Comparing the Epic of Gilgamesh, Hesiods Theogony, and Ovids Metamorp

Comparing the Epic of Gilgamesh, Hesiods Theogony, and Ovids Metamorphoses There are umpteen parallels between the Epic of Gilgamesh, Hesiods Theogony, and Ovids Metamorphoses. The first similarity is immediately apparent structure. We mess view the structure of the Gilgamesh story as three concentric circles a story within a story within a story. In the revealer circle, a narrator prepares the audience for the primary narrative, contained within the foster circle the tale of Gilgameshs adventures. Within this second circle a trey narrative, the flood story, is told to Gilgamesh by Utanapishtim. Ovids Metamorphoses is told in a similar way Ovid starts out by grievous of his intention and invoking the gods help to tell the story. He consequently tells many tales as the primary narrative, and within the primary narrative exists separate narratives, such as Venus tells Adonis the story of Atalanta in disk 10. Even Hesiods Theogony is similar to some extent. He has a bit of a p rologue in which he explains how the Muses have inspired him to write of the creation, and then he enters the primary creation narrative. This method of storytelling does a variety of things. First, it prepares the reader to buy out the story. In Gilgamesh, the narrator tells us that Gilgamesh has set d admit his adventures in his own hand. This leads the reader to accept the story as an authoritative one, especially considering it has recognise from a mortal, like us, who is part god. Because Gilgamesh is part god, we realize that if he keister accept his lot in life, his mortality, then we mere mortals should be qualified to do the same. In Theogony, Hesiod prepares his audience to accept the story by telling (ad nauseum) that the Muses have worked through him to create... ...M.E.L. Early Mesopotamia and Iran. McGraw-Hill New York, 1965. Ovid. Metamorphoses. Trans. Rolfe Humphries. Bloomington, IN Indiana UP, 1983. Rosenberg, Donna. Gilgamesh. domain of a function Mytholog y An Anthology of the Great Myths and Epics. 3rd ed. Lincolnwood, IL NTC Publishing Group, 1999. 26-57. Swisher, Clarice. The Ancient Near East. bright Books San Diego, 1995. Works Consulted The Epic of Gilgamesh An Outline. Online. 15 Feb. 2000. http//www.hist.unt.edu/ane-09.htm Sumerian Mythology FAQ. Online. 15 Feb. 2000. http//webster.unh.edu/%7Ecbsiren/sumer-faq.html Gardner, crapper and John Maier. Gilgamesh Translated from the Sin-leqi-unninni version. New York Alfred A. Knopf, 1984. Harris, Stephen L. Gilgamesh. The Humanist Tradition in World Literature. Ed. Stephen Harris. Columbus, OH Charles E. Merrill Publishing Co., 1970.