Odysseus and Gilgamesh are heroic characters in the sense that they both overcome tremendous obstacles to help not only themselves, but also their fellow man. Odysseus is faced with the challenge of making it back to his beloved Ithaca while fighting Poseidon’s wrath, angering all sorts of other deities, trying to get home before he is doomed for eternity. The Odyssey reads like a story of Odysseus’ fantastic adventures while returning to his homeland after serving the Trojans during the Trojan War. Odysseus was considered one of history’s greatest warriors.
Odysseus led troops into battle and showed no fear or hesitation when facing enemies. Odysseus shows restraint by never giving away what he and his men were up to and Odysseus’ patience was tested by Poseidon’s fierce storms he faced during his ten year journey home. Odysseus had a goal and nothing could stop him from achieving that goal; even though it took Odysseus twenty years to finally make it home, Odysseus made it home with all of the crew members still alive. Gilgamesh is also another man who has great courage and inspires those around him.
Gilgamesh is a strong powerful king in Mesopotamia, but after hearing about a foretold death, Gilgamesh grows concerned for the future generations. Gilgamesh sets out on a quest to find immortality which enables him to live forever alongside the gods as a guardian of mankind. Odysseus also has high expectations to live up to, Odysseus presented himself as the best solider in the Greek army; Odysseus presented himself as one who never lost a battle and Odysseus always had his crew members’ backs during battles.
Odysseus’ restraint was tested when Poseidon became aware that Odysseus put wax within his ears in order to keep Odysseus undetected while Odysseus sailed past The Sirens (143). Odysseus showed patience when he endured six days and seven nights before receiving food and water on Mount Olympus (1-180). These two characters are similar in that they both show great restraint but also show great discipline. Odysseus and Gilgamesh both had a very high expectation of themselves and Odysseus and Gilgamesh did whatever was necessary in order to get home, Odysseus back to Ithaca and Gilgamesh into the eternal garden which contained immortality.
Odysseus and Gilgamesh also had different approaches when it came to dealing with things that were out of their control; Odysseus prayed to Athena for guidance on what he should do, while Gilgamesh decided he would use his might in order gain entrance into the Temple of Ishtar (66-111). Both Odysseus’ self restraint and discipline throughout the Odyssey has led him on many remarkable adventures on his way to Ithaca, Odysseus speaks with Circe who tells Odysseus about the Sirens and he asks Odysseus to bring him some beeswax so Odysseus can seal his crew members’ ears (1-180).
Odysseus was not afraid of anything or anyone who came across his path because Odysseus showed restraint every step of the way. Gilgamesh on the other hand entered a battle where there were two powerful adversaries: Humbaba and Huwawa. Gilgamesh and Enkidu defeated these two adversaries and upon returning to Uruk; Gilgamesh ended up boasting about what he had done which angered the goddess Ishtar. Gilgamesh set out on a quest to find the eternal garden which contained immortality, Gilgamesh set out with his friend Enkidu and they traveled to where Humbaba and Huwawa lived.
Odysseus also was not afraid of anything or anyone who Odysseus came across while Odysseus made his way back home; Odysseus ended up facing a lot of challenges along the way but Odysseus did whatever was necessary in order to get home safely. Both Odysseus and Gilgamesh were both concerned about what would happen if their people went without them, Odysseus knew that he had to make it back before Poseidon’s wrath consumed Odysseus forever, Odysseus’ crew members knew that Odysseus was a great man and Odysseus’ crew members would survive as long as Odysseus got back to Ithaca.
Gilgamesh was concerned about leaving Enkidu behind because he felt it was necessary for him to do what Gilgamesh accomplished with Enkidu. Both Odysseus and Gilgamesh are very similar in the fact that they both were valiant warriors who returned home, Odysseus made sure he kept his composure so others could follow Odysseus’ example; Gilgamesh also has many similarities since Gilgamesh is also a great warrior king who fought battles with his friend Enkidu.
Odysseus’ goal was to get back home to his wife and Odysseus did whatever Odysseus had to do in order to get Odysseus’ crew members back home safely; Gilgamesh knew that Enkidu was the only person who Gilgamesh could relate to besides himself. Odysseus set out on a journey with his crew members which Odysseus faced many challenges along Odysseus’ way, Gilgamesh also faced many challenges while making Odysseus’ way.
Both Odysseus and Gilgamesh are great warriors who fought hard battles together; Odysseus always had Odysseus’ crew members’ backs while Gilgamesh was fighting alongside his friend Enkidu. Odysseus’ self-restraint Odysseus showed during Odysseus’ journey Odysseus shows how Odysseus was a valiant warrior like Odysseus. Odysseus personality outweighed Gilgamesh’s because Odysseus always put Odysseus needs before Odysseus’ crew members; Odysseus leadership brought his crew members safety and victory throughout Odysseus journey.
Odysseus, however, is rewarded for his ability to wait and not give into temptation. Odysseus’s restraint throughout Odysseus: A Play , acts as a way that others view Odysseus and his commitment to giving Odysseus the chance of becoming immortal. When Odysseus returns home after 20 years away from Ithaca , he has the opportunity to stay with Calypso on her island or return back home to Penelope . One might think this would be an obvious choice for Odysseus, as he loves Penelope, but Calypso does everything she can to make Odysseus forget about Penelope by providing all kinds of luxuries and entertainments.
Odysseus chooses to stay with Calypso because he doesn’t want to give into temptation, even though Odysseus is in love with Penelope. Odysseus has a strong self-control and discipline so Odysseus is able to resist the temptations of a beautiful goddess in order to keep his promise. Odysseus’s strength is not only being able to control himself when faced with sex but also Odysseus’s ability to fight off Polyphemos , another member of the crew that wants Odysseus dead. In addition, Odysseus shows his commitment for survival by sailing from island to island looking for someone that can help him get back home safely after the shipwreck.
Odysseus’s ability to stay in control is Odysseus’s strength and Odysseus never gives up, instead, Odysseus commits to Odysseus: A Play always. According to Gilgamesh, a man with patience and self-restraint will be seen as a coward, while Odysseus uses his traits of self-control and discipline to show others how strong Odysseus is. Odysseus shows patience when faced with sex or people trying to kill Odysseus; this patience is also shown through Odysseus’s long journey home from Troy.