Analysis Of The Mesopotami The Epic Of Gilgamesh
The Mesopotamian “Epic of Gilgamesh”, at its core, is a story of heroic deeds. The epic details Gilgamesh overcoming several obstacles in his quest to becoming an exceptional leader and warrior. This particular epic has been since 2300 B.C.E. and, not surprisingly, it has been used as a source of inspiration for many years. Specifically, in the 1994 episode of “Batman: The Animated Series” entitled Bane, the titular villain is subjected to an invasive experimental procedure that had been dubbed Project Gilgamesh. Whether or not this was in reference to the myth is highly likely, given dialogue within the episode, however a direct correlation has not been established. It is a personally theory that in various adaptations of the Caped Crusader’s first encounter with Bane it actually is very representative of “The Epic of Gilgamesh”.
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Within the myth, Gilgamesh is a proud warrior.
His abilities are unmatched, although his reputation was initially not necessarily earned, leading him to assault and kill Humbaba, around pages 208 and 209. However, Gilgamesh began to grow throughout his journey and he was not the same person he used to be. He changed positively and learned to better himself. Just as Gilgamesh was not the ultimate leader and warrior he was at the start, the subject in Project Gilgamesh underwent changes as well. These changes were mostly in the body’s chemical make-up through the experimental drugs that were involved in the procedure, but some were very psychological, much like Gilgamesh’s psychological
journey.
After Bane had been subjected to the treatment, he became seduced with power and strength, yearning to prove himself whenever possible. Leaving out unnecessary plot elements of the episode, Bane confronts Batman and immediately saw an opportunity to prove himself against a powerful enemy, potentially the most powerful he had ever faced at this point. Seeing an opportunity to build upon his reputation, nearly identically to Gilgamesh’s encounter with Humbaba, Bane aims to defeat Batman, almost in a symbolic test of power. In this particular version of the story, he fails and Batman eventually triumphs. In most versions, however, Bane prevails and breaks Batman’s back, forcing the Dark Knight to go through rehabilitation and regain his strength before another confrontation, which could reinforce the idea that Batman was actually Gilgamesh, overcoming trials to become stronger. This can be discredited, however, seeing as how both are very much hero stories and they all follow the “Monomyth” formula. Regardless, there are clear parallels between Gilgamesh and the rise of Bane.
Within the myth, Gilgamesh is a proud warrior.
His abilities are unmatched, although his reputation was initially not necessarily earned, leading him to assault and kill Humbaba, around pages 208 and 209. However, Gilgamesh began to grow throughout his journey and he was not the same person he used to be. He changed positively and learned to better himself. Just as Gilgamesh was not the ultimate leader and warrior he was at the start, the subject in Project Gilgamesh underwent changes as well. These changes were mostly in the body’s chemical make-up through the experimental drugs that were involved in the procedure, but some were very psychological, much like Gilgamesh’s psychological
journey.
After Bane had been subjected to the treatment, he became seduced with power and strength, yearning to prove himself whenever possible. Leaving out unnecessary plot elements of the episode, Bane confronts Batman and immediately saw an opportunity to prove himself against a powerful enemy, potentially the most powerful he had ever faced at this point. Seeing an opportunity to build upon his reputation, nearly identically to Gilgamesh’s encounter with Humbaba, Bane aims to defeat Batman, almost in a symbolic test of power. In this particular version of the story, he fails and Batman eventually triumphs. In most versions, however, Bane prevails and breaks Batman’s back, forcing the Dark Knight to go through rehabilitation and regain his strength before another confrontation, which could reinforce the idea that Batman was actually Gilgamesh, overcoming trials to become stronger. This can be discredited, however, seeing as how both are very much hero stories and they all follow the “Monomyth” formula. Regardless, there are clear parallels between Gilgamesh and the rise of Bane.