in the face of victory: A Comparison of two heroes
In many epics the central archetype that can always be identified is the archetype of the warrior, also known as the hero. In the chaotic worlds of Odysseus, hero of the Greek epic The Odyssey, and Arjuna, hero of the Indian epic The Mahabharata, both have experiences that expose how the two very different cultures are similar and different when it comes to the warrior archetype. Odysseus is a brave king who proves not only his tenacity but also blunt strength as he journeys on a quest to return to his home. Also a brave warrior, Arjuna has more of a compassionate and loving side that uplifts his cultural values that showed his feelings toward war. It is through challenging events that both warriors prove themselves the archetypal figure of the ideal warrior, however they also must learn about a lesson about themselves in depth and come to terms with the outcome. Although both, Odysseus and Arjuna, fulfill the warrior archetype through their skills, receiving guidance and support from the gods, and wise mindsets, their archetypes differ in their cultural influences, personalities and characteristics that can be seen through the encounters with victory.
To fully embody the archetypal warrior, heroes possess many characteristics that can be identified in each warrior. The typical warrior is a fundamental literary archetype who protects and defends against all foes, operating on the premise that strength and power overcome any justice. They are natural leaders and are usually on the side of the greater good. However, warriors can sometimes seem prideful, self-righteous, and impatient (Pitner). The traits of the warrior are often consistent; these traits can vary as a result of the warrior’s culture and moral values.
Although Odysseus and Arjuna differ in culture and personality, both warriors share the archetypal traits of being wise, receiving assistance and/or guidance from the gods, and having the talents in combat as a warrior. Odysseus is known as a respectable king warrior for these traits. In The Odyssey, Odysseus gains the favor of the gods from his performance in the Trojan War. Athene, the goddess of war and wisdom, favored Odysseus most and assisted him many times, including when he finally returned to Ithaka and was disguised as an old man. Aside from receiving guidance from the gods, Odysseus is a wise and gifted warrior. During the Trojan War, he proved his skills in combat as well as being responsible for the ploy of the Trojan Horse to capture the city of Troy. In The Odyssey, Odysseus displayed the use of his wise and cunning mind through his strategy and decision-making on his quest home.
Like Odysseus, Arjuna is known for relationship with the god Krishna, his notable skills in archery and wise mind. Having always been in the god Krishna’s favor for his pure heart, Arjuna confides and seeks knowledge from Krishna during the course of the Kurukshetra War. Arjuna is very skilled in archery, the only undefeated warrior and was unmatched by any others. He defeated Bhishma, Karna and Drona many times in combat, which ultimately led to the victory of the Pandavas. Arjuna shows his wise mindedness through his hesitation in battle. Many times he has the opportunity to kill his opponents however he takes the time to reflect before taking another’s life.
In both The Odyssey and The Mahabharata, the cultural differences and moral values are evident in the personality of each warrior. In The Odyssey, Odysseus is portrayed as very confident, prideful and as having sharp intellect and a strong thirst for glory. These traits were not uncommon amongst Greek rulers and warrior because men were taught to be strong and that power was above all. However, in The Mahabharata, Arjuna is portrayed as a type of “golden child” and aligns with the morals of the Indian culture. He is more of a reluctant hero who is trustworthy, sincere and gifted, which is important in the Hindu religion. Each hero’s personality is a reflection a warrior and is supported in their cultural differences.
Although Odysseus and Arjuna have a commonality of being the archetypal warrior, they view war in two very different ways. In The Odyssey, Odysseus is selfish, prideful and has a strong thirst for glory. For example, shortly after leaving Troy, Odysseus and his men sail to the island of the Cyclopes. While there they are captured, however Odysseus outsmarts the Cyclopes by giving him a false name. Instead of leaving after defeating the Cyclopes and continuing on his journey to Ithaca, Odysseus boast and reveals his true name to gain glory for defeating the Cyclopes.
So they spoke, but could not persuade the great heart in me, but once again in the anger of my heart I cried to him: “Cyclops, if any mortal man ever asks you who it was that inflicted upon your eye this shameful blinding, tell him that you were blinded by Odysseus, sacker of cities. Laertes is his father, and he makes his home on Ithaca.
(Book 9; Lines 500-505)
However, the Cyclopes is the son Poseidon, the god of the sea, and he later punishes Odysseus. From his pride and selfishness, this incident hurt Odysseus more than just losing a few men because Poseidon makes his journey home very long and arduous. His pride shown here displays his lack of respect for others and his own selfish while seeking glory. Later he learns that his pride is both an asset and hindrance.
Unlike Odysseus, Arjuna does not seek glory, but instead inner victory and to do what aligns with his values. In The Mahabharata, an example of this is Arjuna’s struggle with why he must fight in the battle. Arjuna is torn and upset before the battle over an inner struggle that is against his values relating to human beings relationships with others. Even though he was fighting for something he believed in, Arhuna faced a moral dilemma and showed hesitation about having to kill his cousins, the Kauravas in battle. He voiced his issue with Krishna explaining his objections and concerns with going through with the battle. “He confessed to Krishna ‘I cannot go on with this war. My grasp on Gandiva slips, my mind wanders; how can I slaughter kith and kin? I do not want the kingdom’” (Narayan 147). From this quote, he expresses just this. Being that he is gifted in archery, he says that he is having trouble shooting his bow knowing that it will kill those close to him. Krishna responses by assuring him that the battle needs to occur. He reminds him that he is not fighting for the kingdom for himself, but the Pandavas and that he is just a part of strategy for the rightful ruling of the kingdom. After his talk with Krishna, Arjuna was reassured in the role that he must play and he knew that he had to face the Kauravas in battle.
Although both Arjuna and Odysseus fulfill the archetype in epics of the warrior, they are not always the same. Arjuna is the loved and well-rounded warrior who’s values come before himself and it is shown in his actions. Odysseus is the strong and prideful warrior who’s selfishness is reflected in his consequences of his actions. Victory is always associated with the archetypal warrior, however it is the way each hero deals with their praise that sets them apart. Arjuna seeks an inner victory and reassurance from his wise council and Odysseus seeks outer victory from those around him and wants the credit. Odysseus’s culture promotes and respects the strong and famous warriors while Arjuna’s culture supports the opposite. It is each warrior’s cultural background that influenced their role and how they were portrayed while on their quest to victory.
Work Cited
Homer. The Odyssey. Fitzgerald, Robert (trans.), 1989
Pitner, Suzanne. “The Warrior Character Archetype.” Suite 101. N.p., 04 Oct 2008. Web. Mar 2013. <http:suite101.com/article/the-warrior-character-archetype-a71753>.
The Mahabharata: A Shortened Modern Prose Version of the Indian Epic. R. K. Narayan (trans.), 2000.
To fully embody the archetypal warrior, heroes possess many characteristics that can be identified in each warrior. The typical warrior is a fundamental literary archetype who protects and defends against all foes, operating on the premise that strength and power overcome any justice. They are natural leaders and are usually on the side of the greater good. However, warriors can sometimes seem prideful, self-righteous, and impatient (Pitner). The traits of the warrior are often consistent; these traits can vary as a result of the warrior’s culture and moral values.
Although Odysseus and Arjuna differ in culture and personality, both warriors share the archetypal traits of being wise, receiving assistance and/or guidance from the gods, and having the talents in combat as a warrior. Odysseus is known as a respectable king warrior for these traits. In The Odyssey, Odysseus gains the favor of the gods from his performance in the Trojan War. Athene, the goddess of war and wisdom, favored Odysseus most and assisted him many times, including when he finally returned to Ithaka and was disguised as an old man. Aside from receiving guidance from the gods, Odysseus is a wise and gifted warrior. During the Trojan War, he proved his skills in combat as well as being responsible for the ploy of the Trojan Horse to capture the city of Troy. In The Odyssey, Odysseus displayed the use of his wise and cunning mind through his strategy and decision-making on his quest home.
Like Odysseus, Arjuna is known for relationship with the god Krishna, his notable skills in archery and wise mind. Having always been in the god Krishna’s favor for his pure heart, Arjuna confides and seeks knowledge from Krishna during the course of the Kurukshetra War. Arjuna is very skilled in archery, the only undefeated warrior and was unmatched by any others. He defeated Bhishma, Karna and Drona many times in combat, which ultimately led to the victory of the Pandavas. Arjuna shows his wise mindedness through his hesitation in battle. Many times he has the opportunity to kill his opponents however he takes the time to reflect before taking another’s life.
In both The Odyssey and The Mahabharata, the cultural differences and moral values are evident in the personality of each warrior. In The Odyssey, Odysseus is portrayed as very confident, prideful and as having sharp intellect and a strong thirst for glory. These traits were not uncommon amongst Greek rulers and warrior because men were taught to be strong and that power was above all. However, in The Mahabharata, Arjuna is portrayed as a type of “golden child” and aligns with the morals of the Indian culture. He is more of a reluctant hero who is trustworthy, sincere and gifted, which is important in the Hindu religion. Each hero’s personality is a reflection a warrior and is supported in their cultural differences.
Although Odysseus and Arjuna have a commonality of being the archetypal warrior, they view war in two very different ways. In The Odyssey, Odysseus is selfish, prideful and has a strong thirst for glory. For example, shortly after leaving Troy, Odysseus and his men sail to the island of the Cyclopes. While there they are captured, however Odysseus outsmarts the Cyclopes by giving him a false name. Instead of leaving after defeating the Cyclopes and continuing on his journey to Ithaca, Odysseus boast and reveals his true name to gain glory for defeating the Cyclopes.
So they spoke, but could not persuade the great heart in me, but once again in the anger of my heart I cried to him: “Cyclops, if any mortal man ever asks you who it was that inflicted upon your eye this shameful blinding, tell him that you were blinded by Odysseus, sacker of cities. Laertes is his father, and he makes his home on Ithaca.
(Book 9; Lines 500-505)
However, the Cyclopes is the son Poseidon, the god of the sea, and he later punishes Odysseus. From his pride and selfishness, this incident hurt Odysseus more than just losing a few men because Poseidon makes his journey home very long and arduous. His pride shown here displays his lack of respect for others and his own selfish while seeking glory. Later he learns that his pride is both an asset and hindrance.
Unlike Odysseus, Arjuna does not seek glory, but instead inner victory and to do what aligns with his values. In The Mahabharata, an example of this is Arjuna’s struggle with why he must fight in the battle. Arjuna is torn and upset before the battle over an inner struggle that is against his values relating to human beings relationships with others. Even though he was fighting for something he believed in, Arhuna faced a moral dilemma and showed hesitation about having to kill his cousins, the Kauravas in battle. He voiced his issue with Krishna explaining his objections and concerns with going through with the battle. “He confessed to Krishna ‘I cannot go on with this war. My grasp on Gandiva slips, my mind wanders; how can I slaughter kith and kin? I do not want the kingdom’” (Narayan 147). From this quote, he expresses just this. Being that he is gifted in archery, he says that he is having trouble shooting his bow knowing that it will kill those close to him. Krishna responses by assuring him that the battle needs to occur. He reminds him that he is not fighting for the kingdom for himself, but the Pandavas and that he is just a part of strategy for the rightful ruling of the kingdom. After his talk with Krishna, Arjuna was reassured in the role that he must play and he knew that he had to face the Kauravas in battle.
Although both Arjuna and Odysseus fulfill the archetype in epics of the warrior, they are not always the same. Arjuna is the loved and well-rounded warrior who’s values come before himself and it is shown in his actions. Odysseus is the strong and prideful warrior who’s selfishness is reflected in his consequences of his actions. Victory is always associated with the archetypal warrior, however it is the way each hero deals with their praise that sets them apart. Arjuna seeks an inner victory and reassurance from his wise council and Odysseus seeks outer victory from those around him and wants the credit. Odysseus’s culture promotes and respects the strong and famous warriors while Arjuna’s culture supports the opposite. It is each warrior’s cultural background that influenced their role and how they were portrayed while on their quest to victory.
Work Cited
Homer. The Odyssey. Fitzgerald, Robert (trans.), 1989
Pitner, Suzanne. “The Warrior Character Archetype.” Suite 101. N.p., 04 Oct 2008. Web. Mar 2013. <http:suite101.com/article/the-warrior-character-archetype-a71753>.
The Mahabharata: A Shortened Modern Prose Version of the Indian Epic. R. K. Narayan (trans.), 2000.