Fate and Divine Intervention: Odysseus’s Trek Home In Greek culture, a recurring theme is that a mortal’s fate is usually determined by the gods. Throughout the story, we see mortals make sacrifices to the gods in hopes of having a better fortune; sometimes, the inability to make sacrifices can upset the gods and cause turmoil to the lives of mortals. We also see gods intervening in the lives of mortals. Gods and mortals are generally thought of as two different species of existence. With this, they seem to live two different lives, and never interact or live amongst with each other because they are of two different worlds.
A human sent down and created by the gods to rival Gilgamesh, ended up befriending the protagonist. Gilgamesh believing he is superior, found an equal to him. Slowly as the story continues Gilgamesh finds a brotherly love towards Enkidu. This is very important because this is the first time Gilgamesh has expressed more than superiority. This causes him to shift his tyrannous ruler ways to wanting to do better things for his city.
Sumerians based their gods according to the forces in nature they also had a close relationship with their gods even though their gods were known to be cruel; their worship was also based around divinity. The Sumerians believed that they existed and were on earth to serve the gods. People of all ages would suffer the gods fury and face challenges as a punishment from the gods if they did not serve or worship the gods properly. Both the gods and the people needed each other for example the gods needed the people to admire them and maintain them, meanwhile the gods from time to time would give them gifts or favors. It was believed that the kings were the gods’ representatives on earth; the kings had special privileges and special tasks that they had to accomplish.
One, for instance, is when Zeus complains about the mortal beings to the other gods. He says how “reckless”(78) they are and how they always put blame on the gods. He said, “How shameless--the way these mortals blame the gods. From us alone, they say, come all their miseries, yes, but they themselves, with their own reckless ways, compound their pains beyond their proper share.”(78) Zeus clearly explains his whole hearted resentment towards the mortal beings that blame them. Although it seems that way, he is clearly thrilled that the mortals still think of them everyday.
The characters of Hamlet and Achilles, even though from very different time periods, encompass many of the same themes and characteristics. These two characters have many close comparisons, but upon closer inspection they differ on a grand scale. This is immanently due mainly to the time period and culture that each character was submersed in and how each character was supposed to act and to extenuate the main essence of the individual culture. Achilles was considered one of, if not, greatest warrior of the Trojan War in Homer’s Iliad. What made Achilles such an honorable hero was the fact that he fought for his own pride, not the desire to conquer the war.
Be it between general Men and Women, Husband and Wife or Kings and Gods. Firstly, discussing the power structure between king and god, in Sophocles’ “Oedipus Tyrannus” the king Oedipus says, “I would be no true man if did not perform all that the god reveals.” But earlier, he also tells his citizens “Your pain comes on each of you for himself alone, and for no other, but my soul is in pain at once for the city, for myself, and for you.” Here, the author is trying to proclaim that Oedipus is an exceptional king by showing us the two qualities of a great ruler, which are, obeying gods and taking care of his citizens. Moreover, in Euripides’ Bacchae, a play that showcases God
Epic of Gilgamesh Alternate Perspective Good morning teachers and students, today I will be presenting Gilgamesh’s real perspective of his adventures. The fluid nature of perspective is derived from the susceptibility of information to varied interpretations. This is explicated in the ‘Epic of Gilgamesh’, where the protagonist’s selflessness and love for Uruk and its people is overlooked due to the rigid expectations of modern society. The incongruities between Gilgamesh’s own perspective and a modern interpretation show that society’s perceptions of a ‘hero’ are highly volatile, relying immensely on the innate subjectivity of perspectives. The aberrant perspective of Gilgamesh which I am presenting may seem divergent and atypical when analysed in accordance to our modern values and principles, but to Gilgamesh this would be quite natural.
Prove from the two plays clearly disclose the role of gods in portraying Oedipus as a tragic hero and how Othello’s actions led to his down fall. II. Body A. Oedipus actions are determined before birth while Othello’s path towards destruction finds him mature and famous. i. Oedipus was thrown away at childhood to avoid the curse ii. Othello encountered his obstacles when he could make trustworthy decisions.
Ironically though, Socrates was put to death because of some of his thoughts. Apparently, a too examined life was also not worth living through the eyes of his executioner(s). This shows a strong tie to religion and the limiting factors of Greek civilization. Despite all the ostracizing, philosophy was destined to expand. Aristotle was one of the many who continued the tradition.
The Odyssey is an epic story of Odysseus, his journey home, and the trials he encounters on his way. Due to a selfish statement against the gods he is punished and prevented from returning home. During his journey he is subjected to temptation and many obstacles that prevent his return. Odysseus uses his intellectual power to overcome situations still that relate to society today. After Odysseus leads the defeating blow to the Trojans he proclaims his superiority over the gods.