the end of the Illiad and The Ramayana

I enjoyed discussing the Illiad in class. It was a simple reading and I enjoy the story. I had forgotten how Hector died in the book. I was, I instead, remember the fight scene from the movie, which is quite different. So, when reading of Hectors’ death it was almost surprising to find how much of a coward he was depicted as. It disappointed me that he ran and that he was so easy to kill, I suppose that my expectations were high from remembering the movie. I guess I was expecting this grand, epic battle. Instead, I found Hector running, then being tricked into fighting, and then being brought down with a single stroke.
I found The Ramayana very difficult to read, due to the way it is written. It is extremely confusing to me. Going on the background information that was given in class, though, I think that it’s interesting that the characters are meant to be perfect examples of certain stations, such as a wife or a ruler. I also think that, if I were to completely understand the text, it would be a great source for cultural information. I find the parallels between the Ramayana and the Illiad, such as the abduction theme, to be intriguing.