf and Gilgamesh Comparison

In the epic poems Beowulf and Gilgamesh, Beowulf and Gilgamesh can be compared due to their increase in selfishness during their battles. In Beowulf, Beowulf is selfish because he brought his companions with him to fight Grendel knowing not all of them would make it through the battle alive. Gilgamesh shows his selfishness during his fight against Humbaba by bringing his Best friend Enkidu into the deadly situation. Both Beowulf and Gilgamesh can be compared due to the selfishness they portrayed during their battles.

Selfish Similarities

These extraordinary epics are similar because of the common element of selfishness that flows throughout the stories. Beowulf seems to be selfless by arriving at Herot to fight Grendel, when in reality he is only after the fame and glory that victory will bring him. Gilgamesh carries out the selfish act of traveling to the Cedar Forest to kill Humbaba, but only for the satisfaction of being his slayer. This lead to the death of Gilgamesh's dearest friend Enkidu. Achilles seems to be the least selfish of the three  because he seeks Hector's death out of vengeance for his friend Patroclus. The selfish act of Achilles seems to be the fact that he doesn't fight Hector until after Zeus has determined their faith. The heroes had many similarities but their selfishness was one of the more prominent ones.

Background

Choosing to explain the background of The Iliad, this epic is essentially a war story about heroic warriors, like Achilles, who do their best to achieve arête, or personal honor and excellence. Back then it was honorable to fight bravely for a king and his comrades and dishonorable to seek safety when threatened. Achilles strives for revenge and races to Hector, while Hector tries to run away from his problems. It was preferred to die at the hands of an enemy than to live with the dishonor of fighting and failed to give his best. Soon Hector, thinking he could actually win the battle, stops running from Achilles  and shows his honor by dying at the hands of his enemy. 

Iliad : Epic Simile

In the epic The Iliad, epic simile is used twice. This literary device is a long, elaborate comparison of two events, one unusual and heroic, and the other familiar and ordinary. The epic simile in lines one through seven is allowing the reader to imagine the scene of Achilles chasing Hector by the use of descriptive words comparing Achilles to a hound and Hector to a fawn. In lines four through six we can clearly see the image of Achilles running Hector down until he kills him, because the lines say, "the hound comes racing fast, nosing him out until he lands his kill". With the use of epic simile, we are able to visualize the words of the author in a more fascinating way, allowing the reader to fully grasp and understand  the text.

Similar Heroes

Numerous similarities are displayed throughout the two epics of Beowulf and Gilgamesh. The first similarity portrayed is the point that both of the heroes contain incredible strength. Next similar point that is shown throughout the epics is that Beowulf and Gilgamesh both fight for good against evil. Another point displayed is the fact that both warriors fight against a horrifying monster. Final similarity shown is the fact that Beowulf and Gilgamesh are both victorious at the end of their epics.

Beowulf and Gilgamesh

Beowulf and Gilgamesh have many differences portrayed throughout their epics. The first difference displayed is that Beowulf fights to save a town while Gilgamesh fights to prove himself. Another difference shown is the fact that Beowulf contains honor as where Gilgamesh carries too much pride for himself. Next, Beowulf brings along 14 of his best men as for Gilgamesh who fights alongside his friend Enkidu. Final difference shown is that Beowulf battles with his hands only while Gilgamesh, on the other hand, fights with an ax.

Foil: Gilgamesh and Enkidu

In the epic,Gilgamesh, we see the use of a foil between Gilgamesh and his companion Enkidu. A foil is a character who helps define another character by contrast. The biggest contrast between these two characters is there personality traits. Enkidu is wise, cowardly and thinks through every situation before making a decision. Where as Gilgamesh is courageous, strong willed, and impulsive. Enkidu is the perfect example of a foil because for what Gilgamesh lacks in personality traits Enkidu makes up for.

The Iliad, Beowulf and Gilgamesh: Differences and Similarities

In my opinion, I think The Iliad was different than Beowulf and Gilgamesh; although, they do have their similarities. Achilles wanted to achieve personal revenge on Hector for killing his best friend; whereas, Beowulf and Gilgamesh slay monsters to gain immortality. The heroes in Beowulf and Gilgamesh had extreme pride and brag frequently of themselves but, on the other hand, Achilles was too concerned with getting back at Hector to boast of himself. The three epics are also similar because the heroes were victorious at the end of their daring battles. In addition, each epic hero was royalty; Gilgamesh and Achilles were princes and Beowulf became king . All three stories had similar points but, The Iliad stood out to me.

Three Different Heroes

Beowulf, the epic hero from England, gains immortal glory by slaying Grendel and saving the people of Herot. Beowulf achieves this by killing Grendel, slaying sea monsters, and ridding the land of a dragon, but only for the aid of others. Gilgamesh, the epic hero of Mesopotamia, is a king, who like Beowulf, wants immortal glory. Unlike Beowulf, however, Gilgamesh risks the lifes of others in his selfish attempt to gain it. He foolishly seeks a battle with Humbaba, who never truly posed a threat to Gilgamesh, and it results with the death of Gilgamesh's best friend Enkidu. Achilles, the Greek hero, is very much different from Beowulf and Gilgamesh. Instead of glory, Achilles seeks revenge for the death of his friend Patroclus who was killed by the Hector. Achilles' rage drives him to defeat Hector which glorifies Achilles.

Gilgamesh

In the epic Gilgamesh, Enkido serves as a foil to Gilgamesh on their journey to the cedar forest and throughout their battle with Humbaba. Gilgamesh, who is two-thirds god and one-third human, is civilized and courageous; whereas, Enkido, a natural man, is 100% human and innocent of the ways of civilized society. Also Gilgamesh is immensely selfish and wants to fight Humbaba just so he can obtain immortality. Enkido, who was raised in the woods and is pure-hearted, is scared and knows they should not fight Humbaba. In the cedar forest the night before fighting Humbaba, Gilgamesh went right to sleep and had vivid dreams about defeating Humbaba, but for poor Enkido, he could not rest because he was scared and in pain. For these reasons and several more, Enkido serves as a foil to Gilgamesh because he helps to define him by means of contrast in the epic Gilgamesh.

Three Different Battles

Even though Beowulf, Gilgamesh, and Achilles all have intense battles, the reasoning behind these three battles are all completely different. Beowulf, a mighty hero, travels to Denmark to kill Grendel and save King Hrothgar's mead hall. Gilgamesh on the other hand, a very selfish hero,  only wants to defeat Humbaba to obtain immortality. Achilles, in his battle against Hector, is seeking revenge for the death of his dear friend Patroclus. So I feel that even though all the battles had different reasoning behind them, Gilgamesh's fight with Humbaba was the most unnecessary and the most selfish of all three battles.

Beowulf and Gilgamesh

In my opinion, Beowulf is the greater hero. Beowulf fought Grendel to help the people of Herot and stopped him from continuing to terrorize them. Gilgamesh fought Humbaba to only bring himself immortality, he didn't care about the people. Because Gilgamesh did this he lost his friend, Enkidu. Beowulf saved many people but Gilgamesh only caused unnecessary death. This proves Beowulf to be the better hero.

Beowulf: The Epic Hero

In my opinion, Beowulf is an archetype of an epic hero.  Because Beowulf portrays bravery, strength, and loyalty, he is considered an epic hero, and many people look up to him. He shows his bravery by challenging the fearsome monster, Grendel, and stepping up to Grendel's mother. He also exemplifies his strength by ripping Grendel's arm off with his bare hands. Finally, Beowulf proves his loyalty to King Hrothgar and his people by defeating Grendel, just as he had planned to. In all, Beowulf is the perfect example of an epic hero.

Gilgamesh vs. Beowulf: The Greater Hero

In my opinion, although Beowulf and Gilgamesh are both ancient epic heroes, their characters and actions prove that Beowulf was superior to Gilgamesh. Beowulf was unselfish in his works and brave in his many fights. Exemplifying core hero ideals, Beowulf presented great generosity when offering his assistance to rid all evil from Herot. While fighting the mighty Grendel, Beowulf demonstrated outstanding bravery by attacking with only his hands. However, Gilgamesh only tried to obtain immortality for himself, and this display of selfishness ultimately led to his friend's death. During the confrontation with Humbaba, Gilgamesh was frozen with fright, and his lack of bravery at that moment left Enkidu, his friend, vulnerable to the monster's attack.  These different occurrences, testing each character's actions and morals, prove Beowulf is the superior hero.

Help for the Heroes

 

           In all three epics the main character/hero receives help in some way. Beowulf, in the final battle with the dragon, defeats it with the aid of his dependable friend Wiglaf. The two-thirds god and one-third part human Gilgamesh receives guidance from his loyal companion Enkidu while in the woods looking for Humbaba. Likewise in the Iliad, the prince of Greece Achilles gets assistance from the goddess Athena and she helps him to defeat his rival Hector. As seen in all three of these epics a hero doesn't always have to fight the battle alone. 

Homework: Thursday, September 26, 2013

Seniors,

I will grade your first post and reply by Thursday, September 26, 2013 at 4:00 p.m.
The grade is 100 points, with 75 for post and 25 for reply.
Use Standard English, a variety of sentence structures, and creativity that allows all viewers to learn from the epics.

Beowulf: True Hero

I believe that Beowulf shows the greatest characteristics of a true hero more than both Gilgamesh and Achilles. Gilgamesh wishes to slay Humbaba simply for personal gain. Achilles fights for revenge against Hector for killing his companion Patroclus. The true hero, Beowulf, goes to slay Grendel with no motive other than to simply help out his common man. Although all are know as "epic heroes", I believe Beowulf personifies true heroism the greatest.

Beowulf vs Gilgamesh

  In my opinion I enjoyed the epic Beowulf more than Gilgamesh , because Beowulf's heroic action was for the people, whereas  Gilgamesh does it simply for self fame. I think that Beowulf  is a perfect example of a hero,and Gilgamesh is more like a normal towns person wanting fame. Beowulf puts his life on the line to serve and to protect the Danes from Grendel. When Gilgamesh ventures into the forest to attack Humbaba, he exposes his best friend Enkidu to the danger of the monster. Instead of taking the lead and protecting his friend he allows Humbaba to attack and kill his small friend Enkidu . If I could be like either of these heroes I would chose Beowulf, because Beowulf possesses  great bravery and courage that everyone can appreciate.

The Real Hero

Although Gilgamesh is portrayed as the hero in the epic Gilgamesh, I feel as though Enkidu could also be seen as a hero. In epics, the hero usually dies, and even though Enkidu does not die in the excerpt that our class read, he does die in the full version of the book. Most heroes possess superhuman strength, but Enkidu is not said to have these strengths; however, Enkidu's wisdom and knowledge of the wild could make up for his lack of strength. Lastly, heroes partake in acts of selflessness, and Enkidu shows this characteristic when he is willing to befriend Gilgamesh, who he does not even know, and help him on his trek to kill the giant Humbaba. Because of the points mentioned above, this I why I believe that Enkidu is more of a hero than Gilgamesh in the epic Gilgamesh.

Conflicts in the Epics

In the epics of Beowulf, Gilgamesh, and The Iliad, all the characters face a challenging conflict. In the epic, Beowulf, Beowulf ventures to Denmark to protect Herot from a horrifying and cold-hearted monster named Grendel. Beowulf outsmarts the dreadful beast, and he emerges victorious in battle from the monster's home in the boiling swamp. Next, Gilgamesh, a two-thirds god and one-third human mesopotamian warrior, and his best friend, Enkidu, set out on a quest to kill Humbaba, the guardian of the cedar forest, to obtain immortality. Humbaba assails Enkidu and beats Gilgamesh's best friend into the ground; however, Gilgamesh defeats Humbaba by slicing through the giant's thick neck. Finally, in The Iliad, Achilles and Hector engage in a violent fight to the death. Hector disrespectfully kills Achilles's best friend, Patroclus, and leaves the body for the animals to devour. Achilles persues Hector in an attempt to end the Prince of Troy's merciless life, and in the end, Athena assists Achilles and brings Hector's life to a sudden halt. The events that appear in Beowulf, Gilgamesh, and The Iliad display various forms of complications, and the epic heroes overcome each personal predicament.