Free Essay

Epic Tale of Gilgamesh

In: English and Literature

Submitted By yesta16
Words 565
Pages 3
The Epic Tale Of Gilgamesh

Gilgamesh is presented as the heroic, yet cruel, figure responsible for creating the city of Uruk. Seemingly invincible to mortals, Gilgamesh is presented as a powerful leader who is known to rape women at will and rule his kingdom with violent, cruel power. He is unchallenged until the creation of Enkidu, a being almost as powerful in strength as Gilgamesh. After engaging in violent combat with one another, Gilgamesh and Enkidu form a friendship that sets them apart from ordinary mortals. I suppose that this relationship is typical of their strength, showing them both as equals, and is used to praise and escalate their characters in the poem to show them as heroic figures in the tale that are capable of doing more than just the regular mortal has power to do.
In this tale, Gilgamesh feels the need to be the first to have sex with a bride after she is married and take their virginity before the groom even gets a chance to do anything of the sort, which further shows Gilgamesh’s lust for not only women, but also power; however, it is important to note that Gilgamesh is not picky with the women that he sleeps with, but rather, is open to sleeping with everyone out there, showing that he doesn’t really care for the women.
Enkidu Comes into the story and at first is disgusted with Gilgamesh’s actions with these women. Enkidu eventually ends up challenging Gilgamesh after hearing about his unpleasant activities, but just hardly loses the battle. They both realize that they are equal in strength and decide to band up, “kissing each other and forming a bro mance” to establish this new relationship. This act is one of significance as it shows two tough male figures forming a sensual relationship with one another.
This exclusiveness signifies Gilgamesh and Enkidu and is symbolic in the sense that it elevates the two characters as ones with special privileges, there by a vision that they have heroic powers and will do something to make an impact stronger than just a mortal.
This story was about Gilgamesh finding the human being in side. In this tale it represents a astonishment of what tomorrow will bring. It describes how human beings wonder sometimes how they will react to something that is a challenge and adapting to the enviorment. Many people often wonder how they would react in a situation that has never been presented to them. Change of life style or ageing can bring these thoughts about. Morality is a difficult thing to understand unless you have been presented with certain situations that give you experience to gain morality. Gilgamesh is faced with the same type of situation “coming of age’ . Through a series of tests we find out how he deals with it and handles these different types of situations.
At the end the death of Enkidu hits Gilgamesh very hard. This would be an example of encountering and being taught about morality, meaning he is actually starting to gain some kind of feeling toward others. It’s an emotional development that he has never felt before, witch is very important trait that pertains to mature growth. All and all Gilgamesh gained a sense of morality through this adventure with Enkidu, experiencing these life experiences that changed who he was for the better.

Similar Documents

Premium Essay

Triump and Tribulation

...Bridgett Traylor ENGL 2111- 12 Mrs. Schmitt 18 February 2016 The Same or Just Coincidence? One may wonder how a biblical narrative and an ancient Mesopotamian epic could have anything in common, as biblical narratives, such as the Flood in Genesis, are written by divine inspiration and ancient Mesopotamian writings, such as "The Epic of Gilgamesh," are steeped in mythology and written solely by human hand. Although fundamental differences are present in the two, the Flood in Genesis and "The Epic of Gilgamesh" also feature distinct parallels. At first glance, the discrepancies between "The Epic of Gilgamesh" and the Flood in Genesis appear to overpower any resemblances perhaps perceived as coincidences. However, further inspection uncovers startling similarities in these two accounts of the Great Flood, leading many to believe that the parallels are not coincidences at all. The story of the Flood in Genesis was first written as part of the Old Testament by the Jewish people. However, it is predated by far by the story "The Epic of Gilgamesh," a story that originates in the same area that holds many striking similarities to the tale of the Flood in Genesis. Though the story is modified to accommodate new characters, many properties of the story are similar, from small details like the creatures that are used as scouts to the religious purpose of the flood itself. For example, both the flood stories start with the characters receiving specific building instructions for a ship...

Words: 1078 - Pages: 5

Free Essay

Response Paper 1-Flood Accounts

...Response Paper: Gilgamesh and Old Testament Question: Is the biblical flood account a modified copy of the Epic of Gilgamesh? The Epic of Gilgamesh and the Old Testament have their similarities as well as differences. The Epic of Gilgamesh is supposedly a mythical tale, while the Old Testament has proven to be true facts. I feel as if the biblical flood account can’t possibly be a modified copy of the Epic of Gilgamesh because while Gilgamesh is a myth, the Old Testament is a proven true story; notable differences between the two accounts and thirdly, because the word of God tells no tales. Even though “Gilgamesh is the first recorded heroic narrative of world literature (Chambers)”, God is the creator of the world so he had the power to actually make the flood occur even if he did get the idea from that tale. Since it is said that our God is an omniscient God or all-knowing; wouldn’t that mean that he in all actuality created Gilgamesh? I hope you can understand where I am trying to go with this argument because I know what I want to say, but it is so complex that it is hard to explain. I guess that is how it goes when it comes to discuss religion and history! Basically, my stance for saying that it is not a modification is because the Epic of Gilgamesh is not as realistic as the biblical account. ‘The gods were frightened by the flood, and retreated, ascending to the heaven of Anu. The gods were cowering like dogs, crouching by the outer wall (Clinton, Irele, , , , and et...

Words: 318 - Pages: 2

Premium Essay

Journey of Gilgamesh

...the world, Gilgamesh and Sunjata have many similarities within being an epic character. First, the two stories share the fundamental aspects, intrinsic upon epics. Both tales are told in a poetic format. In addition, the two tales both involve a hero who embarks on some sort of journey. For example, after witnessing the death of his good friend Enkidu, Gilgamesh has trouble coming to terms with his own mortality. In turn, he leaves Uruk hoping to find the secret to eternal life. This is comparable to Sunjata's obstacles in his quest to become king. Sunjata had to come to terms with being a lame child unable to walk properly. Furthermore, Sunjata was forced to travel to foreign kingdoms in exile while he waited for the appropriate time to regain control over his kingdom as prophesied. Both characters face their journey immediately after a tragic death; Gilgamesh witnesses his best friend Enkidu die of illness and Sunjata discovers his mother passed away prior to fighting the Sosso. Moreover, Gilgamesh and Enkido's battle with Humbaba is paralleled with Sunjata's large fight against the Sosso leader Sumaworo. Both these illustrate the similarities in the hero confronting and defeating a great enemy while navigating through treacherous obstacles along the way. Also, by the end of the tales Gilgamesh and Sunjata proved both to themselves and their to their constituents that they were worthy of leading their people. Although Gilgamesh and Sunjata are both popular epics with many similarities...

Words: 627 - Pages: 3

Premium Essay

Gilgamesh Research Paper

...from The Epic of Gilgamesh. Another culture that mentions immortality in the early years of civilization was in India. When did the human culture first discover the meaning of immortality? The meaning of immortality means different for each culture that has lived before us. One culture that believes in immorality as reincarnation is Buddhism. Buddha believes in reincarnation because there are stories on how Bodhisatta lived and reborn in different forms “while striving towards enlightenment” (Cianfarani...

Words: 962 - Pages: 4

Premium Essay

Noah and the Epic of Gilgamesh

...Fleurant 04/27/12 ENGL 175 Major influence Although the narrative or story of Noah and the flood is one of the great stories in the Bible, many question its originality. The biblical version of the flood in Genesis 6-10 is “quite close in many respects to the Mesopotamian flood stories” (The New Oxford Annotated Bible pg 19), which were written beforehand. As much as they are similar, there are significant differences that distinguish the two tales and their reliability. The epic of Gilgamesh, written by the Sumerians between 2700 B.C. and 600 B.C., is the most famous parallel to the story of Noah in the bible. It focuses on the king of Uruk Gilgamesh, and his quest for immortality after the death of his friend. This quest leads him to Utnapishtim, (character equivalent to the biblical Noah) who is the “immortal flood hero” (Wikipedia). Utnapishtim then recounts to Gilgamesh the story of how he survived the flood. There are seven main similarities between the flood in the epic of Gilgamesh and that of Genesis. The foremost and obvious is that both of the characters were warned to build a boat to escape a flood. Secondly families of both Noah and Utnapishtim were saved along with the sampling of animals they were instructed to gather. Third, both floods are believed to have occurred on or in the Mesopotamian plain. Next come the fact that both boats were sealed with tar, and during the flood both men sent out a dove and raven to determine the conditions...

Words: 1455 - Pages: 6

Free Essay

A Quick Paper for Gilgamesh

...The Analysis of Gilgamesh I believe The Epic of Gilgamesh should be considered the world’s first written epic as it reads true to all the literary elements of an epic piece. The plot contains a hero of superhuman strength, a mission which determines the fate of a nation and battles against monstrous foes. This story contains a few different themes which seem to be universally represented in many works of literature. The epic cover tales of love, strength, humility, wisdom and death. While Gilgamesh was young he lived as many young men have throughout history. He was strong, fearless, virile and foolish. As a king with no equal he lived as such. Young Gilgamesh was without any love, humility, or mature wisdom. Besides being a fearless warrior he lacked any traits or characteristics of a good king. He spent endless days in athletic contests and defeating all his competitors. Gilgamesh would lay with all the women of his land without regard to morals or ethics. If the tale was laid out as a human life from birth to death then this section would be his adolescence. He was energetic, rambunctious, and risk-taking. There was no consequences for his actions. Teens often have a need to push the limits of life to learn their physical and mental ends, coupled with the need for adventure cause dangerous actions and behavior. As with most teenagers, later in the story he began to develop mentally, emotionally and socially. As a young adult does, he gradually increased his mental and...

Words: 411 - Pages: 2

Premium Essay

Essay on Gilgahmesh

...Forces of Change The Epic of Gilgamesh embodies the classical style of the tale of a hero. Gilgamesh personifies exactly what it means to be a true hero in an epic. The Gilgamesh that readers know is an awe-inspiring hero, however at the beginning of the epic Gilgamesh is a tyrannical self-indulgent king with overweening pride. In the epic Gilgamesh’s people pray for a better king, “To his stormy heart,let that one be equal, Let them contend with each other, that Uruk may have peace” (102). It is not until the atavistic Enkidu comes into his life that Gilgamesh comes to a realization what immortality and fame do not always come hand in hand. In this excerpt, Martin Puchner depicts the quest Gilgamesh embarks on to truly answer his questions on mortality. In the epic love becomes a motivating force that encourages change. Puchner claims that friendship overall touches on what it means to be human (Puchner 95). It is through Gilgamesh’s experiences and unfeasible beliefs in death that impels him onto a futile quest for immortality. Nevertheless the death of his beloved friend, Enkidu’s brings Gilgahmesh face to face with the inevitability of death and coincidentally humanizes him. Gilgamesh’s impassioned lamentation evokes the extent of his anguish, “I mourn my friend Enkidu, I howl as bitterly as a professional keener” (133). Gilgamesh is filled to the brim with grief and in contrast to his past self he actually abandons glory and power to learn the secret of eternal life. The...

Words: 365 - Pages: 2

Premium Essay

Epic of Gilgamesh and the Bible

...human authors also included those who were great leaders, such as Joshua, and those who were chosen of God to be prophets, such as Samuel, Isaiah, Jeremiah, and Ezekiel. Some of the authors were like David, who began as a shepherd but became king of Israel. David wrote many of the Psalms, forming a rich poetic background for much of the biblical truth. Some of the writers were farmers, some were warriors, some were fishermen. There was little that tied them together except that they all wrote a portion of the biblical truth as said in the Bible. The Epic of Gilgamesh and the Bible Gilgamesh is believed to have been a Sumerian king from the city of Uruk who ruled around 2500 B.C.E. Little is known about this actual historical figure or his mythical equivalent. What we know about the mythical Gilgamesh comes primarily from one of the oldest works of literature known to human kind: The Epic of Gilgamesh . The written story of Gilgamesh possibly finds its...

Words: 1756 - Pages: 8

Premium Essay

Role Of Government In Ancient Civilizations

...decisions or laws and the Epic of Gilgamesh, the story of a king, are documents that provide...

Words: 1033 - Pages: 5

Free Essay

English Gilgamesh

...The mythical tale of ‘The epic of Gilgamesh’, first and foremost leads me to make the statement that in my own opinion most myths, or legends are born from actual events, actual people, and are manipulated, or exaggerated over time. The description and characteristics of Gilgamesh himself are the perfect example of exaggeration, “When the gods created Gilgamesh they gave him a perfect body. Shamash endowed him with beauty, Adad the god of the storm endowed him with courage, the great gods made his beauty perfect….Two thirds they made him god and they made him man.” These extreme references to Gilgamesh characteristics can be evaluated as a product of his impact on the time, and his actions. The The introduction of Enkidu seems to be that of pure imagination. “She dipped her hands in water and pinched off clay, she let it fall in the wilderness, and noble Enkidu was created.” Even his appearance sounded reminiscent of Sasquatch, Although Enkidu changes from a wild man into a noble one because of Gilgamesh, and their friendship changes Gilgamesh from a bully and a tyrant into an exemplary king and hero. Because they are evenly matched, Enkidu puts a check on Gilgamesh’s restless, powerful energies, and Gilgamesh pulls Enkidu out of his self-centeredness. Gilgamesh’s connection to Enkidu makes it possible for Gilgamesh to identify with his people’s interests. The death of Enkidu was imposed by the gods due to their actions in the forest, and the killing of Humbada, even though...

Words: 435 - Pages: 2

Free Essay

Read the People - the Period of Antiquity Understood Through Literature

...Antiquity through Literature The Epic of Gilgamesh, an ancient Sumarian text, along with two ancient Chinese poems: To be A Woman, written by Fu Xuan and Substance, Shadow, and Spirit written by T’ao Ch’ien, are all pieces of literature from the period of antiquity (the time prior to the Middle Ages). Reading each of them not simply for pleasure, but rather for the message injected into all parts of these works, allows a reader to learn a great many things other than the plot of the story they have written. The Epic of Gilgamesh takes us through the life of the King of Uruk, Gilgamesh, as he quests for the meaning of living life and for the comfort needed to accept his mortality. To Be a Woman presents to the reader the perspective of a young woman about the way that her society relates to women with an attitude even less than one of indifference. T’ao Ch’ien, author of “Substance, Shadow, and Spirit,” introduces us to the reality of the commoners of another society during that period who were without the power to control their circumstances. All of these pieces of literature delve into the painful realities of life and the embracing of death; however, they are from the perspectives of those who occupy very different stations in life, and thus have very different problems and experiences which gives the reader vastly different understandings of life during this period of time. The attributes of the characters in The Epic of Gilgamesh and those of the speakers in To Be a...

Words: 1496 - Pages: 6

Premium Essay

Gilgamesh and Sumerians

...astonishment and angst. Thus, this was reflected in their tales and stories. The Mesopotamians were humbled people who stressed importance in the afterlife, and devotion to their gods. Their culture emerged from the persistent change and methodological affairs they were accustomed to. In the epic of Gilgamesh, the story follows the heroic journey of a man who is “two-thirds divine and one-third human” to his road to attaining wisdom and piety (Gilgamesh, 71). It is characterized by hope and forgiveness rather than the presumed pessimistic attitude of the Mesopotamians. The story begins with an introduction to Gilgamesh, the main character, who is a ruler over his people and seen as and “unvanquished leader, hero in the front lines, beloved by his soldiers” (Gilgamesh, 71). Although at first his people are unhappy with Gilgamesh as their king, the story follows through with transformation of this character from a despicable, violent ruler to a hopeful, wiser individual. The prevalence of violence in Gilgamesh’s personality is a reflection of the destruction the Mesopotamians encountered in their nature. There are various occurrences in this poem where Gilgamesh allows his anger to result in a destruction of some sort. Nonetheless, he presents an anticipating attitude toward the hereafter rather than a pessimistic one, which is presented at the end of the narration. Further into the story, Enkidu, a friend of Gilgamesh, accompanies the hero on his journey to killing Humbaba, the...

Words: 1132 - Pages: 5

Premium Essay

Gilgamesh

...Epic of Gilgamesh The Epic of Gilgamesh gives voice to the ancient Mesopotamian's expectations and desires for its kings. Through this chronicle the reader discovers that Mesopotamian kings should please the gods but understand humanity. With knowledge, courage, counsel and judgment the kings should protect their people, be strong and impressive; create legacies; consult with experts and be appropriately humble; they should beware of arrogance, boastfulness and, in the case of Gilgamesh and Ishtar, should not disrespect powerful women. Throughout the epic the narrator reminds the importance of knowledge. Gilgamesh is lauded for being "the man to whom all things were known," including the countries of the world, secrets, mysteries and history of life prior to a devastating catastrophe (P. 61). Near the end of the tale the narrator repeats that Gilgamesh was wise and had witnessed mysteries and knew secrets (P. 117). The epic describes the collection of knowledge, creation of writings, buildings and passages, and begins with the narrator proclaiming "to the world the deeds of Gilgamesh" (P. 61). Knowledge, wisdom and legacies are expected of kings; such attributes please the gods and serve to fortify the kings' societies through physical protections, cultural development and ideology. To obtain knowledge and protect legacies, Mesopotamian kings should be courageous, seek counsel and exercise good judgment (P. 61, 76, 80-81). A good king should exhibit compassion and appropriate...

Words: 302 - Pages: 2

Premium Essay

Gilgamesh and John Campbell's Hero's Journey

...When reading Gilgamesh, it is not uncommon for many to relate the tale's protagonist to John Campbell's theory on the twelve steps of a Hero's journey, which characterizes the typical progression of most epic stories. However, I make the claim that, as per Campbell's theory, it is not Gilgamesh himself who is the hero of the tale. Rather, Gilgamesh and his ally Enkindu combine to form the single hero of the story, with Enkindu actually meeting most of Campbell's criteria. Together, both characters symbolize one hero who embodies mankind's yearning to “incarnate unearthly covenants” (Campbell, 1968, p. 3), consistent with Campbell's views on mythology. The tale begins with an exposition describing Gilgamesh and Enkindu's daily life. According the first step in Campbell's theory, a Hero's journey must begin in an ordinary world. Enkindu fits this description perfectly. As far as a natural living is concerned, every aspect of Enkindu's life is ordinary; he lives completely off the land, his whole body was “shaggy with hair”, and he satisfies his thirst with “mere water” (Anonymous, n.d.). Gilgamesh, in contrast, does not have a conventional life. Not only is he royalty, he is “supreme over other kings”, he is the offspring of deities, and he is described as being “awesome to perfection” (Anonymous, n.d.). It is clear that the story begins with two starkly different lives, with Enkidu truly fitting Campbell's primary criteria as a Hero. Indeed, when the plot begins, Enkindu fulfills...

Words: 1769 - Pages: 8

Free Essay

Epic of Gilgamesh

...Epic of Gilgamesh The Epic of Gilgamesh is epic poetry from Mesopotamia and is among the earliest known works of literature. Scholars believe that it originated as a series of Sumerian legends and poems about the protagonist of the story,Gilgamesh, which were fashioned into a longer Akkadian epic much later. The most complete version existing today is preserved on 12 clay tablets from the library collection of 7th-century BC Assyrian king Ashurbanipal. It was originally titled He who Saw the Deep (Sha naqba īmuru) or Surpassing All Other Kings (Shūtur eli sharrī). The story revolves around a relationship between Gilgamesh (probably a real ruler in the late Early Dynastic II period ca. 27th century BC)[1] and his close companion, Enkidu. Enkidu is a wild man created by the gods as Gilgamesh's equal to distract him from oppressing the citizens of Uruk. Together they undertake dangerous quests that incur the displeasure of the gods. Firstly, they journey to the Cedar Mountain to defeat Humbaba, its monstrous guardian. Later they kill the Bull of Heaven that the goddess Ishtar has sent to punish Gilgamesh for spurning her advances. The latter part of the epic focuses on Gilgamesh's distressed reaction to Enkidu's death, which takes the form of a quest for immortality. Gilgamesh attempts to learn the secret of eternal life by undertaking a long and perilous journey to meet the immortal flood hero, Utnapishtim. Ultimately the poignant words addressed to Gilgamesh in the midst...

Words: 7647 - Pages: 31