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 36
... symbols within the poem : the wilderness and the under- world . Both imply the presence of elemental forces outside ... symbol of the confronta- tion of the unconscious is not a new idea . So Enkidu's death drives Gilgamesh into a dark ...
... symbols within the poem : the wilderness and the under- world . Both imply the presence of elemental forces outside ... symbol of the confronta- tion of the unconscious is not a new idea . So Enkidu's death drives Gilgamesh into a dark ...
Page 83
... symbols of inner worth . But acts , even more than words , signify a change in Achilles . Though underlings attend to ... symbol of authority in the Greek assembly . Since then , he has been in self - imposed exile from the society of ...
... symbols of inner worth . But acts , even more than words , signify a change in Achilles . Though underlings attend to ... symbol of authority in the Greek assembly . Since then , he has been in self - imposed exile from the society of ...
Page 86
... symbol of one's inner worth , of the clinging to corpses as the only available essence of a person , there is offered a glimpse of another world , in which spiritual things endure as material things do not , in which the ultimate ...
... symbol of one's inner worth , of the clinging to corpses as the only available essence of a person , there is offered a glimpse of another world , in which spiritual things endure as material things do not , in which the ultimate ...
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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