Homers Odyssey and the Analects of Confucius - Essay Example

Literature is a very old subject. Literal works had been developed as early as 3rd Century BC. Egyptian, Greek, and Latin poems, songs, and short stories are some of the earliest literal works that exist in history. Greek ancient literature was developed as a sequel to the Greek mythology to demonstrate the peculiar super powers of Greek gods and goddesses, including their relation with mankind and with each other. Egyptian ancient literature, on the other hand, was inscribed on clay tabloids as cuneiform. Cuneiform writing is also associated with the wider Mesopotamia and Sumeria region extending as far as present day Iraq and Iran. Less complex forms of writing existed in Egypt at a later date. Latin literature was based on several themes. Some of the writings were later translated into Greek, while some were a replica of Greek literature. Ancient literature was centered on several common subjects. Themes shared by ancient literature include the erotic, courage, superhuman, intellect, science, the merge of the secular and the sacred, strength, courage, exploration, the villain, and victory. Classic Greek poem, Odyssey, is a valuable text that recounts the journey of a Greek warrior who returns back home to his son and wife after many years of tribulation in a far land. Major themes in his epic poem include hospitality, loyalty, courage, and heroism. The Analects of Confucius are wise sayings of a master to students of Taoism. The text is still regarded as a source of moral teaching in the current study of Buddhism and Taoism. Major themes in Analects of Confucius include benevolence, scholarship, and leadership.

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Homers Odyssey and Analects of Confucius share heroism as a theme. In Odyssey, the protagonist is a man of strong will and character. In the prologue, he is described as a man of turns and twists. Despite his struggle in and after the Trojan War, he maintains his courage and wishes to get back home to his wife and son. Additionally, he fights off the seduction of goddess Calypso who pursues him for a husband. After many years of wandering in the caves, Odysseus ultimately reaches Ithaca to his wife Penelope and son Telemachus. In the Analects, heroism is described as yong (Valor). Ran Yong, a Confucian disciple, is given an extraordinary praise that he may be permitted to sit facing south. Valor is one of the virtues that Confucian disciples were supposed to possess. However, valor was only useful when combined with Li (ritual). This assertion means that any hero in the Zhuo kingdom was required to observe the traditional practices of the community, the combination which befitted a community warrior. The Greek version of heroism differed from the Chinese by the manner in which heroes are characterized. Tso Chuan, whose text largely borrows from the Analects, depicts a hero as potent and energetic, while Homer portrays him as powerless and fleeting (Carrier 5). The comparison of heroism in both texts points to a sharp contrast between the Western and Eastern place of warriors in the ancient communities. Despite being a survivor in the Trojan War, it takes Odysseus ten years to get back home even after all the other survivors go back to their homes immediately after the war. The theme of heroism in both texts implies that ancient literature was partly extensively inspired by the personal expression of valor and courage.

A comparative study between justice in the Republic and benevolence in the Analects clearly brings out the difference in goodness and humanness from the Greek and Chinese perspective. Homers and Plato social and political lenses are similar. The two Greek philosophies give the deeper relationship between man and nature (Yin Yan-an 12). Therefore, a comparison between the Analects and Republic in the social and political sense is tantamount to that between Analects and Homers Odyssey. According to Xi, justice calls for unwavering adherence to the social laws developed by the rulers (Xi 22). This principle of justice in the ancient Greek philosophy is replicated by the teachings of Confucius on benevolence. Ren, in the Analects, is the comprehensive ethical virtue that is achieved through obeying the rituals of a community as well as the traditional ways of life. Knowledge, according to the Analects, is mandatory in the preservation of Ren. Telemachus in the Odyssey is a benevolent young man. He safeguards the interest of his mother in a move to get the best suitor for her, as he resists the hypocritical advances of some suitors.

Homers Odyssey and the Analects of Confucius exemplify the purpose and the motivation behind the composition of literal work in the ancient world. The two books share several themes like benevolence and heroism. Scholarly review has shown that there are differences and similarities in the manner that both themes have been demonstrated in the two books. The similarities lie in the observation that virtues was greatly rewarded in the ancient times in both Greece and Chinese territories.

Works Cited

Carrier, Richard. "Heroic Values in Classical Literary Depictions of the Soul: Heroes and Ghosts in Virgil, Homer, and Tso Chiu-ming." (2004).

Xi, Chen. "A Comparative Study on Justice in the Republic and Goodness in the Analects." Journal of Northwest A&F University (Social Science Edition) 2 (2009): 022.

Yin Yan-an. The Philosophic Reading of Homer Epics-The Philosophy Comparison between Homer and Plato. Journal of Anhui University of Technology (Social Sciences); 2006-05