Sarah Day
Mrs. Lebo
11-12-09
Final Exam
1) Beowulf Cycle of the Hero-
Call to Adventure.- In Beowulf the call to adventure is rather obvious. It is when he is asked my the king of the Danes to come and rid them of their monster, Grendel. Beowulf, being the great and powerful hero that he is obliges and agrees to do every thing in his power to kill the beast.
Helpers- The most obvious helpers that Beowulf has are his men. His men stand by him through thick and thin, no matter what the situation. Eve when they are going up against a great beast that is widely known for it's ability to destroy anything in it's path, they still stay by Beowulf's side. Another person who helps Beowulf later on in the story is Unferth. Unferth, though he doubted Beowulf in the beginning comes back to help him when he needs it. When Beowulf is going to try and kill Grendel's's mother, Unferth gives him a sword that has been in his family for years, Hrunting. This gesture of kindness is displayed in hopes that he can help Beowulf achieve his goal of killing the monster.
Threshold to adventure- In my opinion the Threshold to adventure is when Beowulf is challenged by Unferth and promises to stay all night in the mead hall. It is at this point in the story when Beowulf leaps headfirst n to the adventure and commits to 'tough it out' so to speak, no matter what happens.
Tests- There are two main tests that I think manifest themselves in Beowulf. The first is when Beowulf attacks and kills Grendel. It is then that Beowulf shows his true power and strength and starts to transform in to the hero that he becomes by the end of the story. A second Test that is shown in the story is when Grendels mother attacks Herot and kills many of the people. It seems as if in dong this she is taunting Beowulf, daring him to do something about it. Beowulf however lives up to the challenge and ends up killing Grendels mother.
Triumph- The Triumph in the story is when Beowulf finally succeeds in killing Grendels mother and rids the Danes of the monsters for ever. It is then that he finally accomplishes what he ultimately sets out to do, to kill all the monsters and prove his bravery as a hero.
Flight- The flight takes place when Beowulf leaves the Danes and goes back to rule as king in his own land. Having accomplished his purpose and done all he can, there is nothing left for him to do and he leaves
Threshold Struggle-The threshold struggle is when Beowulf kills the dragon that is terrorizing his kingdom. It is the last heroic act that he is able to do for his people. Although he is fatally wounded in the process he is still able to both do a good deed for his people and win a great amount of treasure for them.
Elixir- The Elixir is both the riches that he wins for his people (All the treasures and riches that he wins over from the dragons hoard after he slays the beast) and also the great acts that he has done for his people, he has protected them and rid them of a dragon.
2) Archtypes- Hero-Gilgamesh is the obvious hero of this story. He is a strong and powerful leader who is not afraid of facing death for something that he believes in. When he and Enkidu go to kill Humbaba he stays strong and keeps his wits, even though he is facing a power much greater than himself. He is also very persistent. He refuses to give up his quest for immortality even when he is all alone and the journey is long and difficult. In addition to all of these qualities he is also very loyal. He is extremely loyal to Enkidu and goes to great lengths to try and bring him back from the dead. Even though it is not the best idea to temper with immortality, the thought behind his actions was good.
Antihero- I think that the antihero is also Gilgamesh. Although he does have many of the qualities of a hero, he also has many of the antihero. Once when he and Enkidu are on their way to kill Humbaba he loses his courage and is frightened. Luckily for him he had Enkidu there to keep things together and keep him from panicking until he has recovered. He also has a great pride. He has his people do great labor and work for o apparent reason and demands to sleep with brides before their husbands simply because it is his right as king. He also goes to kill Humbaba for no other reason than because he is more powerful than Gilgamesh and he has to show his superiority.
Wise Fool- Utnapishtim is the wise fool. He is regarded as stupid or ignorant by Gilgamesh because he does not prize his immortality, something that Gilgamesh strives for with great zeal. He thinks that he is a fool for taking something so great for granted, however Utnapishtim turns out to be very wise as he realizes that living forever is not in fact a gift at all but a burden.
Devil Figure- Ishtar is the most fitting devil figure. She seems to wreak havoc wherever she goes. Gilgamesh even says in part two that her love brings only war. When Gilgamesh refuses her marriage proposal she gets very angry and seeks revenge by asking her father to send down a drought in the form of a Bull of Heaven to kill Gilgamesh, and his people. Her evil side is shown again when she sends a flood to punish her people. The flood is extreme and has horrible, drastic effects. Even Ishtar realizes her mistake and that she was wrong to punish her people in such a way.
Outcast-Enkidu is the Outcast all throughout the book. At the beginning he is and outcast from humans because he is part animal part man. Frowned upon because he is not as good as a person. Then when the prostitute comes and sleeps with him and he is 'humanized' so to speak, his animal friends desert him. They are ashamed of him and he is then an outcast in the eyes of the animals, where he remains until his death.
Double-I think that the best choice for the double is Ishtar. She seems to have this great internal conflict throughout the book. It is almost as if she cannot decide whether or she wants to help, or hurt those around her. She decides to punish her people for their sins, but then realizes that she was wrong and that she was too harsh on her people. “Ishtar cried out like a woman at the height of labor: O how could I have wanted to do this to my people! They were hers, notice. Even her sorrow was possessive. Even though Ishtar obviously has a temper issue and could be considered evil, she still realizes her mistakes. She seems to act like an impulsive child. She lashes out in the heat of the moment when she gets angry, without pausing to consider the repercussions of her acts.
Scapegoat- The scapegoat is Enkidu. Either Gilgamesh or Enkidu must die as punishment for killing Humbles and the Bull of heaven. Enkidu is chosen to be the punished simply because Gilgamesh is part god and part man, thus excluding him from the wrath of the Gods. Since Enkidu is just half man and half animal, he is the obvious choice for the punishment. He is the offering that the gods take themselves to make up for the loss of the Bull and Humbaba.
Temptress- I think that the thing that best fits the temptress is immortality. It is seen as this beautiful, wondrous thing. Everyone is longing for it, yet it 'destroys those who obtain it. Utnapishtim was given immortality by the gods after he followed their command and build a boat that would last the flood that they sent out to wipe out the city of Shurrupak, because it's inhabitance were defying the Gods, trying to be equal to them by searching for immortality. Utnaishtim was the only man who did not seek for this forbidding trait, and so was in the end 'rewarded' with it. He didn't think of it as much of a reward because he knew the destructive repercussions that come with being immortal. As beautiful and tempting as the idea of immortality may seem, it will only bring about destruction and ill fortune.
The Good Mother- The good mother in the the story of Gilgamesh is, in my opinion, Siduri. Although Ninsun, Gilgamesh's actual birth mother, would have been another good choice, I think that Siduri fits the role a little bit better. Siduri is the barmaid who takes Gilgamesh in and consoles him after Enkidu dies. She gives him a place to stay and does every possible thing she can to make him feel better.
3) The Tragic Man (Hamlet)A belief in his own freedom- Hamlet definitely has a belief in his own freedom. He always has the necessary courage when it comes to making choices (such as that to kill his uncle and avenge his fathers death) and most definitely has the courage to face the outcomes. toward the end of the story when Hamlet really begins to become obsessed with his quest for revenge, it seems as if he doesn't even care what happens to him. All that matters in that particular moment is killing his uncle and following through with his promise to his father, to kill his uncle. He is willing to do whatever it takes to achieve this prize, and any consequences or repercussions that may follow, are worth it in the long run.
A Supreme Pride-Although I do not think that Hamlets pride is great or really even noteworthy, he still does have it. When Ophelia comes to him returning all the favors he gave her when they loved each other, he is hurt, and it is his pride that causes him to say that he never loved her in the first place. He even goes so far as to insult her and tell her that she should go live in a nunnery as she has no other purpose in life.
Capacity for Suffering- Hamlet suffers quite a bit throughout the play. Whether it be because of the actions of other people, his own actions, or the consequences that follow actions, Hamlet seems to suffer throughout just about the entire play. At the beginning he is miserable because he can't understand how his mother could re-marry so soon after her husbands death. Then after speaking to the ghost, he is still suffering, but for a different reason. He finds out that his uncle, his own family was the one who killed his father. It is this fact that motivates him to pursue his strive to avenge his fathers death by killing his uncle. These are not the only times throughout the text where Hamlet suffers, however. Far from it. When he must tell Ophelia that he never loved her and when he realizes that he can no longer see her it causes him to suffer quite a bit. Also at the end when his mother dies and he in turn begins to perish, it is once again his time to suffer. However it seems as if, to Hamlet, the suffering is worth it. He believes in what he is doing, and he believes that suffering for something you believe in is not all that horrible.
Commitment-Hamlet definitely has a sense of commitment. He is committed to his cause so much that he almost reaches the point of being obsessed. From the second he learns of his fathers murder and decides to avenge his death, he is committed. Nothing, no power of his uncle, nor begging of his mother can sway him from his pursuit of revenge.
Protest-Hamlet does have a vigorous protest. Throughout all his soliloquy he cries out saying that were it now his respect for God and the knowledge that he would go to Hell, he would kill himself. He curses the horrible situation he is in. Curses his mother for marrying his uncle so soon after his fathers death.
Transfiguration-Hamlet definitely undergoes a a transfiguration. At the beginning of the book he is suffering, but he is content with his suffering. He is upset that his father is dead and he can't believe that his mother would marry so soon after his fathers death. However when he hears about his fathers death, though it takes him a while, he eventually gets so committed to avenging his fathers death that he changes and becomes completely obsessed and goes to extremes to achieve his goal.
Impact- Hamlets impact comes when he is laying on the ground, about to die. It is in those last few seconds of life that he has a sort of ephiney. He is able to learn to forgive and also to accept his fate. With his dying breath he proclaims that all of the land should be given back to Fortinbras
4) Hero-The first hero that is noteworthy throughout all the books we read is Odysseus. Odysseus has many great qualities that strengthen him as a hero and as a leader. Three of these are his Perseverance, his Bravery and his Intelligence. The first quality that Odysseus possesses is his perseverance. When Odysseus is stuck on the island with Calypso, even though he is offered immortality, the love of a beautiful Goddess and all other manners of wonderful things, he still refuses the gifts and chooses instead to try and find his way back home to his lovely Penelope. It would have been much easier for him to give up and resign himself to the fact that he would ever see his wife or son ever again, however he doesn't and chooses instead to take the harder path and return once again to his home.
A second heroic quality that Odysseus possesses is his intelligence. He uses his brains and his wits numerous times throughout the book. One example would be when he comes up with a cunning plan to get he and his men out of the cyclops cave alive. By telling the beast that his name is nobody, he avoids having his identity discovered when he kills the cyclops as well.
The third heroic quality that Odysseus has is his bravery. Many times he is forced to face horrible beasts and monsters that would destroy any mortal man. However somehow Odysseus always seems to come out on top an deems to be able to handle just about any situation.
The second Character who I think has great Hero qualities is Antigone. A few of the qualities Antigone shows are Faithfulness, bravery, and integrity.
The first Hero quality that Antigone shows is her Faithfulness. Even when other people tell her to abandon her brother and to give up her hopes to give him a proper burial, she refuses and chooses instead to remain faithful to him.
A second Hero quality of Antigone is her Bravery. She bravely disobeys the law, even though she knows her actions will most likely result in her death because it is what she believes is the right thing to do. She doesn't try to hide her rebellion either. She boldly steps out in public and states that she doesn't agree with what the law tells her is right.
The third quality that Antigone possesses is her integrity. She is willing to stand up for what she believes, even when it may happen that she is standing alone. No matter what the consequences or what other people tell her, she will stand up for what she knows is right and do the right thing.
The third character who has great Hero qualities is Telemachus. Telemachus shows that he is a hero through Bravery, hope, and determination. Telemachus is Brave in many ways. It takes a great deal of courage for a young boy to decide to take matters in to his own hands and step in to his fathers shoes in order to get things done. Telemachus is not one to sit back and let others do the work. He boldly took responsibility and set out to find his father and bring order to his house once more.
The second quality Telemachus possesses is his hope. Even when everyone around his is telling him to give up and resign himself to the fact that his father is dead, he refuses. He instead holds out on his hope and even goes out in search of his father himself.
The last quality Telemachus possesses is determination. When searching for his father and trying to figure out a way to get rid of the suiters, Telemachus never gives up his determination.
5) Themes-The first theme that shows itself throughout the stories is Loyalty. Loyalty is shown most obviously in Antigone. Even when everyone around her tells her to abandon her brother and give up her hopes of giving him a proper burial, she refuses and chooses loyalty to her family over obedience to the rest of the word. Even when her own sister tells her that she is being foolish and that she should give up her hopes of giving her brother a proper burial, even when the law tells her that if she follows through she will be killed, she still remains faithful and loyal and buries her brother anyway. Loyalty is also shown in Gilgamesh. Enkidu is a great friend to Gilgamesh sand is always there for him no matter what the situation. He comforts him when he is frightened on their way to kill Humbaba and saves his life in the great Cedar forrest, giving up his own life in exchange. Enkidu could have easily walked away and saved his own life, however he doesn't and instead chooses to stay loyal to his friend and help him instead.
A second Theme is Fate. Fate is probably the most common throughout Oedipus the King. The basic story of Oedipus is of a man who tried to avoid his destiny. Fate is a theme because even though he tried to do what was right and tried to stop a horrible prophecy form coming true, however in the process he only succeeded in fulfilling it. In trying to avoid his destiny, he only caused it to happen. This is a story that shows that you cannot escape a predestined will and Fate is impossible to escape This theme is also evident in The Odyssey. Numerous times the narrator speaks about although he may lose all his men and go through many trials, it is Odysseus' fate to return home. When he is speaking to the dead the same thing is echoed. Tiresias tells him that he will in fact make it home safely to see his family once more. And as fate would have it, he does.
The last theme is Love. This theme could probably be shown throughout every book that we read. The most obvious though is Gilgamesh. Enkidu and Gilgamesh have a deep love for each other. Neither one of them would ever betray or abandon the other. The love runs so deeply in fact that Enkidu ends up giving his life for his friend. Gilgamesh in turn shows his love by searching far and wide following Enkidu's death to try and desperately find a way to bring him back to life. A second book where love is shown is in the Odyssey. Odysseus, though he is offered immortality and love from both Calypso and Circe, refuses it and chooses instead to try and find his way back home to his lovely Penelope. His love is so great that he faces many things, a Cyclops, the underworld and many other horrible things just to eventually get back to her once more.
