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Ancient Literatures

In: English and Literature

Submitted By haneytke
Words 426
Pages 2
Sean Philips
10/24/2014
Professor Furrow, Howa
Literary Research Proposal
“Ancient literatures’ manly claims to an ideal Hero”
The topic I’m choosing for this proposal and assignment is going to be topic 1. I will be looking to address what it means to be a hero in at least 3 of the works which will be the main foci, as well as some of the others to further support my claims in the journey it takes to become a hero. The main works I will be examining are: “Beowulf”, “Gilgamesh”, and “Sir Gawain and the Green Knight.” While I look to interpret how the accepted role of a man in ancient societies is exploited in these works, I will also look to the same obligation which may drive these heroes to do their bidding as male constituents. When these works were written, taking the honorable approach of assuming the role of a hero in each story, it must also be examined with scrutiny the time period in which these authors have written these works. The views of what a hero is physically, as well as mentally, were dictated by masculine characteristics and that of pride, valor, and endurance. These same characteristics can still be seen in movies today, but the hero has also transcended into a more intellectual approach, as opposed to the stance taken in these 3 works being analyzed. What it means to be a hero in ancient literature leaves those who were too weak or unequipped out of the picture. My thesis for this research assignment will be to exploit how the time period these works were written in had influenced what it meant to be a hero and maintaining that status in respect to one’s masculinity.

GALILEO: Imagining men [electronic resource] : ideals of masculinity in ancient Greek culture / Thomas Van Nortwick. (http://eds.a.ebscohost.com/eds/detail/detail?vid=6&sid=5b9d3c3c-220f-44c5-9eaf-34ef9383f520%40sessionmgr4002&hid=4111&bdata=JnNpdGU9ZWRzLWxpdmUmc2NvcGU9c2l0ZQ%3d%3d#db=cat01384a&AN=gapc.437679)
GALILEO: Hunting to Teach: Class, Pedagogy, and Maleness in The Master of Game and Sir Gawain and the Green Knight (http://eds.a.ebscohost.com/eds/detail/detail?vid=40&sid=5b9d3c3c-220f-44c5-9eaf-34ef9383f520%40sessionmgr4002&hid=4111&bdata=JnNpdGU9ZWRzLWxpdmUmc2NvcGU9c2l0ZQ%3d%3d#db=mzh&AN=2006400186 )
GALILEO: The Ancient Greek Hero in 24 Hours (http://eds.a.ebscohost.com/eds/detail/detail?vid=61&sid=5b9d3c3c-220f-44c5-9eaf-34ef9383f520%40sessionmgr4002&hid=4111&bdata=JnNpdGU9ZWRzLWxpdmUmc2NvcGU9c2l0ZQ%3d%3d#db=nlebk&AN=520771 )

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