Heroes are abundant in religious traditions around the globe, perhaps most notably in the form of the warrior-king.  Far from being mere adventure stories, epic tales may provide paradigms of ethical behavior, religious devotion, cultural norms or historical identity.  Their actions inform – but what are we to learn?

In this assignment, you will be comparing hero archetypes directly from (translations of) the ancient literature of four religious traditions.

    1.  Rama is considered in Hinduism to be an incarnation (or “avatar”) of the god Vishnu.  In   “Ramayana,” the hero is a prince of the Indian kingdom Ayodhya.  Deprived of his birthright, he is exiled to the forest, accompanied by hid brother Lakshmana and wife Sita.  (Excerpt:Ramayana, Book III, “Rama’s Exile to the Forest”)

    2.  The Mesopotamian “Epic of Gilgamesh” traces the quest of the king of Ur to resurrect his friend, Enkidu, who was killed by the gods as punishment for Gilgamesh’s recklessness.  (Excerpt: Gilgamesh, the creation of Enkidu through his fight with the hero)

    3.  David is elevated from shepherd to king following his exploits in the Hebrew Book of Kings.  (Excerpt: Kings I, III)

    4.   Hector is the son of King Priam and the preeminent warrior among the Trojans in “The Iliad,” the epic poem attributed to the legendary poet Homer.  (Excerpt: The Iliad, Hector explains to Andromache why he must fight.)

After reading each excerpt, try to answer the following questions:
1. What makes someone a “hero” in this religious tradition?  What are the necessary qualities?
2. What attitudes or actions are considered virtues?  Why?
3. What attitudes or actions are disreputable?  Why?
4. What does the story suggest about the relationship between humans and deities?
5. What is suggested about the qualities that are desirable or repugnant in women? 

Hero Archetypes chart