A Comparison of Cultures: The Worlds of 'Popol Vuh' and 'The Epic of Gilgamesh' Anonymous College

The Epic of Gilgamesh and the Popol Vuh are two fictional and religious texts from the ancient world. The Epic of Gilgamesh is regarded as the earliest great literature, written in 2100 BC, while the Popol Vuh was written in approximately 1550 after being passed down for centuries through speech; indeed, comparable themes are evident in the story of the Maya Hero Twins in part three of the Popol Vuh, and all 12 tablets of the Epic of Gilgamesh. These two stories reveal a lot about Mayan and Mesopotamian culture, and are surprisingly similar in theme and structure, including the two hero dynamic, and the importance of the texts in common culture. The stories have differences in the cultural ideas of family, and in the goal of the heroes journeys. Mayan ideas about death and afterlife are in line with those of the people for Uruk, but are not exactly the same.

In terms of narrative structure, The Epic of Gilgamesh and the Popol Vuh feature plots surrounding the gods, but these figures are viewed slightly differently, as are the religious ideals. The hero dynamic of both stories is very important, the heroes have complementing skills and rely on each other. Enkidu was created by Aruru just to give Gilgamesh competition, but ended...