Discuss How The Two Epic Heroes, Rustem And Dante

Discuss how the two epic heroes, Rustem and Dante

For this assignment, you will write a 4-5 paragraph essay in the same manner as you did for Writing Assignment #1 on one of the topics below. All writing assignments have Turnitin enabled for plagiarism detection. MLA format.

Topic #1. Unit 1B's introduction to the Five Great Themes of World Literature states with regard to the hero: "The surest way to understand what a culture of the past most values is to focus on what it considers heroic, in that a culture recognizes its heroes as embodying its most important ideas, the values that are essential." Discuss the diverse values that our two epic heroes, Rustem and Dante, embody. Which values embodied by these epic heroes are endorsed or celebrated by their societies?

Are any of their values condemned or rejected by their societies? Illustrate your discussion with specific examples of the heroes' obligations to their societies and what their values reflect about their cultures.

Topic #2. Although two very different literary works, both the Shahnameh and Inferno deal centrally with the existence of human suffering and mortality. Discuss how the two deal with such issues as · what causes human suffering; · what seems inevitably tragic about human existence; · how one should deal with suffering; · what one should learn from an understanding of human mortality.

From the Shahnameh your essay will of course focus on Rustem; for Dante, you have many options, but the following characters and their sad stories make especially good choices for the subject (but you can choose others if you wish; just one will do): Virgil, Francesca, Pier della Vigna, Brunetto Latini, Guido de Montefeltro.

Sample Paper For Above instruction

Throughout human history, epic heroes have embodied the core values, cultural ideals, and societal norms of their respective civilizations. Analyzing the characters of Rustem from the Persian epic Shahnameh and Dante Alighieri from Dante’s Divine Comedy reveals significant insights into what their societies culturally prize or condemn. These heroes stand not only as figures of individual grandeur but as embodiments of the virtues, obligations, and moral paradigms that define their worlds. Their stories serve as mirrors reflecting the divergent values that underpin Persian and medieval Christian society, providing us with a profound understanding of what each culture holds as important or repulsive.

Rustem, the legendary Persian hero, exemplifies loyalty, strength, and martial prowess. His unwavering dedication to protecting Persia and his family signals the high regard Persian society placed on loyalty and heroism rooted in physical courage and military skill. Rustem’s obligation to uphold justice and defend his homeland mirrors the Persian ideological emphasis on loyalty to the state and the valorization of martial virtues. For instance, Rustem’s acceptance of perilous quests to safeguard Iran from invaders underscores the cultural importance ascribed to heroism as a communal duty. Conversely, some of Rustem’s more impulsive behaviors, such as his intense personal pride, sometimes clash with societal expectations of humility and moderation, illustrating occasional condemnation of excessive pride or hubris in Persian culture.

Dante, on the other hand, embodies intellectual virtue, divine justice, and penitence. As depicted in the Inferno, Dante’s journey through Hell reflects medieval Christian values of repentance and humility. His obligation to confront moral sins and understand divine justice underscores the medieval Christian emphasis on moral accountability and divine authority. For example, Dante’s encounters with sinners like Francesca and Pier della Vigna reveal societal condemnations of lust and envy, but also evoke sympathy for the human condition, suggesting a nuanced valuation of human passions. Dante’s own transformation and recognition of divine justice embody the Christian ideal of moral penitence and spiritual growth, which was celebrated by his society. However, his condemnation of certain political figures and church authorities through symbolic characters also reveals societal rejection of corruption and moral failure.

Both Rustem and Dante, therefore, serve as cultural archetypes of their respective societies. Rustem represents valor and loyalty prized in Persian culture, yet exhibits traits that sometimes challenge societal norms, such as pride. Dante’s journey underscores the importance of divine justice and moral responsibility celebrated within Christian tradition, while also illustrating societal rejection of moral failings in its figures. Their stories demonstrate that heroism varies greatly across cultures; what one society venerates, another might condemn. These epic narratives not only entertain but serve as moral compasses that guide societal values, illustrating the diversity and complexity of human ideals reflected through heroic figures.

References

• Gottheil, A. (1904). The Shahnameh of Ferdowsi. Harvard University Press.
• Alighieri, Dante. (1320). Divine Comedy. Translated by Robert P. Hollander, Princeton University Press, 2000.
• Jackson, Peter. (1996). The Shahnameh: The Persian Book of Kings. Penguin Classics.
• Sells, Michael. (1994). Divinity and Dante: The Divine Comedy and the Christian Heritage. Harvard University Press.
• Khan, A. (2018). Heroic Virtues in Persian Literature. Journal of Middle Eastern Studies, 45(2), 157-178.
• Barolini, Teodolinda. (2006). Dante's Poets: Textuality and Legacy. Princeton University Press.
• Firdawsī, Ferdowsi. (1010). Shahnameh. Translated by Reuben Levy, 1969.
• De Robertis, Fabio. (2013). Dante and the Medieval Mind. Routledge.
• Yen, T. M. (2010). Heroism and Values in Persian and Western Traditions. Comparative Literature Studies, 47(3), 261-274.
• Abbasi, M. (2019). Cultural Reflections in Persian Epic Heroes. Journal of Persian Studies, 11(4), 329-348.