Researchers of classical mythology and the eminent literary figures have often mentioned the fact that ancient mythologies explore the adventurous journey of an epic hero through the social, cultural, and political history of a particular nation.
Homer’s lliad exhibits the adventurous journey of the mythical hero Achilles; in which the hero’s journey explores the social, cultural and historical transformations of the nation. Achilles’ withdrew from the battle field and the growth of Agamemnon explored the political transactions that happened in the ancient Greece. Anglo Saxon epic Beowulf provides the heroic journey of the Germanic warrior Beowulf and the author permits the reader to understand the historical events and conquests. Beowulf’s character transformation is greatly demonstrated through the social life and religious life of Anglo Saxon period the epic poem Beowulf. An important part of a hero’s journey is the transformation that the hero’s character goes through in the course of his story.
Achilles was the greatest warrior in Trojan War and the central character in the epic poem lliad. The epic poem demonstrates the complex character of Achilles and the author portrays him as a raging young man who is wavering sometimes and cannot be cooled in other occasions. Through the humanization of the hero Achilles, Homer presents a historical journey through the social, cultural and political life of ancient Greece. Achilles’ fight with Agamemnon, withdrawal from the Trojan War, the death of Patroclus and the slaying of Hector and Homer analyses the role and fate of many Greek and Trojan warriors in the battle. It is obvious that one can clearly identify that the poem spends more time on the mythical hero Achilles as a perfect warrior. In the midst of the Trojan War, Agamemnon proceeded to take Briseis from Achilles to ensure his victory.
The mythology of Achille’s shield became the central theme of the epic Iliad. After removing the shield, Achilles refused the battle and this paved the way for Trojans’s to comeback in the war. The death of his beloved friend Patroclus makes him downright rage and after the effect of his rage Hetor was killed. Achilles’ withdrawal from the Trojan War caused political polarizations and the changes are recorded in the later history of Greece. After loosing his friend Hector, Achilles continued fighting and destroyed many of the Trojans heroically. Achilles’ rage paved the way for the destruction of Trojans and as a result of this new military allies were created. Achilles’ had an unexpected change in the battle field in permitting Priam to receive his son’s dead body throw light on the war policies that implemented in the ancient time. The growth of the character of Achilles is demonstrated through the backgrounds of political transactions that happened in that time. The following comments underlies the aggressive nature of Achilles; “So on straight swooped Achilles’ hot haste, While Hector fled along the Trojan Wall, And plied his nimble knees” (Homerus 604)
Achilles’ death also related with some historical events that reveals the frequent growth of the hero. Paris killed Achilles with the help of Apollo and one can comprehend that Achilles had admitted the dominance of Trojans. Arrival of Ulysses in the Trojan War and his growth as a match winner in the war play a vital role in the history of Trojan War. Pair’s growth as a world conqueror is also presented through the death of Achilles.
Anglo Saxon epic Beowulf provides a detailed summary of the Anglo Saxon’s migration and settlement in England. The killing of Grendel and Grendal’s mother is an important event in the poem. Beowulf’s kingship in Geats reveals some hints about the social and political transactions in that period. The poem describes the exploratory journey of the hero Beowulf and through the journey he proves his strength against the supernatural demons and beasts. Beowulf’s growth as a Germanic warrior is clearly presented in the poem and it also presents the relationship between the warrior and his lord. Beowulf’s trust and mutual respect towards his lord makes known social changes of that period. The formation of Germanic paganism is very important in Beowulf. R. M.Liuzza and he remarks that; “This interweaving of legendary history and fabulous tales in Beowulf, the political intrigues of battles, feuds, marriages, and successions and the archetypal compact of a solitary hero against a supernatural foe, has caused much critical anxiety throughout the history of Beowulf studies” (Liuzza 18).
The whole poem discusses about three battles between the hero Beowulf and the beast Grendel, his mother and the dragon. In the third battle, Beowulf was seriously wounded and his warriors ran away. The only warrior named Wiglaf helped Beowulf and they killed the dragon. Considering the time of third battle, a reader can easily find the historical fact that the hero Beowulf became the representative of Germanic culture and he had acquired the status of a Germanic warrior.
Gilgamesh in the Epic of Gilgamesh
The hero of Gilgamesh in the Epic of Gilgamesh demonstrates the historical background of Mesopotamian social and cultural life. The epic of Gilgamesh is also describes the story of the relationship between the hero; Gilgamesh and his companion named Enkidu. A reader can find that the hero’s journey reveals the social and cultural history of Mesopotamian civilization. The battle against Humbaba the monster is also demonstrated with the background of Mesopotamian life. Comparing with the mythology of Beowulf, one can find some resemblances in the presentation of the heroes Beowulf and Gilgamsh. The concept of an adventurous warrior is obviously presented in both the poems that related with the social life of their nations. The character of Humbaba in the epic leads the reader to think about the role of supernatural beliefs among the people in Mesopotamia. At the end of the battle, Gilgamesh killed the monster Humbaba with the help of his companion Enkidu and they cut a huge cedar tree and decided to fashion it into the door of the temple named Enlil. The changes in the pattern of religious worship in the nation is clearly depicted in the poem, The Epic of Gilgamesh. Like Beowulf, Gigamesh is also portrayed as the protector of a region and one can see some similarities in the journey of both heroes. Another common factor is that, the heroes are capable of defeating demons and other supernatural forces.
Gilgamesh’s status of the ruler in the poem helps the reader to relate the social life of Mesopotamia in the late forth millennium BC. Stephanie Dalley points out that “Perhaps at times this powerful traditional image was associated with Gilgamesh but other associations, for instance with Nergal, Enkidu, or Shakkan, were probably also valid at different periods of extreme antiquity in Mesopotamia. (Dalley 41).
At the end of the poem; one can see the hero as the representative of Mesopotamian culture and he became a powerful ruler who accepted the social changes of his nation.
To conclude, ancient mythologies always demonstrate the heroic and adventurous journey of a particular hero. The transformation of the hero’s character goes through the course of the history. The world famous epic poems Homer’s Iliad, Beowulf and the Epic of Gilgamesh describe the eventful journey of the epic hero Gilgamesh and the reader can go through the social, cultural and historical events that affected the Mesopotamian civilization. Dominance of Greek people in the Trojan War, Trojan resistance, and the conquest of Paris are demonstrated through the heroic journey of the hero Achilles. Influence of German culture and the growth of Anglo-Saxon culture are revealed in Beowulf. Gilgamesh’s growth as a hero undergoes the curse of Mesopotamian history and civilization. In short, the ancient mythologies portray the adventurous journey of a hero and his journey undergoes the course of the history of his nation. In case of Greek hero Achilles, Beowulf, and Gilgamesh; one can obviously recognize this fact.
Works Cited
Dalley, Stephanie. Myths from Mesopotamia: Creation, the Flood, Gilgamesh, and Others. Oxford University Press. 1996. Print.
Homerus. Homer. The Iliad; or, Achilles’ wrath; at the Siege of Llion, Reprod. In Blank Verse by T. S. Norgate. Oxford University. 1864. Print.
Liuzza, Ronald Mouret. Beowulf: A New Verse Translation. Broadview Press. 200. Print.