Introduction
Studying literature helps investigate the direction of collective thoughts and values in society. For example, reading books of ancient writers suggests that the central concerns of that time were creating role models in epic heroes, showing wise and reckless rulers, and understanding various motivations behind people’s behavior.
Discussion
In The Odyssey, the epic hero’s journey is followed, while in The Song of Roland and Epic of Gilgamesh, the authors praise the bravery of a military leader and the king, respectively. Arabian Nights present independent stories about heroes, rulers, and diverse beliefs and values. Although contemporary literature may have different plots and settings, the main direction of ideas remains the same as in ancient stories.
The stories in ancient books are epic, but it does not mean modern literature failed to follow the same path of seeking truth, understanding people, and building heroic characters. For instance, the evil leaders and political regimes are shown from the perspective of ordinary citizens in Margaret Attwood’s Handmaid’s Tale and George Orwell’s 1984 (Hendin, 2018). Moreover, the attempt to build an epic hero throughout seven books was successfully made by J. K. Rowling in Harry Potter. Another example of contemporary books that not only strive to explain individuals’ actions but also show a different, more philosophical perspective on being an epic hero is Ryan Holiday’s The Girl Who Would Be Free. Additionally, Dan Brown’s novels about Robert Langdon’s adventures not only depict a modern epic hero but also offer the readers an opportunity to judge political intrigues and the diversity of human nature.
Conclusion
In summary, ancient and modern authors have shared ideas about issues they want to raise in their writings. Indeed, all of them discussed the problems of rulers, people’s behavior, and epic heroes. Although contemporary literature seems to present fewer epic battles like in The Odyssey or The Song of Roland, nowadays, writers build characters not only to illustrate their heroic deeds but also to cover other topics and problems from various perspectives.
Reference
Hendin, R. (2018). How stories have shaped the world.BBC.