HUM 111 Project Paper: A Comparative Study of Gilgamesh and Odysseus

This essay provides a comparative analysis of the heroic qualities of Gilgamesh and Odysseus, two prominent figures from different historical periods and cultures. Gilgamesh, a Mesopotamian king, and Odysseus, a Greek hero, are examined in terms of their interactions with life, their adventures, and their roles as representatives of their respective societies. The essay explores their encounters with monsters, their leadership styles, and the cultural values they embodied, highlighting the differences in their approaches to heroism and the expectations placed upon them. Ultimately, the essay emphasizes the importance of compassion, respect, and moral character in defining a true hero, drawing parallels between the challenges faced by Gilgamesh and Odysseus and those encountered by individuals in modern life. Desklib is a great platform to find more papers like this one.

Running head: QUALITIES OF THE HERO
Qualities of the Hero
Name of the Student
Name of the University
Author Note

1QUALITIES OF THE HERO
The heroes Gilgamesh and Odysseus belonged to different periods and were in search of
meaning of life. In this regard, it is worth noting that their characters took a new shape during the
Mesopotamia period and the early period in Greece. The two characters were quite distinct from
each other from the beginning. Gilgamesh was a notable hero of his time and contributed
towards the development of Mesopotamian culture and religion (Burgess, 2017). On the other
hand, Odyssey belonged to early Greece. It is noteworthy to mention here that, both Odyssey and
Gilgamesh were considered to be notable heroic characters of their time. Therefore, their
interactions with life and their adventures proved to be beneficial in explaining their comparison.
The first monster Gilgamesh encountered was Humbaba who was guarding the great
Cedar forest. Gilgamesh decided to kill the monster because he wanted fame and in this process
he disobeyed the divine purpose of the Gods and killed the monster (Callaghan, 2014). In this
context, it can be stated that though Humbaba was a monster but it was serving a divine purpose
of guarding the great Cedar forest. However, before killing the monster he was cursed by it.
After that he encounters different monsters including the “bull of heaven” and the “stone giants”.
The story of Odysseus begins in Greece when he encountered the cyclop Polyphemus, whose
one eye was blinded by him (Glassman, 2017). It can be stated the act was necessarily cruel and
in this regard Odysseus makes the biggest mistake by flaunting his arrogance towards the giant.
It is worth mentioning that both the characters were adventurous however Odysseus had a
charismatic personality when he lured the enchantress Circa for falling in love with him and as
result of this he and his men could escape and continue with their journey. It can be observed
that both Gilgamesh and Odysseus were regarded as representative of God towards the people of
their time. It can be stated that Gilgamesh as the ruler of Uruk was regarded to be harsh and cruel
by his men. On the other hand Odysseus was kind and adventurous however, Odysseus can be

2QUALITIES OF THE HERO
presented as a devious diplomat whereas Gilgamesh relied much on beastly forces during his
adventures (Jaramillo, 2015). Odysseus could defeat the forces coming on his way tactically
however Gilgamesh had to face many difficulties as his path was obstructed by the Gods.
It is evident that both Gilgamesh and Odysseus were from different countries and
cultures. It can be observed that Gilgamesh, during that period used to rule the land by
oppressing his people which was not preferred by the Gods. It is true that the culture of
Mesopotamia was based on religion and kingship (Larsen, 2017). However, the culture of Greece
was based upon companionship and hospitality which secured the people of Greece together. It
can be witnessed as a as result of such existing culture in Greece, the people could easily bond
with different cultures and religion. The people of Greece behaved in a civilized manner and
therefore it can be seen that how Odysseus conquered the forces in a civilized and in a more
respected way (Riley, 2014). Therefore, forming a good relationship and demonstrating
hospitality was what the leaders of Greece was concerned about. The Mesopotamians were
involved in protecting their culture, religion and kingship. They were not concerned about the
values of relationship and respect. This can be witnessed from the stories of Gilgamesh who was
harsh and arrogant towards his subjects.
Therefore, from the above comparison between the two heroes, the ideals and
expectations can be emphasized. It is important on the part of a hero to demonstrate confidence
and skills of leadership appropriately. They should be positive about them and about the changes
around them. They should contribute towards humanity and good relationship. Role models
should achieve their goals no matter how tough it is and is ridiculed by other people. It is
important for them to possess traits of compassion and respect for others. It is important that
modern heroes or role models should engage themselves in activities of humanity other than their

3QUALITIES OF THE HERO
job. They should possess moral character and accountability. It is important to note here that the
challenged faced by Gilgamesh and Odysseus in their times are experienced by modern people in
their everyday life. It can be finally concluded that every individual experiences hardships and
difficulties however; it is important to retain compassion and respect.

4QUALITIES OF THE HERO
References:
Burgess, J. S. (2017). The Apologos of Odysseus: Tradition and conspiracy theories. The
winnowing oar-New Perspectives in Homeric Studies, 95.
Callaghan, P. (2014). Myth as a Site of Ecocritical Inquiry: Disrupting
Anthropocentrism. Interdisciplinary Studies in Literature and Environment, 22(1), 80-97.
Glassman, R. M. (2017). The Rise of the Kingship: Expansionary, Genocidal Warfare. In The
Origins of Democracy in Tribes, City-States and Nation-States (pp. 359-366). Springer,
Cham.
Jaramillo, A. (2015). The Presence and Power of the Hero Theme in Cultural Myth. A Reflection
of a Culture's Values?.
Larsen, K. (2017). The Hero's Quest and the Cycles of Nature: An Ecological Interpretation of
World Mythology. Mythlore, 35(2), 178-185.
Riley, J. M. (2014). “Love the Child who Holds You by the Hand”: Intertextuality in The
Odyssey and The Epic of Gilgamesh. Studia Antiqua, 12(2), 2.