Sundiata and the Hero Twins Hunahpu and Xbalanque from Popol Vuh both face heroic quests that test their character. Sundiata must overcome obstacles to fulfill his historical destiny of uniting the Mandinka people, while the Hero Twins undertake a more mythic quest to defeat the Lords of Xibalba and restore the balance between the divine and human realms in Mayan culture. Both texts showcase heroes that embody the important cultural values of their societies and provide insights into how those societies viewed interactions between sacred and secular powers.
Discuss what forces Sundiata and the Hero Twins Hunahpu and.docx
1. Discuss what forces Sundiata and the Hero Twins Hunahpu and
Tasks:First, choose one of the following two topics:Topic #1: One of the Five Great Themes
of World Literature is “Sacred & Secular.” As stated in Unit 1 of this course, “We will find in
our study of literary masterpieces from the past many intricate negotiations between the
divine and the earthly realms.” Discuss what we learn about how divine powers and earthly
beings interact in Sundiata (in an area with a syncretic religion) and Popol Vuh (which is
not a sacred text but presents the Mayan cosmology). Which values embodied by these
interactions are considered significant by their societies? What can we learn about their
respective cultures by analyzing how these texts handle these issues relating to the sacred
and the secular? Use these questions as a springboard to making an argument related to the
similarities and/or differences between the texts and their handling of these issues.Topic
#2: Both Sundiata and Popol Vuh deal centrally with a heroic quest. Unit 1’s introduction to
the Five Great Themes of World Literature states with regard to the hero: “The surest way
to understand what a culture of the past most values is to focus on what it considers heroic,
in that a culture recognizes its heroes as embodying its most important ideas, the values
that are essential.” Discuss what forces Sundiata and the Hero Twins Hunahpu and
Xbalanque have to overcome and how they go about doing it. For Sundiata your essay will
probably focus on Sundiata’s historical destiny; in Popol Vuh, the Twins’ quest will have a
more mythic quality, but you probably will focus on the meaning for the Mayan culture of
the mythic events. Regardless, be sure to discuss the texts in relation to one another, and
craft an argument about the similarities and differences in their presentation of their heroic
quests.Second, write an essay presenting your argument. Include quotations from the texts
as well as additional details that illustrate and enhance the points you are making. Use the
following as an outline of what to include:Explain the general topic and relevant themes
(e.g. heroes, women) and any relevant terms for that topic (suggested 1-2
paragraphs).Apply that topic to both Sundiata and to Popul Vuh (suggested 4-6
paragraphs). Give specific examples and quotes from the texts to support your analyses. Use
in-text citations for the quotations.Compare and contrast the texts; it’s up to you whether
you organize your essay around this (i.e. spend half comparing them, then half contrasting
them) or talk about each of them individually, then mention similarities and differences.