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Introduction
A heroic quest is when the protagonist of a story travels to faraway lands to pursue vital life goals that will benefit them individually or a group of people. One of the literary works that share the theme of the heroic quest is Sundiata by Djibril Tamsir, originally published in 1960, and the second is Popol Vuh. Therefore, this study shows the forces and challenges that Sundiata, Hunahpu, and Xbalanque had to overcome to be considered heroes and then looks at how the tales depict these characters similarly or differently. Hence, Sundiata and Popol Huh share a heroism theme, and the protagonists must endure challenges to become heroes.
Forces that Sundiata Hunahpu, and Xbalanque Overcame
To begin with, Sundiata had to deal with not being accepted by his step-brothers due to his perceived growth looks. Sundiata’s destiny was to become the king, but he would face various challenges along the way, and all he knew was that someday he would gain his rightful throne. Before his birth, Maghan Kon Fatta’s father is approached by a hunter, who informs him that he will have to marry an ugly woman, who would then bore him the son fit for the throne. This ugly woman, identified as Sogolon, is brought, and the king marries her; then, she becomes expectant and delivers Sundiata. Sundiata was seen as abnormal during his childhood; for instance, “…At the age of three, he still crawled on fours, while children of his age were already walking” (Niane, 1960, 10). He also had a big head that his body seemed to struggle to support and big eyes that others ridiculed, and “the king’s first wife was the first to rejoice Sogolon Djata’s infirmity (Niane, 1960, 10). Sunday, therefore, was perceived with prejudice due to his growing conditions.
People saw little hope in him and placed him as an abnormal child, including the king who sired another child with Sogolon, hoping it would be a boy. Nonetheless, he overcame this challenge by expressing his physical strength when the time came right. For instance, he could walk, and “his first steps were close to those of a giant” (Niane, 1960, 16). Additionally, he went and uprooted the baobab tree and placed it next to his mother’s hut. Thus, with all these depictions of might, even his step-brother, the king, feared Sundiata’s fame. In other words, after being ridiculed by the entire community, Sundiata was able to rise and show his might, which was the beginning of his heroic quest.
In addition, the other force that Sundiata could fight was the loss of identity and home. After growing famous in the community, his brother, Sankaran Touman, exiled them, and other kingdoms refuted their pleas for accommodation. But, the Mema Kingdom granted them asylum, whereby Sundiata vowed his loyalty to the king. Sundiata’s challenge was to find a platform to showcase his abilities, and this chance came to a reality when he showed exemplary military abilities in Mema. Therefore, he regained his identity and home by declaring war on the Sosso empire, thus being put the king, and he created a successful rule.
Moreover, the twins, Hunahpu and Xbalanque, also experienced challenges, but they had to overcome them to attain their heroic quest. First, one of the challenges that the twins face is having to uproot all the evil gods, failure to which would bring havoc to their existence. The boys comprehend that Seven Macaw is evil. Thus, they have to eradicate him. The twins are skillful at using their blowguns. Thus they choose to shoot Seven Macaw while he is eating and snatch his jewels and shiny metals. In the Mayan culture, dependence on jewels plus costly metals depicts a great ruler (Spence, 228). or that reason, denying Macaw these objects would restore him to his correct place. Therefore, the twins can succeed in their quest by taking a huge responsibility and attaining them.
In addition, the twins have to undergo tricks to attain their heroic status. For instance, when they reach the Crossroads, they understand it as a trap and send a mosquito to travel ahead of them to get the names of each Xibalban lord. In the Mayan culture, naming through honoring is a vital technique that the twins comprehend. Therefore, to attain their goal, they must show respect by first honoring and identifying the gods.
Similarities and Differences
The similarity between Sundiata and The Popol Vuh is that the characters experienced hardships to attain their heroic quests. Still, the ways that they attained them are what create the contrast. For instance, Both Sundiata and the twins endure hardships, such as being denounced by their families due to hatred. Touman, who is Sundiata’s brother, hates him from the onset. The same scenario is with the twins, whom their brothers hate, but they choose not to disobey, based on the Mayan culture of regard to the hierarchy. Nevertheless, to attain their quest, the twins become liars, using tricks to eradicate their opponents, as seen in the taking down of Seven Macaw. When it comes to Sundiata, he relies on his strength and determination to show his military might, and these aspects are what enable him to attain his quest for heroism.
Conclusion
Sundiata and Popol Voh’s pieces of literature share the theme of heroism in them. The protagonists, therefore, have to endure some challenges to become heroes. For instance, in Sundiata, Sundiata has to overcome hatred and show his military might to become the king. In Popol Vuh, the twins must eradicate their opponents and cheat traps to avenge their father and become heroes. These twins encounter challenges and traps that would take their lives, but they overcome these complications and survive.
References
Niane, D. T. (1960). Sundiata: An Epic of Old Mali. Longman Group Limited.
Spence, L. (2010). The Popol Vuh, the Mythic and Heroic Sagas of the Kichés of Central America. Nabu Press.
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