Gilgamesh vs. Odysseus

Gilgamesh was the ruler of the city of Uruk. This strong and powerful ruler was half human and half god.

"Humbaba’s mouth is fire; his roar the floodwater;his breath is death. Enlil made him guardianof the Cedar Forest, to frighten off the mortalwho would venture there. But who would venturethere? Humbaba’s mouth is fire; his roaris the floodwater; he breathes and there is death.He hears the slightest sound somewhere in the Forest.Enlil made him terrifying guardian,Whose mouth is fire, whose roar the floodwater."    —Tablet IIGilgamesh was very brave to face the horrifying monster, Humbaba, after everyone warned him not to.

"What could I offerthe queen of love in return, who lacks nothing at all?Balm for the body? The food and drink of the gods?I have nothing to give to her who lacks nothing at all.You are the door through which the cold gets in.You are the fire that goes out. You are the pitchthat sticks to the hands of the one who carries the bucket.You are the house that falls down. You are the shoethat pinches the foot of the wearer. The ill-made wallthat buckles when time has gone by. The leakywater skin soaking the water skin carrier." (Tablet VI)Gilgamesh proves to be very loyal to his wife by rejecting Ishtar's sexual advances towards him.

Gilgamesh is considered the protagonist in the Epic of Gilgamesh because he is what the whole story is about. For example, in the beginning of the story, Gilgamesh is a horrible leader who rapes women whenever he feels like it. Due to this behavior, Enkidu is created in order to balance him out and give him some competition. Another example of Gilgamesh acting as the protagonist in the story is when Gilgamesh rejects Ishtar's sexual advances towards him, causing Ishtar to summon the Bull of Heaven which later leads to Enkidu's death.

I believe that Gilgamesh represents a dynamic character in the Epic of Gilgamesh because he changes throughout the story. For example, in the beginning of the story Gilgamesh was feared by all his subjects because he was using his power against everyone to rape women.Reference 1:"The man answered, saying to Enkidu, ‘Gilgamesh has gone into the marriage-house and shut out the people. He does strange things in Uruk, the city of great streets. At the roll of the drum work begins for the men, and work for the women. Gilgamesh the king is about to celebrate marriage with the Queen of Love, and he still demands to be first with the bride, the king to be first and the husband to follow, for that was ordained by the gods from his birth, from the time the umbilical cord was cut. But now the drums roll for the choice of the bride and the city groans.'" (Tablet 1)With that being said, Gilgamesh remains the dynamic character in story because he changes throughout. For example, by the end of the story, Gilgamesh goes from raping women whenever he pleases to refusing sexual advances from goddesses in order to stay loyal to his wife.Reference 2:"What could I offerthe queen of love in return, who lacks nothing at all?Balm for the body? The food and drink of the gods?I have nothing to give to her who lacks nothing at all.You are the door through which the cold gets in.You are the fire that goes out. You are the pitchthat sticks to the hands of the one who carries the bucket.You are the house that falls down. You are the shoethat pinches the foot of the wearer. The ill-made wallthat buckles when time has gone by. The leakywater skin soaking the water skin carrier." (Tablet VI)

"After the Scorpion Dragon Being spoke, Gilgamesh went to the entrance into the mountainand entered the darkness alone, without a companion. By the time he reached the end of the first leaguethe darkness was total, nothing behind or before. He made his way, companionless, to the endof the second league. Utterly lightless, black. There was nothing behind or before, nothing at all.Only, the blackness pressed in upon his body. He felt his blind way through the mountain tunnel,struggling for breath, through the third league, alone, and companionless through the fourth, making his way,and struggling for every breath, to the end of the fifth, in the absolute dark, nothing behind or before,the weight of the blackness pressing in upon him." By completing this dangerous journey, it proves that Gilgamesh is a very determined human being.

Odysseus was the strong and powerful ruler of Ithaca and the main character in Homer's The Odyssey.

"Cyclops, if anyone asks you who it was that put your eye out and spoiled your beauty, say it was the valiant warrior Odysseys, son of Laertes, who lives in Ithaca." (Homer 115)Odysseus is characterized as brave in this quote because he is not afraid to admit to others what he has done. Also, by telling the Cyclops to tell other people, it is clearly known that Odysseus was somewhat famous for his bravery.

"'He seems very powerfully built; his thighs, calves, hands, and neck are of prodigious strenth...'" (Homer 91)By this physical description of Odysseus, the reader understands that Odysseus is a very strong individual.

Odysseus in the protagonist of The Odyssey because he is the classic hero that everyone loves to love. For example, the audience spends most of the book following his every move. We sympathize for him, hate Poseidon for him, and want him to get home as quickly as possible so he can do what's best for Ithaca.

I believe that Odysseus represents a dynamic character in The Odyssey because he changes throughout the story. For example, in the beginning of the story, Odysseus was depicted as brave, but later on in the story when he is faced with difficulties, he becomes very weak and afraid. Reference 1:'...he said to himself in dismay, "what ever will become of me? I am afraid Calypso was right when she said I should have trouble by sea before I got back home."' (Homer 65)Along with the reference stated above, another example of Odysseus representing a dynamic character would be when he becomes very self absorbed. For example, in the beginning of the story, Odysseus is characterized as modest. Unfortunately, as the story he continues on he becomes arrogant and self absorbed.Reference 2:"I am Odysseus, son of Laertes, renowned among mankind for all manner of subtlety, so my fame ascends to heaven." (Homer 104)

'Then Odysseus said, "Pray Alcinous, do not take up any such notion into your head. I have nothing of the immortal about me neither in my body, nor mind, and most resemble those among you who are the most afflicted."' In this quote, Odysseus does not brag about his previous heroic acts and qualities. In fact, he plays himself down quite well insinuating his faults are what consume him most.