Biblical Narrative of Genesis, the Characters Are Essay

Open, View, and/or
Download this Document

Total Length: 678 words ( 2 double-spaced pages)

Total Sources: 1

Page 1 of 2

Biblical narrative of Genesis, the characters are less clearly defined as personalities than the heroes of Homeric epics. Instead, their sense of moral worth as human beings is defined by their actions. Adam and Eve are the first human beings, not unique human beings in terms of their heroism. They defied the orders of God, ate the apple of the tree of knowledge, and brought sin into the world. Homeric characters are more sharply defined by their innate character traits: Odysseus is clever, Penelope is faithful, and Achilles is short-tempered but highly adept in battle.

Homeric characters are also less clearly judged by their morality in the sense of their obedience to the gods. Odysseus harms the son of Poseidon and is judged harshly, even though he only blinded the Cyclops in self-defense to protect himself and his men. But Athena values Odysseus and protects him because of his cleverness, so despite angering one of the gods, Odysseus is returned safely home. Piety to the gods is shown by accepting one's fate and not having the hubris to challenge it rather than keeping to certain commandments.

Stuck Writing Your "Biblical Narrative of Genesis, the Characters Are" Essay?

View All Our Example Biblical Narrative of Genesis, the Characters Are Essay

Have A Custom Example Essay Written



In the Bible, although God may know what will occur, He still gives human beings free will to make a choice to sin or to be moral. This sense of autonomy and choice and independence of the divine will would be seen as sacrilegious to the Greeks, who believed that human life was entirely dependent upon fate. However, they also clearly believed that the gods could be merciful when they showed favor upon an individual such as Odysseus, even though Odysseus is not 'moral' in a Biblical sense because of his frequent transgressions of moral values, such as fidelity and nonviolence.

In Homer, even good men and women may meet with a terrible fate unjustly, like King Priam of Troy and Achilles' friend Patroclus. In the Bible, the suffering of the good usually occurs for a reason to illustrate a moral, rather than is portrayed as a random act of the….....

Show More ⇣

     Open the full completed essay and source list


OR

     Order a one-of-a-kind custom essay on this topic


sample essay writing service

Cite This Resource:

Latest APA Format (6th edition)

Copy Reference
"Biblical Narrative Of Genesis The Characters Are" (2011, April 20) Retrieved May 15, 2024, from
https://www.aceyourpaper.com/essays/biblical-narrative-genesis-characters-50581

Latest MLA Format (8th edition)

Copy Reference
"Biblical Narrative Of Genesis The Characters Are" 20 April 2011. Web.15 May. 2024. <
https://www.aceyourpaper.com/essays/biblical-narrative-genesis-characters-50581>

Latest Chicago Format (16th edition)

Copy Reference
"Biblical Narrative Of Genesis The Characters Are", 20 April 2011, Accessed.15 May. 2024,
https://www.aceyourpaper.com/essays/biblical-narrative-genesis-characters-50581
   

Open, View, and/or
Download this Document
order custom essay example