Literature Class of 2014
Fyffe Senior bloggers worked on Battle of the Royal Epics
Thursday, September 26, 2013
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.
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I agree with you on the point that both heroes are concerned with fame over anything else. Throughout their fights, both Gilgamesh and Achilles are driven to be victorious in their fights not only by fame but also by the means of saving a friend and gaining revenge for a friends death.
ReplyDeleteI also agree with you in your post. Gilgamesh is definitely more concerned about fame and total immortality whereas Achilles is more concerned about wergil over his dearest friend Patroclus.
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