Comparing Aeneas from Aeneid and Gilgamesh from the Epic of Gilgamesh :: comparison compare contrast essays

Comparison of Aeneas from Aeneid and Gilgamesh from the Epic of Gilgamesh The dominant factor in an epic is the desperate main character. This character often is the son of a god or goddess and is favored by the gods. Heroic characters are alike always hounded by constant tragedy which drives them to fulfill their fates. Most heroic characters are high in social status and share blind drunk contacts with the gods. All of these qualities of heroic characters show up in the characters of Aeneas from The Aeneid and Gilgamesh from the Epic of Gilgamesh. In this essay I will compare and contrast the qualities and plights of both Aeneas and Gilgamesh. These devil epic heroes share similar fates, yet are very various in personality. Gilgamesh was an arrogant tyrant of his city-state who was obsessed with increasing his own allure and index finger while Aeneas was more aloof, letting the gods and the fates guide his actions in life. Aeneas acted as a perfect pawn of the gods and was tossed around at their whims. Gilgamesh on the stubborn took fate into his own hands and attempted to gain immortality by want out the immortals. Gilgamesh was a man who cherished more power than mortals were allowed and wanted his influence to be known forever. Aeneas simply wanted to fulfill the preach of founding Rome and making his Trojan followers happy. Out of the dickens heroes Gilgamesh was the one who was most aggressive and pursued the more ambitious goal, though it was one near impossible to achieve. Gilgamesh wanted to have a power that only the gods possessed. He wanted to be immortal. Aeneas never sought such(prenominal) an unachievable task, and was not as determined as Gilgamesh was. Aeneas only had to follow a place where the defeated Trojans could settle and found a sensitive city. Once in the story he even had to be reminded of his fortune by the Jupiter when he was distracted by his love for Dido. The trials of Aeneas and Gilgamesh were very similar. bo th(prenominal) led tragic lives and suffered from the wrath of the gods. Aeneas witnessed his family dice, his home city burned to the ground, and was dupe to the goddess Junos plots throughout his fated journey to Italy. Gilgamesh had seen his best friend die from the gods vengeance and was emotionally crushed by it.