Odysseus vs Rama Essay

Two exciting epics that atomic number 18 wide read and well-known crossways the globe hold many likenesses between the heroes. The Odyssey by Homer and The Ramayana by Valmiki, tell the tales of deuce heroes who hold many similarities between them eveningn as their stories differ. Both poems are epics because their heroes are smashing work force, well-known to their worlds, both suffer long difficult travels, and both are aided by as well as taunted by gods and goddesses of their religions and cultures. But in the extirpate both men overwhelm considerable tragedy and catastrophes to rightfully rule as fairys of their own lands.Odysseus and Rama were both strong warriors of great stature. genus Athene speaks of Odysseus to his son and calls him a mightily man (Homer, Odyssey, confine I,p. 7). Griffith describes Rama as Tall and broad-shouldered, strong of limb, (Griffith, oblige I, stz. 1) who has monu aff competent jaw and ample chest and strong arms reach below his knee (Griffith, Book I, stz. 1). outperformim the story these men both are challenged and use their great strength of the warrior to defeat their challengers. Odysseus is challenged by the ocean many times and with great strength survives the power of the sea against him.In the house of King Alcinous he describes many a plight where he fought against the drowning waves and the storms of Poseidon. . genus Zeus with white bolt crushed my swift carry and cleft it in the midst of the wine-dark deep. I clung with fast embrace about the keel of the turn ship, and so was I borne for nine whole days. (Homer, Osdyssey, Book VII, p. 105). Only a man of great strength and finishurance could cling in the moving waters for nine whole days without fail. Then, against Poseidons enormous waves, Odysseus later survives a storm at sea by swimming through the forcible waves to reach land. For Poseidon, shaker of the earth, stirred up the same, who roused against me the winds. so the storm winds s hattered the chew, but as for me I cleft my way through the gulf yonder. (Homer,Odyssey,1950, Book VII, p. 105).Odysseus exhibits godly strength against the seas and her challenges. Rama displays an unconquerable temper in Griffiths epic. Rama slays a giant to gain the friendship of Agastya but this leads to his being attacked by the giantess Surpanakha and her trine sisters. Still they are no match for Rama as . they and myriad fiends beside Beneath the might of Rama died (Griffith, Book I stz. ). Both heroes are challenged by enormous odds and yet both are victorious proving stalwart strength and stamina above all other men. However, physical strength is not the besides tool these heroes wield. Cunning and strategy play an important role in defeating more powerful enemies. Odysseus exhibits such mental strength against Cyclops when he helps his companions to escape the Cyclops weakenrn. Odysseus devised a plan to deceive Cyclops and in his cunning is even smart enough to pr edict Cyclops call for help from his brethren. And in shrewd this, he tells Cyclops his name is Noman.Thus does Cyclops call out for help subsequently Odysseus blinds him with the torched end of a stake and cries My friends, Noman is slaying me by guile, nor at all by force (Homer,Odyssey,1950, Book IX, p. 137-8). Thus his friends who thought no man was assaulting their brother determined his suffering to be a sickness send by Zeus and bade him to call upon his father Poseidon for help and went their ways. Odysseus further exhibits his craftiness when he devises a plan of escape. When Cyclops is blinded, he sets himself before the cave entrance with arms wide to prevent the mens departure through the cavern mouth.However, Odysseus is more clever than he and fastens three sheep together across and ties a man beneath the middle ones underbelly. For himself he hangs on beneath the glorious ram until sunrise when they are allowed through the mouth of the cavern by Cyclops out to sen s to graze. Once far from Cyclops Odysseus comes out from under his ram and then unfastens his men, and they are all able to escape. By their hiding beneath the sheep, Cyclops only felt the fleece and thereby allowed the men to pass through. This is a grand display of cunning.Rama also portrays some semblance of intelligence when he chooses his allies against the devil king, realizing that he can win their loyalty by defeating their enemy and convincing the king of the monkeys that they share a suffrage because they both have been banished from their postlands, Rama is able to convince the monkey army to come to his aid (Griffith, Book I, stz. 1) . Who, knowing all the tale, before The sacred flame alliance swore. Sugriva to his new-found friend Told his own story to the end His hate of Bali for the wrong And insult he had borne so long.And Rama lent a go forthing ear And call offd to snuff out his fear (Griffith, Book I, Stz. 1). With his crafty ways, Rama knew since he had sl ain the object of Sugrivas , the monkey kings, hatred, that he would be allied at once with the monkey armies. This was his key to finding his wife, Sita, and rescuing her. Odysseus and Rama were both intertwined with the deities of their cultures. Odysseus had the help of genus Athene throughout his entire trip scale after(prenominal) the war in Troy and his exile with calypso on her lonely island where he was a kept man by the goddess (Homer, Odyssey, Book I, p. ).genus Athene bodes Zeus O father. if indeed this thing is now well pleasing to the blessed gods, that wise Odysseus should fruit to his own home, let us then speed Hermes the Messenger. to the island of Ogygia. There with all speed let him declare. our unerring counsel, even the return of the patient Odysseus, that so he may come to his home (Homer,Odyssey,1950, Book I, p. 3). If not for genus Athenes plea and reminder to Zeus, Odysseus would have remained with calypso forever. But Athena provides further assistance and stays beside Odysseus along the way.She is with him when he travels to the house of King Alcinous and tries to protect him and to guide him. At that same hour Odysseus roused him to go to the city, and Athene shed a deep mist about Odysseus for the spare that she bare him, lest any of the Phaeacians. should meet him and mock him. (Homer,Odyssey,1950, Book VII, p. 97). And disguised as a maiden she journeys with him home on the ship and stays until he has defeated his wifes wooers who have consumed the spoils of his home.She lends her assistance when requisite such as when she cloaked Odysseus and his son and his men in darkness so that they may lead the town to come back to defeat the wooers in battle. Athena provides even more aid as she convinces his son Telemachus to search for his father and to bring him home. She also gives him advice such as having his mother hide Odysseus curtain call that no man can line other than Odysseus, foreseeing the contest to prove his iden tity later after his journey (Homer,Odyssey,1950, Book II, pp. 25-7).Rama himself is a god although he does not know this. He is the born gracious entity of the god Vishnu Narayana who has a premeditated plan to take human form and then to defeat the dickens god, Ravana hated by all supernatural gods and goddesses alike. But it is not until the end of his epic journey that Rama remembers that his true(p) essence is the god Narayana (Griffith, Book I, stz. 19). This is unlike Odysseus who was favored by the gods and knew of their help and their interest in him as he bore them many sacrifices in return.One such sacrifice being in the cave of the Cyclops as they awaited his return from shepherding his flock. Then we kindled a fire, and made burnt-offering (Homer,Odyssey,1950, Book IX, p. 132). such offerings are made throughout the story before and after challenges are met. Once the Cyclops was defeated, Odysseus took the topper ram for offering the ram for me alone my goodly-greav ed company chose out, in the dividing of the sheep, and on the shore I offered him up to Zeus. and I burnt the slices of the thighs. (Homer, Odyssey,1950, Book IX, p. 142).From this a conclusion could be drawn it is expected of a hero to make offering to the gods who find favor with him. Likewise, Rama shows respect to the gods and his father, King Dasaratha, when he unfailingly responds to their commands without question. When asked by Queen Kaikeyi if he promises to reward his fathers vow and do his bidding, Rama replies, I, at the bidding of my sire, Would deem my body to the fire, A deadly draught of poison drink, Or in the waves of ocean sink If he command, it shall be done,My father and my king in one (Griffith, Book II, stz. 8).Rama leaves for his banishment without delay and without question to honor his fathers vow to Kaikeyi. He meets his challenges without hesitation and delineates what the Indians name dharma, the will of the gods (Brockington, 1984, p. 33) or what t he Greeks refer to as fate, a story of life darned out by the Muse (Homer, Iliad, 1950, p. 175). Both epics contain heroes who follow their dharma or fate without question and praise and honor their gods. It is when the heroes anger or disrespect the gods that evil befalls them.For exercising, when Odysseus tells king Alcinous how he injured Cyclops and this angered the creatures father, Poseidon who aided Cyclops as he attacked the ship with hilltop and large boulder causing waves to occupy the ship back to shore. (Homer, Odyssey,1950, Book IX, p. 141-2). Or when Rama slays the giant and angers the demon king Ravan, because Rama is vigilant in his respect to the gods, he overcomes the challenges brought before him when his wife is stolen from him. Rama is the example of true dharma and a great hero to the Indian religion of Hindu. Brockington, 1984, p. 8). Odysseus and Rama both tone a great journey and banishment. Odysseus takes twenty years to return from the battle of Troy an d suffers many hardships along the way that stay him from reaching his homeland for which he desires.One such suffering be at the hands of Calypso on the Isle Ogygia for seven years where she forced his stay as he had no direction by which to depart until Calypso was bade by the gods to sent him adrift on a raft (Homer, Odyssey,1950, Book V, pp. 74-75. Among these misadventures that halted Odysseus return, was the Isle of the Lotus-Eaters, where the men ate of the Lotus which made them lose their desire to continue their journey home, and the Sirens who set outed to attract them to their own deaths (Homer, Odyssey, Book IX, p. 128-130). The Odyssey is the story of Odysseus journey home once he has befallen these challenges after the War of Troy.This journey takes more time as he meets hardships mostly set upon him by Poseidon, who . see Odysseus as he sailed over the deep and he was mightily angered in spirit. (Homer, Odyssey, Book V, p. 79) and reveals it must be that the gods a t the last have changed their purposes concerning Odysseus. But methinks that even yet I will drive him far enough in the path of suffering (Homer, Odyssey, 1950, p. 79). Thus another journey begins and Odysseus is affect once again, taking a total of twenty years before he reaches his homeland. If not for Athenas aid and the aid of the other gods, Odysseus would not have been successful. Rama is also taken from his homeland.On the eve of his preparations to take over the throne for his father, one of his fathers other wives, Queen Kaikeyi , to whom King Dasaratha owes two vows as she had saved his life previously, beseeches the king to throne her son, Bharat and exile Rama for fourteen years to the forest. These rites in Ramas name begun Transfer them, and enthrone my son. The time is come to claim at last The double benediction of days long-past, When Gods and demons met in fight. And thou wouldst fain my care requite. Now forth to Dandaks forest drive Thy Rama for nine years and five, And let him dwell a hermit there. (Griffith, Book II, stz. 11).With these words Kaikeyi reminds Dasaratha of his promise to her when she saved his life by caring for a fatal wound. She then asks for her son to be throned without challenge from Rama and also that Rama be exiled for fourteen years to live as a hermit in the forest. Kaikeyi only does such a greedy act because her maid Manthara has convinced her that horrible tidings await her hereafter and that of her son if Bharat does not take the throne and Rama is enthroned (Griffith, Book II, stzs. -8). Still, honoring his fathers lamenting bid, Rama departs, desexualize to make a life anew with his wife and his one half-brother, Lakshmana (Griffith, Book II, stz. 19). As did Odysseus, so did Rama face many sufferings once he left in exile and his journey was not yet over. Sita, his wife, is stolen from him spell he is away. Thus Rama, takes on the tasks of allying with the monkey armies to have aid in finding and saving his dear wife. Then he faces Ravan, the demon king, to save her (Griffith, Book IV, V, VI).Odysseus and Ramas stories both reveal the importance of a warriors weaponry and strength in their respective cultures. When Odysseus returns home, with the deviousness of Athena, he and his son and wife, Telemachus and genus Penelope, devise a contest to prove his identity so that Odysseus may overtake his kingdom of Ithaca once more. Whosoever can string Odysseus prominent bow will have Penelope for his wife and all the kingdom of Odysseus for his own. So does Penelope set the bow and quiver before the wooers.And one by one they attempt to string Odysseus mighty bow. But none can accomplish this feat. Once Telemachus convinces the wooers to let the beggar who is his disguised father attempt the feat, . Odysseus straightaway bent the great bow, all without effort, and took it in his right hand and proved the bow string, which rang sweetly at the touch, in tone like a swallow (Homer, Odyss ey, 1950, Book XXI, p. 336). All at once he revealed his true identity and all was lost to the suitors of his wife.