Gilgamesh And Perseus Comparison Essay

An epic hero is defined as a character in a story who is admired for his achievements and/or great strength. They often have flaws that can prove fatal or troublesome, the most common one being hubris, or being overly prideful. They are often related to Gods, royalty, or both. Two examples of an epic hero are the characters Gilgamesh and Perseus. While both Gilgamesh and Perseus are from two wildly different cultures, they are both have similar characteristics such as both having a polytheistic religion, both losing friends, and both are given advice from the gods.
Despite Gilgamesh having a sumerian background, and Perseus having a grecian one, they both belong to polytheistic religions. Gilgamesh worships Gods such as Siduri, Shamash, and Enlil the chief god. Perseus worships Gods such as Athena, Poseidon, and Zeus, the king God. They both worship their respective Gods throughout various parts of their stories, and the Gods in return usually offer some type of advice or help. Their Gods goodwill and animosities towards the heroes keep their stories going.
In both stories a character close to that of the hero dies. In Gilgamesh's story his closest friend, who he recognizes a brother, Enkidu, dies. In Perseus’s story his friend Thallo, the soldier dies. Both Enkidu and Thallo died thanks to actions from the Gods. Their deaths leave the
This is proof that the idea of the epic hero has lived on for centuries. The idea has stretched from the age of the Sumerians to that of present day culture. Epic heroes have been a form of inspiration to mankind showing how someone can accomplish great feats with cleverness, strength, and perseverance. It is no wonder that they have lasted all this time, and will probably continue to last for decades