The Iliad and The Bhagavad Gita, two ancient epics from vastly different cultures, can be seen as comparable in many ways. The Iliad is set in the Mycenaean period of Ancient Greece and is based on the siege of Troy. At the same time, The Bhagavad Gita is derived from Hindu scripture and centers on the moral dilemmas of a warrior on the brink of battle. As such, this essay will compare and contrast the two works, exploring their similarities and differences and evaluating how each contributes to the understanding of honor and duty. It can be argued that, despite their disparate origins, both works explore concepts of honor and duty and feature characters who are willing to make sacrifices for the greater good.
The Iliad and The Bhagavad Gita are two works of literature that feature characters from different civilizations and timelines. Yet, they both share a common theme of self-sacrifice for the greater good. The great Greek warrior Achilles in The Iliad is willing to give up his own life to avenge the death of his beloved friend Patroclus. Similarly, the noble prince Arjuna in The Bhagavad Gita is willing to fight his own kin in order to defend dharma or right action. While these stories are set in different times and places, the characters’ willingness to make the ultimate sacrifice in the face of seemingly insurmountable odds is what makes their stories powerful and heroic. Both Achilles and Arjuna are examples of bravery, honor, and duty that transcend all else, even at the cost of their own lives. These characters serve as a reminder that, in the face of difficult decisions, one must always strive to do what is right, even if it comes at a high cost.
The Iliad and The Bhagavad Gita both explore themes of honor and duty, though they approach them from different perspectives. In The Iliad, honor is a matter of personal glory, with Achilles saying, “If I hold out here and I lay siege to Troy, my journey home is gone, but my glory never dies” (Homer, bk. 9). This statement refers to a physical and material glory, focused on achieving incredible feats and becoming renowned. In contrast, The Bhagavad Gita focuses on spiritual and moral recognition, where honor is a matter of dharma. Arjuna, the main character of The Bhagavad Gita, declares that he “shall not fight” (Prasad, ch.2) in order to uphold his dharma. This phrase illustrates the idea that honor is derived from adhering to one’s moral code rather than from achieving physical feats. Thus, while The Iliad and The Bhagavad Gita examine the concepts of honor and duty, they reflect on them from various philosophies.
Thus, The Iliad and The Bhagavad Gita are two ancient epics that provide invaluable insight into honor and duty. While both works portray characters willing to sacrifice for the greater good, the two works differ in the interpretation of honor and duty. In The Iliad, honor is depicted as something that should be gained through one’s actions, and duty is presented as something to be accepted even in the face of death. On the other hand, The Bhagavad Gita presents honor as something to be respected and duty as something to be fulfilled in order to uphold one’s dharma. By analyzing and contrasting these two works, one can gain a more comprehensive perspective of how different societies approach to honor and duty.
Works Cited
Homer. The Iliad. Edited by Knox, Translated by Fagles, Penguin, 1991.
Prasad, Ramananda, translator. The Bhagavad-Gita. The LibreTexts. Web.