Somewhere I Have Never Travelled: The Second Self and the Hero's Journey in Ancient EpicExploring the hero's journey as a metaphor for spiritual evolution in The Epic of Gilgamesh, Homer's Iliad, and Virgil's Aeneid, and focusing in particular on the relationship of the hero to one or more "second selves," or alter egos, Van Nortwick demonstrates how the poems address central and enduring truths about human life: that the exertion of heroic will in pursuit of glory can lead to alienation from one's own deepest self and that spiritual wholeness can only be achieved through confrontation with what appears at first to be the very negation of the self. Though addressing issues of interest to classical scholars the book offers an interpretation of the poems which is accessible to students and to others interested in how imaginative constructs reflect life. Because the hero's journey forms the backbone of each poem, the discussion also serves as an introduction to the central themes and historical evolution of ancient epic. An extensive annotated list of sources suggests avenues for further exploration of the ideas raised in the book, and a bibliographical essay aimed at scholars discusses relationship of the book's argument to previous scholarship on the poems. |
From inside the book
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Page 53
... result is a refocusing of the " problem " of Achilles . Certainly it has been obvious from the first lines of the poem that Achilles has a dangerously high level of pride , and that this , combined with his absolutist vision and violent ...
... result is a refocusing of the " problem " of Achilles . Certainly it has been obvious from the first lines of the poem that Achilles has a dangerously high level of pride , and that this , combined with his absolutist vision and violent ...
Page 103
... result of her contact with the hero ; that he cannot in turn com- plete the normal pattern of the motif by reintegrating what she represents is part of Virgil's meditation on the interaction between the larger forces of fate , history ...
... result of her contact with the hero ; that he cannot in turn com- plete the normal pattern of the motif by reintegrating what she represents is part of Virgil's meditation on the interaction between the larger forces of fate , history ...
Page 169
... result is a retarding of the plot , as the two principals are kept apart . But if the ultimate goal of the story is ... resulting alienation from his own deepest potential has made Aeneas a particularly opaque character , one whose ...
... result is a retarding of the plot , as the two principals are kept apart . But if the ultimate goal of the story is ... resulting alienation from his own deepest potential has made Aeneas a particularly opaque character , one whose ...
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Common terms and phrases
accept Achilles Aeneas Aeneid already anger appears battle become beginning body bring called comes context culture dark dead death denial Dido Dido's divine drive Enkidu epic face fate father feelings fight figure finally follows forces further Gilgamesh give gods Greek hand heart Hector hero hero's heroic hold Homer human Iliad important issues Italy journey Juno killing kind king larger least leave less lines literature live look male meaning mortals mother motif nature never offer once opening particular Patroclus perspective plays poem present Priam qualities reach reading reflect relationship represents response rest role Roman Rome seems seen sense ships shows spiritual story suggests tell things tion traditional Trojans Troy turn Turnus Venus Virgil wild Zeus