2/26/12

Last week, we finished up Gilgamesh and started reading the Ramayana. Gilgamesh's friend Enkidu dies, so Gilgamesh goes on a long quest to find immortality because he fears death. In the end of the story, he doesn't find immortality but a thorny branch that gives him youth. Sadly a snake eats it and he loses the power of youth. Moral of the story is no man can live forever and become young again.

In Ramayana, Rama was about to become a king but his step mom didn't want that to happen. So the step mom used two of her promised on the king to make her son the king and to exile Rama to the forest for 14 years. Even though the king didn't want to do it, he couldn't go back on a promise. He was balling his eyes out when the stepmother told Rama that he was to be exiled under the king's orders. Even though the king didn't want to, Rama agreed with no questions asked.

For the Gilgamesh story, I felt it wasn't really a story of a hero but of a king who was afraid of death. It kind of reminded me of Beowulf in which the morale of  the story was that everybody dies, even the greatest. Gilgamesh did fight the giant bull and the demon in the forest, but he didn't fight those creatures to protect the people, but fought them because he was bored. If Gilgamesh was a real fighter, he would've found more ways to protect the people.

I enjoyed Ramayana a little more, especially because I did a presentation on the story in class. I feel that Rama is the ideal person we should all strive to be. We should also be like the king who always honored his promises. But anyways, I believe that Rama wasn't being passive but he was just obeying his father's word. I believe we should all be like Rama learn to control our emotions and follow our elder's words. Now a days majority of us question our parent's logic, disobey people with power, and try to work around the law. If we were to all be like Rama and to control our emotions, I believe the world would be a little less violent.

In Ramayana, the king was crying when his wife told Rama that he must be exiled to the forest for 14 years. As the king, he could have just told her no and continue to let Rama become prince. Instead he was balling his eyes out as his son accepted his fate. I have to give it up to the king because that must be hurtful that you promised the entire kingdom that Rama was going to be king, but now you go back on your word because of promises you made to your wife. It goes to show you that as a king, you must always keep your promises, no matter what.

Also when the king was crying, I believe he had no shame at all. In our society, its unmanly to cry at all. In my opinion if you feel like crying, then cry. The only catch is, don't cry in public. Instead, cry where no one will see you.

WC: 541