Gilgamesh and Roland's Heroism
Gilgamesh and Roland 's Heroism
Mesopotamia was about 300 miles long and 150 miles wide. It was located between two rivers, the Euphrates and Tigris Rivers. The word Mesopotamia itself means "The land between two rivers". With this, Mesopotamia depended on the cultivation of the land for survival. As Mesopotamia began to develop there were city-states that were established. These city-states were surrounded by a mud brick wall and farmland. Sumerians would take great pride in their city-state, and that created chaos. At times wars would break out to prove which city-state was the strongest. Each city-state had a priest-king to rule over their people. However, their beliefs were polytheistic and centered their beliefs in four Gods that represented power. These Gods provided for mankind and every year the Sumerians believed that the Gods would decide their faith. During the time between 2700 ca. and 2600ca. there was a ruler who ran the city-state of Uruk, Gilgamesh the famously known king who was two-thirds God and one third-man. On the other hand, during the time of Roland their civilization was ran by one king known as Charlemagne, who believed in monotheism and that Christianity was the one true religion. During this reign Charlemagne was anointed as the head of the Roman Empire. Their goal as a society was based on conquering cities to convert them to Christianity. Both our epic heroes are from different eras in time that may have contributed to their actions; however, as contradictory as their civilizations were they share distinctions and parallels in their character. Gilgamesh was a king the believed in many deities and was disliked by his people. He was portrayed as a very beautiful man physically and very wise. Nonetheless, Gilgamesh established his city-state as a tyrannical ruler. Gilgamesh felt power and control and took possession of anything and anyone, "Gilgamesh leaves not the son to his father; Day and night is unbridled his
Mesopotamia was about 300 miles long and 150 miles wide. It was located between two rivers, the Euphrates and Tigris Rivers. The word Mesopotamia itself means "The land between two rivers". With this, Mesopotamia depended on the cultivation of the land for survival. As Mesopotamia began to develop there were city-states that were established. These city-states were surrounded by a mud brick wall and farmland. Sumerians would take great pride in their city-state, and that created chaos. At times wars would break out to prove which city-state was the strongest. Each city-state had a priest-king to rule over their people. However, their beliefs were polytheistic and centered their beliefs in four Gods that represented power. These Gods provided for mankind and every year the Sumerians believed that the Gods would decide their faith. During the time between 2700 ca. and 2600ca. there was a ruler who ran the city-state of Uruk, Gilgamesh the famously known king who was two-thirds God and one third-man. On the other hand, during the time of Roland their civilization was ran by one king known as Charlemagne, who believed in monotheism and that Christianity was the one true religion. During this reign Charlemagne was anointed as the head of the Roman Empire. Their goal as a society was based on conquering cities to convert them to Christianity. Both our epic heroes are from different eras in time that may have contributed to their actions; however, as contradictory as their civilizations were they share distinctions and parallels in their character. Gilgamesh was a king the believed in many deities and was disliked by his people. He was portrayed as a very beautiful man physically and very wise. Nonetheless, Gilgamesh established his city-state as a tyrannical ruler. Gilgamesh felt power and control and took possession of anything and anyone, "Gilgamesh leaves not the son to his father; Day and night is unbridled his
Cited: Anonymous. "The Epic of Gilgamesh." Anonymous. "The Song of Roland". Translated by Dorothy Sayers