Compare and contrast Gilgamesh, Joseph, and Oedipus what makes them hero

br 4 Compare and contrast Gilgamesh , Joseph , and Oedipus and what makes them a hero

According to the Oxford dictionary a hero is various described as `a person noted or admired for courage , outstanding achievements , nobility etc ' and as `a man of super-human qualities favored by the gods

According to the list of Sumerian kings Gilgamesh was king of Uruk in about 2560 B .C .E . He is described as the son of Ninsun , a goddess . He features in Sumarian mythology as a superhero who built a great wall around the

city in to defend his people . In 2003 a German archeological expedition said that they had discovered the tomb of Gilgamesh where the River Euphrates had flowed in earlier times . This fits in with a legend that the people diverted the river in to bury him in its bed . He is depicted as having had superhuman strength He oppresses his people who then appeal to the gods . The result is the creation of a foil in Enkidu , a forest creature who also had superhuman strength . Enkidu has sex with a harlot and this takes away his strength but it is replaced with great wisdom and knowledge . He defies Gilgamesh and as a result the two become great friends . They set off on adventures together which result in them angering the gods . The gods decide that Enkidu should be punished for both their sins and he is angry at this unfairness . After the death of his friend Gilgamesh is full of remorse He goes off to seek eternal life but is unable to meet the requirements His story ends with him back at Uruk looking at the walls of the great city . In many Sumarian texts Gilgamesh 's name is written as if he were a god , but this deification seems to have come much later than his life time . His story is recorded in texts from 1900 B .C .E . although it probably existed earlier . Like Joseph he was a man of dreams , but in his case it was his mother who gave the interpretation

Joseph is one of the main figures in the book of Genesis , his story occupying the majority of chapters 37 to 50 . He appears in the most part as an ordinary mortal , except that he seemed to have the gift of interpreting dreams , but there are parallels with Gilgamesh in that he saved his people - in his case it was by foreseeing a famine and making preparations beforehand so that there would be enough food . His story too was almost certainly written down after his death . According to the Thompsom Chain Bible it was in about 1700 B .C .E . that Joseph became prime minister in Egypt . Like Gilgamesh his story was undoubtedly written down long after his death , but would have circulated orally in the intervening years . He was so hated by his brothers that they planned to kill him , but instead sold him into slavery , from which he rose to become...