The Heroism of Gawain

Gawain learns through his interactions at the keep that he must never break the honorable tenet of being an honest knight. He learns this by breaking custom and being dishonest in the way that the lord gives Gawain the spoils of the days hunt without reservation while his guest in return keeps the green girdle he acquired and withheld in secret for the sake of preserving his own life. When his deceit is revealed at the end of the story he is ashamed to have broken the code of chivalry for his own selfish gains, and gains a better appreciation for the title he holds.

Despite his great shame for breaking the code, Gawain’s principle act of heroism lies in the fact that he admits his own shortcoming. Rather than disregard the shame he lays it bare for his brothers to see and judge upon his return to Arthur’s court. He humbles his own character by vowing to remain honest from that trial onward, thus making him heroic merely by being courageous enough to admit fault. Gawain even goes so far as to adorn the girdle he once entrusted his life to, seeing it as a sort of scarlet letter that would remind him of his sobering lesson.

Musashi’s True Hero Archetype

According to Musashi, a hero must be able to utilize all tools available to him and ascertain which tool is correct for a particular scenario, so they must be resourceful and have a nimble mind. The Musashi hero must also have a calm mind, as the mind controls the hero and keeping it in order assures that the body is capable in any situation. He also divulges that the hero use any advantage of the environment or opponent’s weakness to their own advantage, as even the most minuscule details can lead them to victory. Musashi stresses that a vital component to victory is the inclusion of reason, as the hero should be able to apply logic and understand what will and will not work against the enemy. Finally, the hero should be adaptable to any situation, in that they never stick to one style or strategy as each scenario could ask for an entirely different stratagem, thus sticking to a single plan of attack guarantees defeat.

While Musashi’s characteristics of heroism are seemingly solid and the applications are easy to see, the contemporary society of North America would not value these tenets. American society values instant gratification and results, where as Musashi emphasizes patience and practice. Training the mind to be calm in all situations is nothing short of a pipe dream to us, as what sounds simple in writing would not be easily achieved in practice, and the average American doesn’t have the conviction to pursue anything they see as a massive investment that may or may not produce results. Musashi opts for silently applying reason to a situation to gain victory, while American society is more emotionally oriented, and as he expects one to step back and see the scenario from a broader perspective, Americans are action oriented as opposed to deep contemplative thought. Perhaps the most difficult hurdle for Americans would be adaptability,  as we tend to have one track minds; the best diet to lose weight, the best attitude to get promoted, the best way to find a date – we all focus on what we think will yield the best results, and when we fail we’re typically too stubborn to admit fault, even after the dust has settled.

Sundiata’s Heroic Qualities

The story so far indicates that what makes Sundiata a hero is his wisdom, patience, and kindness which exceeds his age. His wisdom is apparent in his handling of the great witches of Mali, the decision to flee Mali, and the game of wori with Mansa Konkon. All three scenarios were ones in which he could have hastily acted and met his end, but he chose to take a careful and calculated route instead. He patiently bides his time for seven years, never thinking on or attempting to return to Mali, confident that destiny will offer him a return to his kingdom. He also never treats strangers unkindly, in sharp contrast to Soumaoro Kante who his reviled and feared by all for his cruelty and sorcery.

There is a sharp contrast in the definition of a hero between West Africa and the archetypes of Sumeria and Scandinavia, particularly in regards to a hero’s strength. Gilgamesh and Enkidu violently wrestle each other upon meeting, and the same can be said for Beowulf and Grendel. Both stories begin with a clash of powerful titans among mere men, whereas the early journey of Sundiata sees little violence and is more defined by his wisdom, caution and warmth toward those close to him. While the act of uprooting the baobab tree displays his strength, he only takes that action in regards to defending his mother’s honor and being thoughtful of her. It isn’t until much later when Sundiata ends his exiled march in Mema that he begins training for battle as the heir to the son-less Moussa Tounkara. Later on as Sundiata begins skirmishing with Soumaoro Kante, he begins to display that strength, however, he picks up many allies on his return; allies that recognized him first for his kindness and wisdom rather than displays of power. Sundiata begins to take shape into a natural leader based on the content of his character rather than his combat prowess, and it is the combined forces he’s rallied that force Soumaoro Kante into retreat several times.

Monstrous Grendel

Grendel is a monstrous figure in that he stealthily takes the lives of warriors who are destined to die in battle. He is a harbinger of hell that robs a warrior of his glorious death which would permit him to enter into heaven. Grendel also relishes that he has the opportunity to set upon his prey in the night, mangling and consuming their bodies rather than giving them a quick and clean end. He is monstrous most of all in the sense that he gleefully conducts acts that condemn his victims to eternal damnation.

Grendel is a sympathetic figure in that, much like a baby, he was born into sin and not offered a chance to remove his curse like humans are. He is alone, fearful, and angry at the world that has forsaken him merely for the actions of Cain. During his skirmish with Beowulf he frantically fears death and the confrontation, and it becomes obvious that in his peril he has no kin to come to his aid, and nothing to be gained from a glorious death in battle.

The character of Grendel is a popular monster in that he is relate-able to the audience reading the tale of Beowulf. The main protagonist is a paragon of good, he can beckon on many brothers-in-arms that would gladly sacrifice themselves for him. Beowulf fears nothing and is favored by god and man, he seemingly has no character faults that would make him human. Grendel, on the other hand, whilst being a beast, exhibits many human traits and experiences that people can identify with. At one time or another, the individual reader has felt like an outcast from the world they know; they’ve felt alone with no one to reach out to. They have felt cowardice as well, in the heat of certain moments where fight or flight instinct kicks in. Grendel is a good example of a loner, something we’ve all been or felt like at certain points in our lives.

Comparison of Odysseus and Achilles

Odysseus and Achilles share few qualities, and are seemingly more the opposite of one another than kindred characters. Both heroes are able to rally their men and inspire with words, making them skilled orators. They are also prideful, where Odysseus mocks the ogre rather than simply leaving the island, Achilles refuses to allow the Trojans or Hector go unpunished.

The differences are more easily seen however, as they diverge greatly in certain ways. Odysseus is seemingly average in physique but utilizes his cunning and strategic plans to overcome his trials. Achilles on the other hand is an unrivaled fighter that relies on his brawn and brash decisions when necessary. While Odysseus puts forth plans and safeguards his men, Achilles sits in despair waiting for supernatural aid of which he has plenty. As Odysseus carefully calculates his situations aiming for the best outcome, Achilles emotionally decides on a terrible strategy in regards to meeting the Trojans in battle. They are seemingly polar opposites, where one is a leader of great intelligence that relies on little apart from himself, the other is an emotionally charged super human who waits for the assistance of greater powers.

I find Odysseus to be the more satisfying hero in this comparison as he composes himself as a clever leader, and more often than not delivers on that promise. He rarely relies on others to show him the next step, opting instead to concoct a scheme that satisfies his needs and minimizes risk. Rather than waste away in despair he confidently seizes the moment and does what must be done.

Humbaba Blog

Humbaba is monstrous in numerous ways according to the text of Gilgamesh. His demise is seen as vanquishing evil from the world. The renown of Humbaba is so profound that despite no man facing him, the people know much of him and more specifically know to avoid him at all costs. He merely needs to strike terror in the hearts of man to protect the forest, never having to take physical action against intruders until the arrival of Gilgamesh and Enkidu. The terror Humbaba instills is great enough that two of the most powerful, alpha male protagonists of the story, and presumably of the world, wish to abandon the quest to slay him. Even as victory is assured and Gilgamesh is in the act of executing Humbaba, he is fearful of the outcomes and shaken at the thought of being cursed by the beast.

The pathetic aspect of Humbabas character is perhaps that he retains a human quality; the desperation to preserve his own life. Initially he is portrayed as a raging bull that lashes out at any dangers regardless of the cost to him, as his only goal is protecting the forest. During the encounter between the heroes and Humbaba, he states his brutality clearly, vividly depicting not only how he would kill them but ways in which he would mutilate the corpses and display them. However when Shamash pins him and his demise becomes a reality, he begins to bargain for his life, shirking his duty to protect the forest at all costs and opting to walk away unharmed. As Enkidu goads Gilgamesh on and the execution draws closer, Humbaba panics and decides to threaten them with a curse if they do not take his offer, again displaying a base human instinct to fight for life at all costs. The irony is that the things that made monstrous Humbaba pathetic were human traits in the end, namely a desire to preserve himself at the cost of everything else and an emotional reaction of threatening to curse the heroes when his end was near.

I was surprised at the death of Humbaba as, for all the fuss and build-up that went before that confrontation, there was simply no battle. Gilgamesh and Enkidu were not injured, they did not fight to their last and nearly perish themselves. A greater entity merely presented a deus ex machina in which the hero simply had to execute the beast with no danger to himself. For all the fame that the heroes aspired to gain, I didn’t feel their actions were worthy of the rewards as Humbaba had no chance and was reduced to begging for his life. Humbabas death seems to be a minor footnote in the story of Gilgamesh, which took me by surprise considering all that went into painting him as an insurmountable beast in the books prior.

Shamhat Blog

The poet evaluates Shamhats work as honoring Ishtar the goddess as well as qualifying it as love “arts” rather than merely sex. In this way they see Shamhat as more of a devout woman and an artist who uses her gift to express love and fulfill her divine duties.

Modern readers might be challenged by this character in that she runs counter to the values society places on sexual openness and religious sacrament. Women that offer their bodies to men in modern times usually present a fee and are generally reviled by the public for filling such a role. Doubly so in modern religion, it is frowned upon to be sexually flamboyant or have sex out of wedlock, which is considered a sin.

Shamhat represents the call to adventure for Enkidu in that she shows him what it means to be a civilized man. This call was an addition by subtraction in that in order for Enkidu to see the value of going to challenge Gilgamesh, he should first see why his old life was not something he should continue orchestrating. After seven days of love making his senses and energy are no longer as keen as the beasts of the wilderness, as they flock from him in fear and he can now understand civilized language. Shamhats role in Enkidus journey was to bring him into the realm of man, and thus instill in him the necessity to leave the familiar behind to face the oppressive king Gilgamesh as his only physical equal. This would ultimately lead to their brotherly bond and the continuation of their journey.

Jack and the Beanstalk

Departure

Jack receives his call to adventure when his cow, Milky-white, ceases to produce milk and must be sold in order to continue providing for his widowed mother. Whilst traveling to the market he encounters his supernatural aid, a nameless old man who offers to trade beans that are supposed to grow up to the sky in exchange for Milky-white. His crossing of the first threshold occurs when he awakens to find that the beans his mother had thrown out the window the previous night has grown to the sky, and he climbs out of his window on to the stalk and proceeds up. As he reached the top he discovered a road which brought him to a house where a tall woman initially refused him but then took him in as he was in need of food, thus making the house the belly of the whale.

Initiation

Jacks road of trials spans most of the story, and involves him first stealing a bag of gold from the ogre in the house, which then triggers the temptation stage where he greedily steals a hen which could lay golden eggs, then a golden harp which could sing. His ultimate boon is the accrued wealth from his quests.

Return

The magic flight occurs when Jack is nearly out of the house with his third and final treasure; the golden harp, which calls out to its master and wakes the ogre into a frantic chase. The hero experiences his rescue from without as he is climbing down the beanstalk with the ogre in toe. He calls out to his mother to bring him an axe which he uses to chop down the stalk and kill the ogre. With the ogre gone, Jack finds his freedom to live as the items he has gained provide vast wealth and marriage to a princess.

The Archetypes

• Jack – The Hero
• Jacks Mother – The Wise Elder
• Nameless Old Man – The Magician
• Ogre – The Shadow
• Ogres Wife – The Great Mother
• Golden Harp – The Trickster

Knowledge of Heroes

Apart from being familiar with all the names I can not list anything specific about any of them, except the more obvious King Arthur and his knights of the round table.

I feel old heroes are worth reading about due to the significance of their tales. There are lessons to be learned and truths to reveal about many aspects of life that are more easily conveyed in epics such as these. I do not think we have any modern heroes in comparison to these classical figures, as they were heroes in a symbolic sense rather than who they were individually.