In Sundiata: An Epic of Old Mali, the Mandingo people of West Africa highly recognize the prophecies told by soothsayers, who are believed to be able to predict or see the future. The first instance where a prophecy was told in the book was when the buffalo woman told the king of Niani, Maghan Kon Fatta, that she must marry Sogolon, an ugly woman with hunchback, “for she will be the mother of him who will make the name of Mali immortal for ever” (Niane 6). For a king, and especially being a father, having a child that will one day make him proud and make his kingdom known is all Maghan Kon Fatta could ask for. Soon after, Sundiata was born and after seven years, he still gets around on all four and no indication that he is the one foretold …show more content…
by the buffalo woman. Even after all that, the king still believed that Sundiata was the one and presented him a gift of a griot, a person who knows the history of their ancestors and will aid him in governing their nation (Niane 17). Not long after, the king died still believing, and sometimes that is all it takes. People just need to believe and everything will work out the way it is supposed to be. One day, to end his mother's frustration and humiliation about him not being able to walk upright on his feet, Sundiata finally decided to walk and he did.
Great accomplishment soon followed and kids his age, as well as princes, from all over came to learn and join his hunts (Niane 19-23). Threatened by the prophecy that Sundiata will one day rule all of Mali, Sassouma Berete cleverly took Sundiata's griot and drove off Sogolon and her family from Niani. But as Sogolon puts it, “it is Sassouma who is acting thus, but she does not know that she obeys a higher order” (Niane 27). It may have been Sassouma's destiny to be the one to lead Sundiata into the path she forced him to. If it someone's destiny to rule a nation, there is nothing anyone can do to stop that person from becoming who or what he is meant to be. With the exile, Sundiata was able to go from place to place and amass his army and take down the city of Sosso, who ruled Mali through conquers (Niane …show more content…
67). In the tale of Noah's Ark, God decided to bring about a flood that would destroy everything in the face of the earth. According to the book of Genesis, the reason for this is because “the earth was corrupt in God's sight, and the earth was filled with violence... for all flesh had corrupted its ways upon the earth” (The New Oxford Annotated 19). However, God saw one man, Noah, who had followed in his footsteps and warned him about the flood that is to come. Within seven days, Noah and his family built a massive ark and was saved from the flood, along with every pair of all animal of every kind (The New Oxford Annotated 19). Noah grew in favor in God's eyes by doing what God had always asked and was saved. If people do the same and walked with God, the earth will no longer be corrupted and filled with violence and the disasters that people think happens naturally will end. Walking the path of God definitely pleases the one above and he will lead any person who follows toward enlightenment. God told Noah that the rain will not start until several days later, during that time Noah could have warned hundreds of other people to prepare themselves from the flood. However, that is not what God had planned. Noah was told to start right away with building an ark (The New Oxford Annotated 19). If Noah decided that he wanted to warn other people, the time he wasted doing so might end up in the ark's failure. The ark may still have been unfinished by the time the flood starts coming in and cause it to sink with every living thing, including Noah and his family, still in it. God's plan is set and perfect, no need for any alteration, all anyone needs to do is follow his instructions and a life of happiness is sure to come. In all these epics, every single hero – Gilgamesh, Rama, Sundiata, and Noah – had a duty to fulfill to themselves, their people, and to their family. Gilgamesh neglected his duty to his people in pursuit of something that was impossible to achieve in the first place. The thought that he is a mere mortal and will eventually die frightened him and the way Enkidu described the place he saw where he was going only furthered Gilgamesh's fear. In Enkidu's sleep, he saw “ the palace of Irkalla, the Queen of Darkness, to the house which there is no coming back” (Epic of Gilgamesh 10). And while anyone of these heroes would have accepted this fate whole heartedly, Gilgamesh fled and tried to beat the gods. Rama and Sundiata, being both a warrior, would keep fighting their battles until the day they are defeated and laid to rest. And if the gods have spoken that Noah's days are numbered, then he would have cherished every moment of his remaining life with his family. If this was what the gods had in mind for their future, then there was no point in trying to change it. The only thing a man can do at all times is to live as best he could without harming or compromising other people's lives. Each one of them went through difficult times as they traversed through life fulfilling their destiny.
There were people that tried to prevent their destiny from ever happening but, even that was part of the divine plan to achieving the desired outcome. Each person these heroes met played an important role in their life. It affected how they act and respond to certain situations, making them who they are while evrything was still according to the gods layout. Gilgamesh being afraid of his own death and running away is just another example. He needed to realize that his people needed him as king, and as king, he has a duty to his people. And when he finally came back to his kingdom, he returned to be a wiser and a more humble king. The father of the gods proclaimed to Gilgamesh that he was “given the kingship, such [was] his destiny, everlasting life was not [his] destiny” (The Epic of Gilgamesh 13). Among the four heroes, he was the only one who tried to outrun his duty but, in the end, it still caught up with him. The same concept applies to the person trying to change his own destiny, not just others trying to change another person's destiny. No matter how hard Gilgamesh tries to fight his destiny, one way or another, the plans that the gods had set in motion is not to be stopped by anything or anyone. By the end of each of their journey, the heroes finally felt fulfilled, triumphant, and that they are where they are supposed to be all along, and not some place
else.
Shortly after taking over, Sundiata and his mother are exiled from their homeland (Sundiata 27). While they are away, Sundiata’s mother gets sick and eventually passes away (Sundiata 47). After this Sundiata must go through a maturing stage, and with the assistance of Moussa Tounkara learns how to be a king. Moussa teaches him many things, and after a few years makes him his Viceroy (37). After Sundiata had fully grown, his mother said to him “do not deceive yourself. Your destiny lies not here but in Mali” (38). So it was obvious that at some points Sundiata would need to return to his homeland and face Soumaoro. When he returns to face Soumaoro, it says “Djata was strong enough now to face his enemies. At the age of eighteen he had the stateliness of the lion and the strength of the buffalo” (47). The most important aspect of Sundiata’s exile was that he needed time to grow up and prepare himself for his return. Another important aspect of his exile was the relationship he formed with Moussa. This relationship enabled him to return home with half of Moussa’s army to battle
In this section the importance of destiny is again reminded to us. In this story the idea of God chooses your destiny and some of us become kings and some become slaves. It doesn’t matter what you do because you can’t change your destiny God has picked out for you.
Gilgamesh was destined to perfection from birth. He was created as a divine mortal, two thirds divine and one third human (5). He was a man destined to live a lavish life with all the riches a man could ever want. Unfortunately his arrogance and superior strength got in the way (Foster5). Gilgamesh was created by the gods to be perfect in every regard. But what the gods couldn't prepare him for was life and human emotions, instinct etc. Gilgamesh built a wall that protected Uruk, his home (3). He was destined to live a life like a god among his people. Gods played tug a war for the lack of better words with Gilgamesh's life. They controlled every aspect. This is where all Gilgamesh journey's began and where they would all bring him back to in the end.
Although Gilgamesh was forced to battle mythic beasts sent by the gods his most important conflict was with himself where he was forced to face the selfish, awful and wicked person he had become. To understand Gilgamesh’s transition it is important to first understand his background. Gilgamesh was born the product of a man and a goddess. He was a king of the Uruk and
Character deficiencies and external events force these three characters to embark on a journey that may be physical, metaphorical, or both. In the Epic of Gilgamesh, Gilgamesh is the king of Uruk, but he is not a kind or gentle ruler. The narrator describes Gilgamesh as "surpassing all kings, for his stature renowned" (I.30) and yet the people pray to the gods for help because Gilgamesh "would leave no son to his father" (I.67) or "girl to her mother" (I.73). In other words, Gilgamesh sees nothing wrong with taking what he wants from his people, including their lives. However, when Gilgamesh's best friend dies, he finds himself face-to-face with his own mortality, which he is not prepared to accept as inevitable. Gilgamesh states, "I have grown afraid of death . . ." (IX. 5). He decides to continue wandering the land un...
After reading The Epic of Gilgamesh, I have come to realize that Gilgamesh is not a hero, but a failure. His journey does not follow the traditional circular hero’s journey and he does not posses the traits that an admirable hero should have.
The story of Gilgamesh seems to be a collection of trials and tribulation. Throughout the book, you watch characters battle demons with each other, as well as within themselves. The tantalizing temptations that fill each character, ultimately leads to destruction and death. One example was the relationship between Ishtar and Gilgamesh. Both characters display a type of arrogant, 'ego-consciousness' (Neumann 63) that inevitably leads to subversive fate.
The idea of fate has baffled mankind for centuries. Can humans control what happens to them, or is everyone placed in a predestined world designed by a higher power? The Epic of Gilgamesh and Oedipus The King highlight on the notion that no matter what, people cannot control what is destined to occur. Interestingly enough, many other distantly connected cultures had, and have similar gods or goddesses who play a role in the fate of individuals. Oedipus, King of Thebes, was told by the Oracle at Delphi that he would one day kill his father and marry his mother. Determined not to let this prophecy verify his fears, Oedipus does all in his power to prevent this from happening, yet fails. Similarly, Gilgamesh, king of Uruk, attempts to obtain immortality, but fails as well. Gilgamesh's and Oedipus's intense fear and ignorance cause them to try to interfere with their fates, leading to their failures and realization of the futility of trying to control destiny.
Sundiata developed into a great leader of Mali through hardships, religion, and core/tributary/periphery relationships of states. The djeli who transmitted this information to the translators, is also a manifestation of an institution important in Sundiata’s epic, because without djelis these stories would be lost forever. Sundiata learned about the formation, running and maintenance of African states through interactions with the communities he was introduced to.
Gilgamesh is an example of someone who had many flaws and faced many struggles but, in the end, changed his attitude and became a better person. In the beginning of Gilgamesh, he is described as doing whatever he wants and being juvenile in a way. For example, in the text it says, “he was their shepherd, yet powerful, superb, knowledgeable and expert, Gilgamesh would not leave young girls alone, the daughters of warriors, the brides of young men.” With his second half, Enkidu, they entered into the first step in becoming a hero according to Campbell, the separation, by going on an adventure. At this point in the story, Gilgamesh is very arrogant. While traveling to Cedar Forest, Gilgamesh tells Enkidu, “let me go in front of you, and your voice call out: ‘Go close, don’t be afraid!’ If I should fall, I should have won fame. People will say, Gilgamesh grappled in combat with ferocious Humbaba… ensure fame that will last forever.” Next is stage two, the initiation, of the Campbell’s hero journey. Gilgamesh undergoes a trail to begin his transformation, he must fight the Bull of Heaven. Gilgamesh’s supportive side is starting to show when he tells Enkidu that they will win if they fight together. After killing the Bull of Heaven, Gilgamesh’s confident attitude is shown once again. The next trial he faces is the death of Enkidu. He starts to show emotion when he says, “for you Enkidu, I, like your mother, your father, will weep on your plains… I will lay you to rest on a bed of loving care… and I myself will neglect my appearance after your death.” At this point his character has been greedy and then he showed his fear and supportive side. The last stage in the hero’s journey is the return. Enkidu’s death sent Gilgamesh on an adventure to fight death. From this adventure he learned his biggest lesson from Utnapishtim. He learns to appreciate life, and
The elements of a character’s true personality and attitude make that fate. a reality and force the destiny to become the destination. The stories of Gilgamesh, Oedipus the King, and The Tragedy of Sohrab and Rostam. all teach the readers that destiny and character are intertwined. In Sophocles’ Oedipus the King, destiny and Oedipus’ actions.
Gilgamesh, feeling the fear of his own mortality, sets out on a journey to search for a way to preserve himself. Although the journey that he endures is much larger than life, Gilgamesh comes to realize that he can never achieve immortality. Before the creation of Enkidu, Gilgamesh is a man without an equal match. He is an individual with overwhelming power, and it is because of this that makes Gilgamesh a very arrogant person.
In the stories/plays and poems of Gilgamesh, Oedipus the King and Achilles in the Iliad, there are three main heroes who have their fate decided for them by the Gods. Each hero has had fate placed on them according to the god’s, however as fate is understood there is also the idea of free will. Gilgamesh is two-thirds god and one-third man, who feels as though he has no equal, Gilgamesh feels superior to all men until he meets Enkidu, a creation sent to stop Gilgamesh from his reckless and wild ways. Oedipus is the king of Thebes and his fate was prophecies by the blind soothsayer Tiresias in which he was to kill his father and marry his mother. In the poem the Iliad, Achilles was the hero that would win the war with Troy, the prophet Calchas predicted that Achilles would die at an early age. In all of the epics, each character had a destiny to full filled, blessed with extra ordinary powers and abilities, each had the a...
The fall of Ghana left a power vacuum that in 1050, the Almoravids, Muslims of North Africa tried to fill, but were ultimately taken over by the rising Kingdom of Mali. The man, who laid the foundations for the Mali Empire, was Sundiata, who belonged to the Keita Clan of the Malinke people in the Kingdom of Kangaba. Sundiata had 12 royal brothers who were heirs to the throne, but Sumanguru, the ruler of the neighboring state of Kaniaga, overran the Kingdom of Kangaba. Sumanguru had every one of Sundiata’s brothers murdered, but spared Sundiata due to his sickly appearance. This was a huge mistake by Sumanguru, as Sundiata would grow strong and eventually assemble an army that would challenge him and Kaniaga. In 1235, Sundiata would have his revenge, defeating Sumanguru at the Battle of Kir...
One of the main themes in the epic is that death is inevitable, which is shown through Enkidu's death. When Enkidu dies, Gilgamesh becomes very worried, because he realizes for the first time that everyone is going to die at some point in time. The fact that Enkidu is a close friend makes it even more visible to Gilgamesh that everyone is mortal. Then, along with this realization, comes the theme of denial. Gilgamesh does not want to accept the fact that he will die. He denies the truth, because he does not want to think about the truth or cope with the tragedy that has struck him. "And he-he does not lift his head. 'I touched his heart, it does not beat'" (Tablet VIII, Column II, 15-16). "'Me! Will I too not die like Enkidu? Sorrow was come into my belly. I fear death; I roam over the hills. I will seize the road; quickly I will go to the house of Utnapishtim, offspring of Ubaratutu. I approach the entrance of the mountain at night. Lions I see, and I am terrified. I lift my head to pray to the mood god Sin: For...a dream I go to the gods in prayer: ...preserve me!'" (Tablet IX, Column I, 3-12).