This paper examines the heroes' journeys and the portrayal of the Otherworld in this contrast and comparison of these classic literary works in 5 pages.
Name of Research Paper File: JL5_JLOtherworld.rtf
Unformatted Sample Text from the Research Paper:
the Epic of Gilgamesh and the Odyssey" Research Compiled for Enterprises Inc By , January 2013 To Use This Report
Correctly, Please In order to look at the
way in which the Underworld is presented in the Epic of Gilgamesh and the Odyssey, it would be helpful for the student to note that in virtually all the mythological
stories and legends in which an underworld or otherworld realm are featured, there are often a number of similarities between them. For instance, the otherworld often appears in the narrative
because the hero or central character needs information from someone who has already passed on, or from the gods of the underworld, and without this information he cannot complete his
quest. Both Gilgamesh and Odysseus are on a spiritual journey and
are gaining wisdom, self-knowledge and the ability to return to their respective societies as rulers, so it is reasonable to expect that they will have to travel to strange places
in order to acquire knowledge, and to demonstrate bravery or quick-wittedness while they are dealing with unfamiliar situations or beings. In addition, part of the spiritual journey of a hero
always involves facing the darker side of ones nature, which is represented by the otherworld or the realm of the dead, since understanding both darkness and light is essential for
the individual to become complete. Therefore, the student could