ABANDONMENT #religion #myths #mystic #philosophy

ABANDONMENT An important stage of the universal *hero myth or *monomyth is that of the abandonment of the infant hero to the elements. *Sargon, *Moses, *Oedipus, *Siegfried, *Karna, and *Hau Ki are only a few of the many examples of this theme. Besides adding to the drama of the stories, the theme of the separation of the hero from his or her biological parents and the abandonment in a river or a wilderness suggests the idea that the hero belongs to the larger community or the world rather than to a single family.

Moses, a baby placed in a basket and set afloat by his mother to save him from a decree to kill Hebrew boys, was found by Pharaoh’s daughter. He grew up in the palace, learned of his heritage, and later led the Hebrews out of slavery in Egypt through miraculous events like parting the Red Sea.

Karna, a significant figure in the Indian epic Mahabharata, was abandoned as a baby by his mother Kunti. He was born to the Sun god and was raised by a charioteer. Kunti, his biological mother, regretted abandoning him but their paths crossed in significant ways during the epic’s unfolding, leading to a tragic destiny for Karna.

Sargon of Akkad, a legendary figure in Mesopotamian history, was abandoned as a baby in a reed basket on the Euphrates River. He was found and raised by a gardener, eventually rising to become a powerful ruler of Mesopotamia, known for his conquests and establishment of the Akkadian Empire.

Oedipus, destined to kill his father and marry his mother, was abandoned as a baby by his parents, King Laius and Queen Jocasta, due to a prophecy. He was found and raised by others, unaware of his true identity. As an adult, he unknowingly fulfilled the prophecy, eventually discovering the truth, causing tragedy and sorrow.

Source: The Oxford Companion to World mythology
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