Comparing/Contrasting Sunjata to Gilgamesh and Rama

After finishing the epic of Sunjata, there were several things that stood out to me that seemed to closely resemble both The Epic of Gilgamesh and The Ramayana. First, Sunjata (just like Gilgamesh and Rama) goes on an epic journey after being exiled from his home. As seen in the first two epics we looked at, it is clear that this journey is not so important except other than to show how great and mighty Sunjata is. Like in the Ramayana, Sunjata's father is king over his people, and through an unfair ruling in determining who will take the throne, Sunjata and Rama both are forced to wait to fulfill their duties as kings. While Sunjata appears to be slightly more in control and well-behaved than Gilgamesh, he falls short of Rama's near-pefect personality. We are often seeing him become angry at others, and his decision making is sometimes questionable (i.e. cutting strips off his own calf in order to feed his companion). After observing his behavior, I would say that Sunjata's character as an epic hero falls right in between Rama and Gilgamesh. Some major differences also stood out between Sunjata and Gilgamesh. First, while Gilgamesh starts out as ruler over his people, Sunjata is forced to complete several tests before he is made king. Also, unlike Gilgamesh, Sunjata is born a cripple and only gets stronger as time passes. As for Gilgamesh, he starts out strong and later becomes weakened when his companion, Enkidu, is killed. One last difference that stood out to me was how little the "gods" were involved with the plot compared to The Epic of Gilgamesh. While the story was filled with demons and superstitions, it seemed as if supreme deities played a very insignificant role in the story throughout.

The Tale of Ginji: Chapter 4

While finishing chapter four, there were several things that stood out to me regarding Ginji's characteristics. First of all, I think it is interesting how Ginji appears to be nearly a polar opposite compared to the men  discussing women in the first couple chapters. While these characters held that all women have certain flaws that make them undesirable, Ginji obviously thinks differently, as it seems that he is making the most of every opportunity he has to get with girls (and as seen in last week's reading, a young boy). So what is the reason for Ginji's rather rushed actions when it comes to pursuing others romantically? From what we have read so far, it would seem that he has uncontrollable passions that he very rarely says "no" to. The best example of this occurs with the governor's wife and her little brother, but it is also seen in chapter four with the "daughter of the farmer." Unlike in the case with the governor's family however, it just so happened that this lustful affair ended with some much heavier consequences. As a result of his immature actions, the young girl ends up dying in her sleep, provoking extreme sadness in both Ukon and Ginji. Above this, what really bothered me about the situation was Ginji's response to her death. Instead of showing regret for his actions, he tries to act noble and honorable, saying that he must look upon her beautiful face again. The fact of the matter is that SHE IS DEAD. It is Ginji's fault; there is nothing he can do to change that, and because of him a young girl's life has been cut short. Call me crazy, but I'm pretty sure there is nothing honorable about that.

The Dove's Necklace

After reading all the Courtly Love poems, I think that my personal favorite would be The Dove's Necklace by Ibn Hazm. The first thing that stood out to me was the fact that even though this poem was written almost a thousand years ago, it still has many applications and examples that can be seen in today's culture. At one point, the speaker talks about how lovers often take "extreme delight" at the sound of their love's name being spoken. Another example comes when Hazm describes how someone will "love his beloved's kith and kin and the intimate ones of his household, to such an extent that they are nearer and dearer to him than his own folk, himself, and all his familiar friends." This, like several other examples that Hazm provides, is extremely accurate in the way I have seen relationships take place in my lifetime. Just recently one of my good friends started dating a girl he met last year, and since they first took interest in each other, it seems as if he has spent more time hanging out with her family than his own. I guess the reason this poem came  as such a surprise to me is due to the fact that my mental picture of romance in the 10th and 11th century was entirely different from what we see today. I thought that marriages back then were based more on social status that actual feelings for the other person, but obviously I was wrong in thinking this. It really is interesting to think of how consistent and persistent love is as it has been passed along through hundreds of years of culture and tradition. For these reasons and my ability to relate to its examples, The Dove's Necklace was undoubtedly my favorite.

The Book of Margery Kempe

After reading the section from The Book of Margery Kempe, I must say that I found myself siding with her husband. In the beginning when Margery becomes "possessed" by devils and her own wickedness, her husband never leaves her side. While he could have become embarrassed and ashamed of his wife, he remained faithful to her, even when no one else would. From this situation, it is obvious that he can be characterized as an extremely patient and composed individual. He could have completely freaked out at the situation (like most people would do), but instead he refused to give up on Margery. Even when she is locked up due to her violent behavior, he is one waiting with the keys when she gets over her hysteria. Another example of his patience and understanding comes when Margery decides to start her own enterprises through ale and grain production. Instead of ridiculing her for her attempts, he remains supportive and lets her do her own thing. It is not until Margery decides that she no longer wants to sleep or eat with him that he decides that enough is enough. He finally stands up for what he feels like is an unfair situation, and for awhile gets Margery to at least eat with him on Fridays. Even this shows his patience, as most men of his day would not even consider ceasing to sleep with their wives. All this to say, I find Margery's husband the one who readers should sympathize with, and while I respect where she is coming from, I believe that Margery takes her beliefs a little too far.