Recent studies have begun to see the Homeric epics in the light of other epic traditions, notably epics from Mesopotamia, and have begun to look at striking similarities. ... The connections run from similarities in methods of transmission, namely the oral traditions, to themes, characters and formal structural components. ... The earliest Gilgamesh stories seem to come from Sumerian texts which most likely reflect the crystallization of earlier epic traditions, and was probably one of the most well-known and influential poems available (West 65). ... Enkidu does develop more than Patroclus, a...

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• Approx Pages: 17
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• Grade Level: Undergraduate