Immortality In Gilgamesh Essay
Immortality and Fate: The tale of Gilgamesh
The idea of immortality may be out of our reach physically, but it may be attainable by other means, Such is the focus of attention in the ancient Sumerian legend entitles Gilgamesh, an epic written circa 2000 B.C. on clay tablets and that pre-dates the bible and Homeric tales (98). An epic is a long narrative poem about a hero, who overcomes adversities, both physical and psychological, and whose actions ultimately reflect the moral values cherished by a particular culture. This literary artifact allows readers to perceive the similarities of the human condition across time and depicts a culture that praised friendship, warned against vanity, and respected the human quest for immortality (90). …show more content…
Even thousands of years ago, society as a whole and individuals have had difficulty maintaining and enjoying a relationship romantic or not. We see Gilgamesh continue with his disrespectful manners and possibly suffer consequences. Quote: “He walks around in the enclosure of Uruk, like a wild bull he makes himself mighty, head raised. There is no rival who can raise his weapon against him. His fellows stand, attentive to his, and the men of Uruk become anxious in … Gilgamesh does not leave a son to his father, day and night he arrogantly …”(1.51-58) He continues to behave arrogantly and is still known to many to be unkind and not a very good person. Upon arrival, he meets Siduri the innkeeper, but treats him with little to no respect. Quote: “The Noble Counselors of Uruk arose and delivered their advice to Gilgamesh: "You are young, Gilgamesh, your heart carries you off— you do not know what you are talking about!" (2.280-283) Similar can be said about the confrontation with Urshanabi and Utnapishtim, but despite getting a bad first impression, Urshanabi helps Gilgamesh cross the Waters of Death. When consulting with Utnapishtim, he finally tells Gilgamesh, "Tough luck: humans just can't escape …show more content…
When visiting Utnapishtim, he was greeted by the Scorpion people, guards that stand outside the gates of the sun god Shamash at the mountains of Mashu. These give entrance to Kurnugi, the land of darkness. The scorpion men open the doors for Shamash as he travels out each day, and close the doors after him when he returns to the underworld at night. They also warn travellers, like Gilgamesh of the danger that lies beyond their future. Their heads touch the sky, their "terror is awesome" and their "glance is death". This meeting of Gilgamesh on his way to Utnapishtim with the Scorpion-folk guarding the entrance to the tunnel is chapter 4 lines 47-81. [1] Gilgamesh visits Utnapishtim to discover the secret of immortality, but ends up empty-handed. Gilgamesh is desperately trying to find this secret, this clue on how it is possible to obtain such a awesome fate, but cannot seem to find it anywhere. Long ago, the gods decided to destroy all of humanity with a flood. But he and his wife got some advance warning from the god Ea, and built a giant ship, on which they stored all kinds of living creatures, as well as some craftsmen. When the flood was over, the god Enlil gave Utanapishtim and his wife immortality. Utanapishtim doesn't think Gilgamesh is worthy of such a gift; or deserves it at all; he challenges him to a staying-awake contest. He fails.
The idea of immortality may be out of our reach physically, but it may be attainable by other means, Such is the focus of attention in the ancient Sumerian legend entitles Gilgamesh, an epic written circa 2000 B.C. on clay tablets and that pre-dates the bible and Homeric tales (98). An epic is a long narrative poem about a hero, who overcomes adversities, both physical and psychological, and whose actions ultimately reflect the moral values cherished by a particular culture. This literary artifact allows readers to perceive the similarities of the human condition across time and depicts a culture that praised friendship, warned against vanity, and respected the human quest for immortality (90). …show more content…
Even thousands of years ago, society as a whole and individuals have had difficulty maintaining and enjoying a relationship romantic or not. We see Gilgamesh continue with his disrespectful manners and possibly suffer consequences. Quote: “He walks around in the enclosure of Uruk, like a wild bull he makes himself mighty, head raised. There is no rival who can raise his weapon against him. His fellows stand, attentive to his, and the men of Uruk become anxious in … Gilgamesh does not leave a son to his father, day and night he arrogantly …”(1.51-58) He continues to behave arrogantly and is still known to many to be unkind and not a very good person. Upon arrival, he meets Siduri the innkeeper, but treats him with little to no respect. Quote: “The Noble Counselors of Uruk arose and delivered their advice to Gilgamesh: "You are young, Gilgamesh, your heart carries you off— you do not know what you are talking about!" (2.280-283) Similar can be said about the confrontation with Urshanabi and Utnapishtim, but despite getting a bad first impression, Urshanabi helps Gilgamesh cross the Waters of Death. When consulting with Utnapishtim, he finally tells Gilgamesh, "Tough luck: humans just can't escape …show more content…
When visiting Utnapishtim, he was greeted by the Scorpion people, guards that stand outside the gates of the sun god Shamash at the mountains of Mashu. These give entrance to Kurnugi, the land of darkness. The scorpion men open the doors for Shamash as he travels out each day, and close the doors after him when he returns to the underworld at night. They also warn travellers, like Gilgamesh of the danger that lies beyond their future. Their heads touch the sky, their "terror is awesome" and their "glance is death". This meeting of Gilgamesh on his way to Utnapishtim with the Scorpion-folk guarding the entrance to the tunnel is chapter 4 lines 47-81. [1] Gilgamesh visits Utnapishtim to discover the secret of immortality, but ends up empty-handed. Gilgamesh is desperately trying to find this secret, this clue on how it is possible to obtain such a awesome fate, but cannot seem to find it anywhere. Long ago, the gods decided to destroy all of humanity with a flood. But he and his wife got some advance warning from the god Ea, and built a giant ship, on which they stored all kinds of living creatures, as well as some craftsmen. When the flood was over, the god Enlil gave Utanapishtim and his wife immortality. Utanapishtim doesn't think Gilgamesh is worthy of such a gift; or deserves it at all; he challenges him to a staying-awake contest. He fails.