Comparison Of Gilgamesh And Oedipus The King

Odysseus and Gilgamesh were two epic heroes included in some of the first works of literature that we have. These characters were created in two epic poems; where The Epic of Gilgamesh was developed in Mesopotamia and Homer’s The Odyssey was in Greece. These are two very popular works of art that helped people learn about the cultures during those times. These literatures also helped people have a better understanding of how we got where we are today in history. Throughout my essay; I will compare and contrast the two epic heroes and how they contributed to their society in their own ways. Also, I will distinguish their characters and what they learn on their quests.

The Epic of Gilgamesh is a Mesopotamian myth and the oldest known narrative there is, originally created on clay tablets written in cuneiform. The story focuses on two individuals. Gilgamesh, who is the tyrannical ruler of the kingdom of Uruk. Then his counterweight, Enkidu who resides in the forest and was raised by animals. It may seem that neither would have much in common, considering one is royalty and one is a wild man. However, these two characters balance each other despite their differences, which results in a beautiful friendship, but both will lose as well as gain in the end.

The Epic of Gilgamesh and The Odyssey have been a part of human literature for many, many years now, they are both more referred to as epic poems. Both epics are found in different points of time in human cultures stretching roughly 1000 years apart. The Epic of Gilgamesh is a poem from early Mesopotamian culture and The Odyssey is said to be written from the early onset of the Greek civilization. The main characters for these epics are Gilgamesh, a demigod and ruler of Uruk, and Odysseus a great warrior returning home to his wife from war. The two main characters of these epic poems, Gilgamesh and Odysseus share many traits together and apart from each other. Among the qualities that these characters display in each of their respective poems,

The Odyssey, written in 725 BCE. in Greece is a tale of a great warrior Odysseus, trying to return home to his wife after fighting a great war. The Epic of Gilgamesh, written earlier in 2700 B.C. in Mesopotamia, is the tale of a King Gilgamesh who goes on a quest to find immortality. Throughout these two epics’ both Gilgamesh and Odysseus are required to fight for their survival.  In the Epic of Gilgamesh, the king of Uruk has to fight Humbaba, a giant beast who is the guardian of the Cedar Forest. While Odysseus lands in the island of the Cyclopes and is trapped in a cave with a giant.

621 ln. 149-150) after Creon tells him why they stopped searching for Laius’s killer. Dramatic irony is present when Oedipus tries to skirt the horrible prophecy of him killing his father and coupling with his mother, because in fleeing Corinth to avoid murdering Polybus, he is actually taking the correct path to fulfill the prophecy. Again his overconfidence and pride contributes to his impending doom; in believing that he has outwitted the gods he challenges his fate. Although he has enough reverence to the deities not to assume himself to be an equal with the gods, but greater than them it is clear through the word usage that Oedipus perceives himself to be of a greater importance than the lesser mortals that surround him “One of you summon the city here before us, tell them I’ll do everything. God help us, we will see our triumph-or our fall” (p. 621 ln. 163-165). He is conceited to think that he can shape his own destiny and the gods punish him for this arrogance.

An epic hero is a character in an epic poem that is recognized for their courageousness and success in the face of great trials and tribulations whereas a tragic hero is a character in a tragedy who, despite his/her nobility, can’t escape their imminent collapse. Although Gilgamesh is an epic hero and Oedipus is a tragic hero there are many similarities between both epics. Both characters are valiant and heroic in their very own way.

As king of Thebes, Oedipus is a very short-tempered leader who thinks, and sometimes even rules, by the seat of his pants. When Oedipus learns of the plague over Thebes, he chooses to root out the source and eliminate the scourge over his city. This is all well and good until Oedipus starts hearing things he does not like. When Creon sends for the blind prophet Tiresias, the same prophet who told Laius and

At the beginning Oedipus is characterized as a great leader. For example, he solves the riddle of the Sphinx, which is the winged female monster that terrorized the city (Sophocles 487). Here we can see how Oedipus is clever and smart. In result the people of Thebes respect him for his cleverness and reward him as King. People even look at him as being almighty when it comes to handling problems such as, when there is a plague that is killing people, animals and made women give birth to nothing. They knew he would help as long as he was aware of the situation. “We’ve come because you are the best man at handling trouble or confronting the gods” (Sophocles 487). This statement shows how people depend on him and look at him as a great leader. It also shows how he is a man of action and looks after his people as a king should. With that being said, he is told to find the killer of Laios and either banish them or kill them to stop the plague. Likewise, he did what he is commanded to do, he obeys the god and search for the killer that killed the previous king. Furthermore, he follows instruction and is concerned for himself and the people of Thebes. “My heart grieves for you, for myself, and for our city” (Sophocles 487).

Although The Iliad of Homer and The Epic of Gilgamesh were pieces of ancient literature written over a thousand years apart, they share similar thematic, structural and character components. Both epics focus on the development of their main heroes, Gilgamesh and Achilles, and their closest companions, Enkidu and Patroklos. The story of heroism is universal in all epics, however, it is through the death of these companions that humanize Gilgamesh and Achilles while awakening their heroic potential.

Sometimes it only takes a few seemingly small flaws to determine if one will live a lifetime of adversity, and this appears to be the case for both Odysseus in Homer’s Odyssey and Gilgamesh in the Epic of Gilgamesh. Unlike what their grand titles may suggest, these ‘ancient heroes’ were by no means perfect people, and, if anything, it would be more realistic to attribute the concept of imperfection with them instead. However, that is not suggesting that heroism equates to imperfection, but rather that these heroes have earned their titles from their battles with their imperfections.

Back in the days of ancient Greece and before this time, epic heros have had their lives chronicled and the stories of them passed on from generation to generation, all the way to our present day in our lives. Two of the greatest heros that have been expressed in past epic stories were Gilgamesh from the epic named after him, and Achilles from Homer’s Iliad. The two of their stories however, transpired in two different eras, their lives both had a surprising number of common points. Of course with things in common, there always comes differences, in the way they lived and the ideals they believed in.

The Epic of Gilgamesh and The Odyssey both are held in high respect by literature analysts and historians alike for the characterization of the hero and his companion, the imagery brought to mind when one of them is read, and the impressive length in relation to the time period it was written in. The similarities that these two epics share do not end with only those three; in fact, the comparability of these works extend to even the information on the author and the archetypes used. However, The Odyssey and The Epic of Gilgamesh contrast from one another in their writing styles, character details, and main ideas. Both epics weave together a story of a lost man who must find his way, but the path of their stories contrast from one another.

In the readings, The Epic of Gilgamesh and Oedipus Rex, both protagonists embark in an epic journey to either better themselves, or their kingdoms. Gilgamesh slays a monster with the help of Enkidu for fame, but then leaves his kingdom of Uruk to go on a quest for immortality. Oedipus outsmarts a monster and saves the city of Thebes once, but then has to save it once more by leaving Thebes. Both protagonists have similarities and differences in each of their journeys.

When he first speaks to the citizens of Thebes, he shows a side of himself that cares about the city and its people. “…my spirit / Groans for the city, for myself, for you…” (I. Prologue. 65-66), says Oedipus. He shows that he really does want what’s best for everyone. But then, he goes and insults the psychic, Teiresias, when Teiresias tells him that he is King Laius’ killer and the source of the plague. Says Oedipus, “You sightless, witless, senseless, mad old man!” (I. 1. 356). He refuses to believe that he is the source of his peoples’ troubles. As one A.E. Haigh said, “[Oedipus] catches at each hint, and pursues each clue, with a light and cheerful heart…” But unfortunately, he doesn’t stay so light and cheerful. He shows all sides of himself throughout the story, which really helps the reader stay intrigued with Oedipus and the story as a whole.

The Epic of Gilgamesh and the Odysseus both are poems that have since early times been viewed as stories that teach the reader valuable life lessons, almost like a self-help book in today’s society. They both teach a lot of the same general lessons but there are some key similarities and differences throughout both works. Such as perseverance, and the inevitability of death are both lessons that are taught in each poem but they are presented to the reader through different interpretations. In the Epic of Gilgamesh and The Odyssey there are two main characters both viewed as heroic figures in which the develop a greater knowledge of human mankind and immorality.