Epic Of Gilgamesh
Analysis of Gilgamesh The ancient Mesopotamian Epic of Gilgamesh was a record and fable of the King Gilgamesh and his quest for immortality. The historic King Gilgamesh ruled around 2700 B.C.E. but the oldest found recording of the Epic Gilgamesh is dated to around 2000 B.C.E. The epic poem itself is loosely based upon plausible events from the King’s life. The added supernatural events throughout are characteristic of an epic, but those very elements also reflect the beliefs and practices of the ancient societies. The author of Gilgamesh was no single person; it evolved over millennia and was compiled by different reciters. The only reason it was recorded was to have an available copy available in the royal court. The Royals enjoyed hearing
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of their strong ancestor the god-king. Since the Royals enjoyed the story, it was spread throughout their kingdom amongst other high officials and gradually outside of the kingdom. The epic was originally recorded in Sumerian cuneiform upon clay tablets to be preserved and spread throughout the east. Sumerian is the oldest Mesopotamian language, but is not connected to any presently used languages. It is precisely because of its isolation in history and connection to any present day influences that I chose this work for my literary analysis. In this epic is a world entirely to itself with culture untouched by the concerns of present day society and yet it holds within it the questions still considered most prevalent. The curiosity and fear associated with the unknown, such as the afterlife, if there is free will, and what if there is a purpose of living. All the same questions many people struggle to find answers to today; these are a common thread for all of humanity, no one is alone in trying to answer them. In the introduction King Gilgamesh is described as more of a god than he is human and unmatched in all areas of life. Therefore, Gilgamesh is regarded as invincible and even regards himself as unstoppable. In the beginning of the epic, Gilgamesh is a terrible king who constantly plagued his people with hardship (p 39); as a result the people cried out to the god Anu for relief from the terror Gilgamesh was causing. The gods decided to “create one be equal” to Gilgamesh so that he would stop hurting the people, this creation was Enkidu (p 40). After the two met it was clear that they were meant to be together and so they created a strong bond with each other. They go on many quests with each other, but on a particular quest when they meet the goddess princess Ishtar, Gilgamesh causes trouble (p 63). During an exchange between Gilgamesh and Ishtar he insults her enrages her so much that the gods had to punish him for his wrongdoings against her. The decided punishment was to have Enkidu die, to teach Gilgamesh a lesson (p 70). After watching his friend die before his eyes in the least prideful way, Gilgamesh decides he will not suffer the same fate. He has been told his entire life that he is more than human, but after Enkidu- a reflection of Gilgamesh’s essence- dies he realizes that his sliver of mortality still makes him vulnerable. He is just as susceptible to the inevitability of death as all other humans and the basis of his pride has been destroyed. Gilgamesh thought of himself as higher than all others and a formidable opponent to even the gods, but they revealed that all he had was still owed to them. Gilgamesh therefore decides to go on a quest for immortality, the premise of the entire epic (p 72). Gilgamesh had become “afraid of death” and begins his journey to find the cure of death from the one person rumored to avoid death. Gilgamesh visits Utanipishtim in hopes of receiving immortality like what Utanipishtim has been granted (p 80), but Gilgamesh receives no such gift. Gilgamesh had traveled far and done the impossible, but he did not achieve immortality. When Gilgamesh returned home he realized that: even though he was not immortal, he would still live on through his achievements. Gilgamesh looked upon the “pace of the walls” of his city and saw how successful he had been to his people without becoming immortal (p 88). This is evidence of a change in demeanor and understanding of life on Gilgamesh’s behalf. He realized that it is impossible to do everything within one’s lifetime, but it is possible to do the best of one’s ability during a lifetime. Everyone has a predestined fate to die. The struggle Gilgamesh portrayed between the gods and death is also parallel to the fight between fate and free will. Gilgamesh is continuously struggling against the god’s fate to survive beyond normal human circumstances. When Gilgamesh is arguing with the goddess Ishtar about how he refuses to sleep with her he kills the bull she sends upon him (p 65). This event angers the gods because out of free will Gilgamesh defied the gods by killing the bull. This is an example of the use of Gilgamesh’s free will against the fate they had planned for his life. Once Gilgamesh later becomes aware of his mortality, he pursues immortality. To do this he goes and sees Utanipishtim but cannot complete any of the tasks given to him. He used free will to defy all odds and reach the land where Utanipishtim resided. The gods let Gilgamesh reach the destination, but he cannot escape his fate of dying like all other humans. He therefore cannot complete any of the tasks given to him that would have made it possible to receive the key to immortality (p 86). Gilgamesh was supposed to stay awake for 7 days, but he was defeated by exhaustion, which is a human characteristic (p 86). The one moment his 2/3 god half would have been the most useful it fails him, which was in favor of the fate planned by the god; his fate to die like any other human. Gilgamesh is then given the chance to have an extended life by eating a magic fruit. This chance is also stripped from him by a serpent who steals the root for itself (p 88). This is also an example of how evil is also part of fate and what can be ordained by the gods. The Mesopotamian gods allow hardship and trouble in the lives of their people to teach lessons and this further proves that point. Then at the end of the epic Gilgamesh accepts his fate to die like every other human, but this does not mean he lost his reason to stay alive. Throughout the epic “Gilgamesh” the king Gilgamesh has his will to survive continuously tested.
Although Gilgamesh takes risks that would not be possible to survive by any other human he is not hunting out death. He was searching for the glory and legacy he could leave that would also metaphorically make him immortal. Before going on one of his quests Gilgamesh spoke to the elders of the city for advisory on killing Humbaba. The elders tell him why he should not kill Humbaba and after hearing all of the reasons he said to Enkidu “I am afraid to die” (p 50). To be afraid of death is a human quality. The human qualities within him prevailed, although he was more god than human. This proved that when he was unwilling to give into death and let himself die. Furthermore, when Gilgamesh and Enkidu go to fight Humbaba there is a moment when Gilgamesh falters before giving the death blow (p 60). Enkidu has to remind Gilgamesh that the monster Humbaba is not going to spare their lives as he claims. Enkidu is essentially reminding Gilgamesh of the fear of death he possesses; in order to save their lives. Fear being used as motivation can be connected to the animalistic nature Enkidu and Gilgamesh both have. Enkidu was raised in the forest and born in the wild, but Gilgamesh had him made into a man by teaching him the ways of society. When Enkidu has to use fear, something that is connected to the time before he knew Gilgamesh, he symbolically shows that not all of nature is as useless to experience as Gilgamesh presumed. Gilgamesh originally identified with the more godly side of himself but it proves to him through this experience that he is similar to other humans by making decisions based on emotions. Throughout the epic Gilgamesh slowly connects to the human side of himself. The more Gilgamesh is forced to connect with this human side the more his resistance increases; this is why he attempts to make the ultimate step away from humanity by pursuing
immortality. Holistically, the epic of Gilgamesh affirms that the existential questions humans pose have not changed through the “maturation” of man. The archaic epic of Gilgamesh uses the deity’s of Mesopotamian society to explain otherwise confusing phenomena. Their gods are what created the Earth and allow turmoil to happen to humans because of their fluctuating anthropomorphic whims. This is not different from what purpose religions serve today – although through different deities. The struggle described between Fate and Free will is a debate that still exists today, even within the scientific community where theories are constantly developed supporting either side of the argument. Today, the majority of society believes the just-world hypothesis that a universal force will bring back what actions an individual gives; therefore, tying the self-deterministic ideas of the Renaissance to the prevailing belief that negative events must have a reason behind them. The belief in recoil from an action can also be observed in nature through the daily trials of animals. Similar less life threatening trials can be observed in human lives today. Self-preservation can be accredited to the progression of society, but more acutely the choice between fear and hope. Gilgamesh was continuously self-aware of his fear, but his hope for a better outcome made it possible for him to persevere. The choice between fear and hope is the basis of every choice mankind makes, which is highlighted during times of turmoil and strife. When faced with hardship every person has to choose whether they will hope for pursue a better route or succumb to fear and failure. Gilgamesh realized that his fear of the afterlife and fate were pointless and he regained hope in the life he was living. This psychological development will always remain a concern of humankind because whichever answer someone accepts as their truth to hope and believe in determines their entire outlook on life. Each person’s personal truth is what defines their reason for living, as Gilgamesh found that his was to continue ruling his people.
of their strong ancestor the god-king. Since the Royals enjoyed the story, it was spread throughout their kingdom amongst other high officials and gradually outside of the kingdom. The epic was originally recorded in Sumerian cuneiform upon clay tablets to be preserved and spread throughout the east. Sumerian is the oldest Mesopotamian language, but is not connected to any presently used languages. It is precisely because of its isolation in history and connection to any present day influences that I chose this work for my literary analysis. In this epic is a world entirely to itself with culture untouched by the concerns of present day society and yet it holds within it the questions still considered most prevalent. The curiosity and fear associated with the unknown, such as the afterlife, if there is free will, and what if there is a purpose of living. All the same questions many people struggle to find answers to today; these are a common thread for all of humanity, no one is alone in trying to answer them. In the introduction King Gilgamesh is described as more of a god than he is human and unmatched in all areas of life. Therefore, Gilgamesh is regarded as invincible and even regards himself as unstoppable. In the beginning of the epic, Gilgamesh is a terrible king who constantly plagued his people with hardship (p 39); as a result the people cried out to the god Anu for relief from the terror Gilgamesh was causing. The gods decided to “create one be equal” to Gilgamesh so that he would stop hurting the people, this creation was Enkidu (p 40). After the two met it was clear that they were meant to be together and so they created a strong bond with each other. They go on many quests with each other, but on a particular quest when they meet the goddess princess Ishtar, Gilgamesh causes trouble (p 63). During an exchange between Gilgamesh and Ishtar he insults her enrages her so much that the gods had to punish him for his wrongdoings against her. The decided punishment was to have Enkidu die, to teach Gilgamesh a lesson (p 70). After watching his friend die before his eyes in the least prideful way, Gilgamesh decides he will not suffer the same fate. He has been told his entire life that he is more than human, but after Enkidu- a reflection of Gilgamesh’s essence- dies he realizes that his sliver of mortality still makes him vulnerable. He is just as susceptible to the inevitability of death as all other humans and the basis of his pride has been destroyed. Gilgamesh thought of himself as higher than all others and a formidable opponent to even the gods, but they revealed that all he had was still owed to them. Gilgamesh therefore decides to go on a quest for immortality, the premise of the entire epic (p 72). Gilgamesh had become “afraid of death” and begins his journey to find the cure of death from the one person rumored to avoid death. Gilgamesh visits Utanipishtim in hopes of receiving immortality like what Utanipishtim has been granted (p 80), but Gilgamesh receives no such gift. Gilgamesh had traveled far and done the impossible, but he did not achieve immortality. When Gilgamesh returned home he realized that: even though he was not immortal, he would still live on through his achievements. Gilgamesh looked upon the “pace of the walls” of his city and saw how successful he had been to his people without becoming immortal (p 88). This is evidence of a change in demeanor and understanding of life on Gilgamesh’s behalf. He realized that it is impossible to do everything within one’s lifetime, but it is possible to do the best of one’s ability during a lifetime. Everyone has a predestined fate to die. The struggle Gilgamesh portrayed between the gods and death is also parallel to the fight between fate and free will. Gilgamesh is continuously struggling against the god’s fate to survive beyond normal human circumstances. When Gilgamesh is arguing with the goddess Ishtar about how he refuses to sleep with her he kills the bull she sends upon him (p 65). This event angers the gods because out of free will Gilgamesh defied the gods by killing the bull. This is an example of the use of Gilgamesh’s free will against the fate they had planned for his life. Once Gilgamesh later becomes aware of his mortality, he pursues immortality. To do this he goes and sees Utanipishtim but cannot complete any of the tasks given to him. He used free will to defy all odds and reach the land where Utanipishtim resided. The gods let Gilgamesh reach the destination, but he cannot escape his fate of dying like all other humans. He therefore cannot complete any of the tasks given to him that would have made it possible to receive the key to immortality (p 86). Gilgamesh was supposed to stay awake for 7 days, but he was defeated by exhaustion, which is a human characteristic (p 86). The one moment his 2/3 god half would have been the most useful it fails him, which was in favor of the fate planned by the god; his fate to die like any other human. Gilgamesh is then given the chance to have an extended life by eating a magic fruit. This chance is also stripped from him by a serpent who steals the root for itself (p 88). This is also an example of how evil is also part of fate and what can be ordained by the gods. The Mesopotamian gods allow hardship and trouble in the lives of their people to teach lessons and this further proves that point. Then at the end of the epic Gilgamesh accepts his fate to die like every other human, but this does not mean he lost his reason to stay alive. Throughout the epic “Gilgamesh” the king Gilgamesh has his will to survive continuously tested.
Although Gilgamesh takes risks that would not be possible to survive by any other human he is not hunting out death. He was searching for the glory and legacy he could leave that would also metaphorically make him immortal. Before going on one of his quests Gilgamesh spoke to the elders of the city for advisory on killing Humbaba. The elders tell him why he should not kill Humbaba and after hearing all of the reasons he said to Enkidu “I am afraid to die” (p 50). To be afraid of death is a human quality. The human qualities within him prevailed, although he was more god than human. This proved that when he was unwilling to give into death and let himself die. Furthermore, when Gilgamesh and Enkidu go to fight Humbaba there is a moment when Gilgamesh falters before giving the death blow (p 60). Enkidu has to remind Gilgamesh that the monster Humbaba is not going to spare their lives as he claims. Enkidu is essentially reminding Gilgamesh of the fear of death he possesses; in order to save their lives. Fear being used as motivation can be connected to the animalistic nature Enkidu and Gilgamesh both have. Enkidu was raised in the forest and born in the wild, but Gilgamesh had him made into a man by teaching him the ways of society. When Enkidu has to use fear, something that is connected to the time before he knew Gilgamesh, he symbolically shows that not all of nature is as useless to experience as Gilgamesh presumed. Gilgamesh originally identified with the more godly side of himself but it proves to him through this experience that he is similar to other humans by making decisions based on emotions. Throughout the epic Gilgamesh slowly connects to the human side of himself. The more Gilgamesh is forced to connect with this human side the more his resistance increases; this is why he attempts to make the ultimate step away from humanity by pursuing
immortality. Holistically, the epic of Gilgamesh affirms that the existential questions humans pose have not changed through the “maturation” of man. The archaic epic of Gilgamesh uses the deity’s of Mesopotamian society to explain otherwise confusing phenomena. Their gods are what created the Earth and allow turmoil to happen to humans because of their fluctuating anthropomorphic whims. This is not different from what purpose religions serve today – although through different deities. The struggle described between Fate and Free will is a debate that still exists today, even within the scientific community where theories are constantly developed supporting either side of the argument. Today, the majority of society believes the just-world hypothesis that a universal force will bring back what actions an individual gives; therefore, tying the self-deterministic ideas of the Renaissance to the prevailing belief that negative events must have a reason behind them. The belief in recoil from an action can also be observed in nature through the daily trials of animals. Similar less life threatening trials can be observed in human lives today. Self-preservation can be accredited to the progression of society, but more acutely the choice between fear and hope. Gilgamesh was continuously self-aware of his fear, but his hope for a better outcome made it possible for him to persevere. The choice between fear and hope is the basis of every choice mankind makes, which is highlighted during times of turmoil and strife. When faced with hardship every person has to choose whether they will hope for pursue a better route or succumb to fear and failure. Gilgamesh realized that his fear of the afterlife and fate were pointless and he regained hope in the life he was living. This psychological development will always remain a concern of humankind because whichever answer someone accepts as their truth to hope and believe in determines their entire outlook on life. Each person’s personal truth is what defines their reason for living, as Gilgamesh found that his was to continue ruling his people.