Why Gilgamesh Is a Good Example of an Epic

The Epic of Gilgamesh is a good example of an epic poem because it is a long narrative poem about quest told with conventions of oral story telling. When you read the poem, it sounds as though someone was narrating a story. Another reason why this epic is a good example is because it starts off with a statement of subject and a theme. The author clearly states the theme of the inevitability of death early in the poem. A perfect example is in the first line, “Why are you worried about death? Only the gods are immortal.” This quote brings me to another reason why it’s a good example, the use of gods and goddesses in the story. The epic makes several statements about the gods, such as, “God passed over us drawing out our life,” and, “He was the slave who did the work for gods, but whom the gods would never notice.” Epic poems narrate the life of a hero who embodies the values of a particular culture. Gilgamesh is a great example of this. He displays many values that can be related to the culture at the time. He believes in many gods, as many cultures did in the past. Another value most, if not all, cultures in history share with Gilgamesh is that they believed strongly in war, and had Elders who decided when and who to go to war with. These Elders also gave special blessings to those ready to go to war. Many cultures strongly believed in these blessings, and often wouldn’t go to battle without them. For these, as well as many other reasons, Gilgamesh is a perfect example of an epic