Comparing Heroes In Epic Of Gilgamesh And Oedipus Rex
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Male heroes are always characterized as handsome, strong, brave men. In The Epic of Gilgamesh and in Oedipus Rex by Sophocles the male heroes hold true to the Hero name. There are two heroes in Gilgamesh; one is the king Gilgamesh himself, and the other is an unlikely hero by the name of Enkidu. They are completely different, but with the events at play they become best friends that love each other dearly. Another hero is Oedipus and he is also a king, through great obstacles he lives to profile his destiny. Just like any hero in history Gilgamesh had to overcome hardships to be great. It was said “Gilgamesh, who underwent many hardships. Surpassing all kings, for his stature renowned” (Gilgamesh 100). The story didn’t say exactly what…show more content… In the end it is destiny that will win out on his life. No matter what anyone does in the story, what the Oracles told of a prophecy will come true. Free will and fate is a big question for a lot of people. Is life planned or does everything happen by chance. Nothing is by chance in the story Oedipus Rex by Sophocles. Oedipus’ parents wanted their son dead after they found out that he was destined to kill his father and marry his mother. His parents had a herdsmen leave him on a hillside with his ankles bound so that he would die of exposure. However the herdsmen gave the baby to a different herdsman that gave Oedipus to the king and queen of Korinth. When Oedipus grew up he found out the prophecy from another oracle. He thought if he ran away he could prevent the prophecy from coming true. In his defense he didn’t know that where he was running to would be back to his original birth place. On the way he killed a man which later turns out to be his father, and because he defeats the sphinx he becomes king. When he became King of Thebes he inherits everything that is entitled to him like the queen whom turns out to be his mother. The prophecy came true when he tried to stop it. Everything in the story is steered by fate. Everything he thought he was doing to prevent him from killing his father and marring his mother actually cause it to happen. Nothing that happened was intentionally done by him. When he found out what he did, “He pulled the long pins of hammered gold clasping her gown, held them up, and punched them into his eyes” (Oedipus 740). He never wanted to see the evil that he had done again. Sometimes you just can’t change what is destined to