The Epic Of Gilgamesh Essay

The Epic Of Gilgamesh Essay
Further analysis of the poem The Epic of Gilgamesh, described the characteristic of king Gilgamesh
from the beginning, middle, and end. Throughout the poem, there are immature and petrified
moments of Gilgamesh, but more importantly he learned to grow as he explore his journey.
Friendship, love, and fear appears to be essential in this poem. Why are those terms relevant ? and
how does it connect with the trait of Gilgamesh ?, let's continue to find out the truth about
Gilgamesh. In the beginning of the poem, Gilgamesh show his nasty manners to the people from
the Uruk town. People described him as a terrible king because of how the way he treat others. He
act extremely arrogant and careless. Gilgamesh would sleep with every women from...show more
content...
This explain that Enkidu is trying to point out how dangerous Humbaba is. Gilgamesh didn't care
how powerful Humbaba is because he believe that he could take anyone down, he didn't care
about Enkidu thoughts of Humbaba. "Gilgamesh opened his mouth to speak,/ say [to Enkidu:]
/ why, my friend, do you speak like a weakling?/ with your spineless words you [make me]
despondent." (19). This shows that Gilgamesh is arrogant and immature, thinking he could defeat
the monster himself without having any fear. Gilgamesh went back to the Uruk to make an
announcement of battling Humbaba the vicious monster. Gilgamesh said, "I will conquer him in
the Forest of Cedar:/ let the land learn Uruk's offshoot is mighty!/ let me start out,/ I will cut
down the Cedar./ I will establish for ever a name eternal!" (20). Next, Gilgamesh and Enkidu
climbed up the hill into the forest to find Humbaba. They end up on the hillside to rest before the
battle. Gilgamesh had his first dream, "[My friend, did you not call me? Why have I wakened ?]
/ [Did you not touch me? Why am I startled ?]/ [Did a god not pass by? Why is my flesh frozen
numb?]/ [My friend, I have had the first dream!]" (30). This symbolize fear, for the first time
Gilgamesh experiencing the feeling of being afraid. Gilgamesh suddenly changed as he went onto a
Journey to the Forest of Cedar. When Gilgamesh continue to see Humbaba knowing that he is
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Analysis Of ' The Epic Of Gilgamesh ' Essay
Georgia Perimeter College
Epic of Gilgamesh
Jung M Gu
World Literature 129
Liam Madden
12/2/2016
Jung Gu
Professor Liam Madden
World Literature
11/30/16
The Epic of Gilgamesh
The story about Gilgamesh is one of the earliest pieces of world literature dating back to the second
millennium B.C.E. This story has been evolved gradually over a long span of a millennium, and has
been enjoyed by many nations. The Epic of Gilgamesh teaches life lessons that apply to the past and
present while revolving around the question of what it means to be human, and to experience the
phenomenon of friendship, love, and death.
Notably, the thing about human life is that everyone desires friendship or to be simply not be
alone. In the story of the epic of Gilgamesh talks about how friendship changed his whole life.
Gilgamesh used to be a terrible ruler led by arrogance, and brutality of his people. He was
overconsumed with power, therefore doing whatever he wanted whenever he wanted. It seemed
that Gilgamesh grew bored of life, and had a deep hole in his heart as such something was
missing from his life. One day Gilgamesh told his mother "I want a friend for my own counselor,
for my own Counselor do I want a friend" (Foster 106). He needed someone to confide in as well
as talk too about his plans and future. Gilgamesh had everything in his life from riches to power, but
it seemed like the thing he craved more than success was someone to take the journey beside him. In
a

The Epic of Gilgamesh Essay
There are many vices and virtues displayed in the Epic of Gilgamesh. The Epic of Gilgamesh is a
tale from ancient Babylon. Its hero, Gilgamesh the king of Uruk, is two–thirds god and one–third
man. Throughout the epic, which consists of three stories, the character of Gilgamesh is
developed. This is accomplished by changing the vices he possesses at the start of the epic, and
replacing them with virtues he receives by its completion. "A virtue is a quality of righteousness,
goodness, or moral excellence; any good quality or admirable trait of a character." (Halsey Collier's
Dictionary 1114) "A vice is an immoral or harmful habit or practice; fault or fall" (Halsey Collier's
Dictionary 1111). Gilgamesh is not the only character in the...show more content...
This stubbornness proves fatal to Enkidu, for later in the epic, he suffers death as punishment for his
role in killing Humbaba.
Gilgamesh is not a completely flawed character; he possesses, and obtains through his adventures,
many positive qualities or virtues. For example, he is courageous. This virtue is evident during
his battle with Humbaba. This forest giant is a fearsome adversary, aided by the gods, with a
considerable size and strength advantage. Defeat of Humbaba takes the combined efforts of
Gilgamesh and Enkidu. To succeed, Gilgamesh had to gain the courage to undergo this task.
Enkidu rallies his friend by saying, "O Gilgamesh, remember now your boasts in Uruk. Forward,
attacks, son of Uruk, there is nothing to fear." (Sandars 20) With this, Gilgamesh's "courage railed"
(Sandars 20). He defeats and eventually kills Humbaba for which he is subsequently praised.
The virtue of loyalty in the Epic of Gilgamesh is best illustrated by the character Enkidu. He is
introduced in the epic as a counter to Gilgamesh. Created by the goddess Aruru, Enkidu, a wild
and solitary person, is defeated in a wrestling match by Gilgamesh. He then becomes a loyal and
faithful friend to the king. This loyalty is tested before the battle with Humbaba. Enkidu, aware of
the giant's powers and strengths, pleads to Gilgamesh, "You do not know this monster and that is the
reason you are not afraid. I who

The Odyssey And The Epic Of Gilgamesh Essay
When it comes to the realm of epic poetry, and hero–like characters in literature, the two works The
Odyssey and the Epic of Gilgamesh can be compared and contrasted in different ways. The Odyssey
and the Epic of Gilgamesh can be compared as expressions of searches for the meaning of life
through knowledge. The two stories are somewhat mirrors in this manner. Throughout each story, the
characters Odysseus and Gilgamesh show growth and change. The Odyssey can be summed up by
stating how the great warrior, Odysseus, is trying to return home to his wife and son after fighting
an epic war. In the Epic of Gilgamesh, a partial god, by the name of Gilgamesh, faced retribution for
poor leadership, but manages to redeem himself. In both the Odyssey and the Epic of Gilgamesh,
both heroes are in search for the meaning of life. Both heroes want glory and everlasting fame. They
want their name to last for eternity. It is important to notice the role that both characters play in these
two literatures. They both heroes serve as connects between the gods and the mortals. Although both
Odysseus and Gilgamesh are both mortals, they both were granted strengths. Odysseus has great
mental strength and Gilgamesh has great physical strength. Both characters change throughout the
story. As they gain more knowledge about life along the way, they eventually begin to discover their
own meaning of life. In doing so, each Gilgamesh and Odysseus both change throughout their
journey.
There

Essay on Epic of Gilgamesh
Title:Gilgamesh Type:Epic Author: Anonymous Theme:The central idea of Gilgamesh was the
greed that he had to receive eternal life. Gilgamesh was a selfish person who was half god and
half man and wanted to keep his youth after seeing Enkidu die. Gilgamesh knew his destiny was
not to receive eternal life because he was half man. He decided to go against the odds to fight
against not having eternal life searching for the secret despite what the Gods told him.
Exposition:The story dates between 2500–1500 B.C. Gilgamesh ruled in Uruk, a city in ancient
Mesopotamia. Protagonist:The epic is centered on Gilgamesh because he is the main character and
ruler of Uruk who in the beginning is rude and arrogant and has a journey...show more content...
Crisis:Death is the crisis for Gilgamesh and the fact he is half man is preventing him from living
forever. He decides to ignore the advice given to the gods and goes on a quest to find the boatman
Utnapishtim for eternal life. Climax:Gilgamesh goes on his journey for everlasting life and find
the boat man Utnapishtim for everlasting life. First, Gilgamesh is challenged to stay awake for 6
days and 7 nights, but he fails at the task. Secondly, he tells Gilgamesh that a prickly plant has the
answer for his eternal life and if he is able to capture it he will hold in his hands the answer for his
youth. As Gilgamesh goes to cleanse him self, a serpent takes his plant and Gilgamesh is
saddened because this now means death is in his path. He decides to make plans to take the plant
to the elderly men to renew their youth which shows leadership as a king is suppose to be.
Resolution or Denouement: In the beginning of the epic Gilgamesh the people of Uruk saw
Gilgamesh as a lousy, obnoxious, arrogant ruler. After his journeys to find everlasting life his heart
began to soften and see a different perspective of life. It was revealed long after Gilgamesh's death
that he was actually considered a god. This helps explain his fear towards death. Gilgamesh wanted
to physically be a great warrior until the end of time opposed to just another historic memory.
Although it was not actually death he was afraid of,

Epic Of Gilgamesh Essay
I.Introduction.
Gilgamesh epic which was written in cuneiform and found in 1845 is an earliest recorded work of
literature. Gilgamesh was the king of the great ancient walled city of Uruk. This paper will present
Gilgamesh epic myth analysis starting with the historical context which will be followed by world
view. The psychological context then will discuss the main psychological elements of the epic.
Finally, the contemporary themes will relate the epic themes to the current situation and events.
II.Historical View
The significance of the great flood, Gilgamesh as a bad king, and Utanapishtim (the survivor of the
great flood) will be discussed to show their significance to the historical content of this great ancient
epic.
A.The Great...show more content...
The great grief and sorrow of Enkidu's death makes Gilgamesh to start to think how he can be
immortal. In search of an eternal life, Gilgamesh started his journey to find Utanapishtim whom he
knows got an eternal life after the great flood.
B.Belly of the wolf
Gilgamesh faces difficulties on his adventure to find Utanapishtim. He fought wild beasts and
crossed the waters of deaths. However, the tunnel of Mount Mashu which extends 36 mile totally
dark was the main abyss of Gilgamesh. According to the World Mythology book of Rosenberg, the
darkness was so thick that Gilgamesh could not see anything behind or in front of him. After
Gilgamesh crossed the tunnel his cheeks was so pale and his face was so gaunt which clearly shows
how difficult was the journey.
C.Atonement with the Father
After crossing the death of waters with Urshanabi, Gilgamesh was able to find the Faraway–
Utanapishitm. Utanapishtim challenged Gilgamesh not to go sleep for a week to test and make
him believe he is mortal. Gilgamesh failed the test and accepted his fate as mortal. Though,
Gilgamesh was not able to get the immortality but he was able to learn the wisdom of living from
the wise

The Epic of Gilgamesh is Truely an Epic Essay
The Epic of Gilgamesh is Truely an Epic
An epic is an extended narrative poem in elevated or dignified language, celebrating the feats of a
legendary or traditional hero. The main characteristics of an epic as a literary genre is that it is a
long poem that tells a story, it contains an epic hero, its hero searches for immortality (but doesn't
find it physically, only through fame), gods or other supernatural beings are interested and
involved, and it delivers an historical message. The Epic of Gilgamesh is classified as an epic
because it fits all the characteristics of an epic as a literary genre.
The Epic of Gilgamesh can be justly classified as an epic because it is a narrative poem. Because it
is a long poem that...show more content...
Another example of repetition is when Gilgamesh is on his journey for immortality. Everyone he
encounters tells him the same thing, and to everyone his response is the same. Again, this kind of
repetition in the story gives it a poetic style and makes it come alive for the storyteller. The Epic of
Gilgamesh can also be classified as an epic poem because it tells a story rather than just giving the
feelings of the speaker as lyric poetry does. Because it fits the definition of being a narrative poem,
The Epic of Gilgamesh fits the classification of an epic.
Another important characteristic of The Epic of Gilgamesh that helps to classify it as an epic is that
it includes a hero. Gilgamesh is the storyГўЛ†(tm)s epic hero. Characteristics that determine an epic
hero in the ancient world include strength, beauty, and high social status. Gilgamesh does indeed
possess all these qualities. His great strength was described as that which could be matched by no
other. His beauty was so evident that he could have any woman that he wanted. In fact, he did
sleep with all the women in his city. Gilgamesh was also made 2/3 god and 1/3 human. This fact
alone raised him up to a god–like social status. He was the king of Uruk because no one

Analysis of the Epic of Gilgamesh Essay
Analysis of the Epic of Gilgamesh The epic of Gilgamesh is the earliest primary document
discovered in human history dating back to approximately 2,000 B.C.E. This document tells a
story of an ancient King Gilgamesh, ruler of Sumer in 2,700 B.C.E. who is created gloriously by
gods as one third man and two third god. In this epic, Gilgamesh begins his kingship as an
audacious and immature ruler. Exhausted from complaints, the gods send a wild man named Enkidu
to become civilized and assist Gilgamesh to mature into a righteous leader. However, Enkidus death
causes Gilgamesh to realize his fear of immortality and search for an escape from death. On his
journey, Gilgamesh learns that the gods will not grant his wish and that he must...show more
content...
The author is praising Gilgamesh's leadership by communicating his intellectual capabilities deserve
respect. This, shows that ancient Mesopotamians believed that part of a great ruler's value was
revealed in their advanced intellectual capacities. The epic reveals that ancient Mesopotamia
understood that the basis of a monarch's legitimacy relied on the respect he carried for not only the
beings whom he rules and those who rule over him, but also his knowledge. The epic gives insight
to the ways in which ancient Mesopotamians valued life. This becomes most obvious when Enkidu
reveals to Gilgamesh his nightmare of the dark and enslaving afterlife as he is dying (The Epic of
Gilgamesh, 2). This leaves Gilgamesh with extreme terror of death which provokes his desperate
attempts to escape it. Giving death fearful and dark characteristics communicates that the afterlife
is a harrowing experience and life is the individual's harmonious experience. This serves to
establish that ancient Mesopotamians sensed that life was something to be cherished and conceived
of in a positive light. In addition, Mesopotamian life views are also illustrated when Gilgamesh
must accept that he will not receive his requests for immortality from the gods (The Epic of
Gilgamesh, 2). This suggests Mesopotamian society believed wise men should be grateful for their
destiny and that he or she should not reach beyond what they are given. In doing so, this

The Epic of Gilgamesh Essays
True love and immortality in life would be a dream come true to many people. To spend time with
a special someone; the person one feels closest to; the so–called soul mate and to never have that
high feeling of emotion end mentally and physically would greatly appeal to most people. But when
death steps into the picture, even with all the pain and devastation, one starts to re–evaluate
themselves and realizes the important things in life and puts it all into perspective. In The Epic of
Gilgamesh, the main character, Gilgamesh, is a powerful, arrogant king and part god. Enkidu,
Gilgamesh's partner, is animal–like but later takes on more humanistic traits such as his
contemplation's of death. The friendship between Gilgamesh and Enkidu is a...show more content...
"In the silence of people they began to laugh and clutched each other in their breathless
exaltation" (24). From there is when Gilgamesh knew what true love and happiness was, which
would later allow him to contemplate death.
With having Enkidu in his life, Gilgamesh realizes the importance of caring for others. For this
Gilgamesh wanted to change his cities perception of him. He did not want to be looked at as an
evil king. He wanted to be someone who would go down in history, never dying. So to make his
city happy and to show good fortune he went forth to kill Humbaba, an evil guardian of the forest.
"And then he raised his ax up higher and swung it in a perfect arc into Humbaba's neck"
(40), ultimately killing Humbaba. During this journey and small battle Enkidu had been wounded.
Enkidu eventually dies from his wounds and Gilgamesh nearly goes insane from losing his best
friend and lover. Gilgamesh then acknowledges death and despises it.
Although at first Gilgamesh is distraught, depressed, and very desperate to go find eternal life he
realizes that what he had with Enkidu was special and should enjoy the rest of his life, care for
others and acknowledge death as a part of life. When Gilgamesh is in his panic stage going to look
for the eternal life he thinks irrationally. He

Response Paper : The Epic Of Gilgamesh
The Epic of Gilgamesh Response Paper
The Epic of Gilgamesh is a Sumerian mythic narrative, the oldest surviving work of its kind in the
world. The story focuses on the conduct of the gods "to explain the origin of some feature of the
natural or social world." The principal characters of the epic were "deities, demons, and demigods."
It was originally composed in Ancient Mesopotamia, but the basic themes were passed on. Even
though this text pertains to the life in Mesopotamia, it kept being translated and influenced other
groups that came after them.
This mythic narrative illustrates the life in ancient Mesopotamia. According the story, the men lived
in cities and cultivated the land. The countryside was considered as rough and "the empty country
was prowled by hunters, outlaws and bandits." Furthermore, the epic illustrates the Mesopotamian
idea of a king. In the epic, Uta–Napishti states that "the duty of the kings [is] to help those who
could not help themselves." He also states that the king's duty is to "...[look] after the gods, his
masters, and the people, his subjects." Although these two statements were said by a mythological
being, it depicts the Mesopotamians ideology of a king. With that said, a political lesson that the
story teaches is that a king should be righteous and just to secure his legacy, known as Kingship.
The Epic demonstrates how the life of the Mesopotamians is intertwined with religious beliefs.
According to the text, "the gods took personal

Epic Of Gilgamesh Essay
In The Epic of Gilgamesh the lines that are repeated at the beginning and end of the epic show that
only immortality a human can gain lies in creating things that last beyond a person's lifetime. While
at the beginning of the epic Gilgamesh is seeking eternal life, when he concludes his journey he
realizes that he has created an enduring legend through the foundation of his city, Uruk. Through this
legend, Gilgamesh can live on in the memory of his people, long after he has passed away. The
epic is able to convey this message multiple ways. The opening lines immediately introduce and
impress upon the audience the importance of Gilgamesh, and the significance of his kingship. The
epic continues on to describe the city of Uruk, with special consideration given to the walls
surrounding Uruk. 3. Finally, the ending repetition of the lines shows that Gilgamesh has become
aware of the legacy he has created in Uruk, and and accepts that in lieu of immortality. okay so
these are the three? points you are talking about in your paper? make sure they match up with your
paragraphs proving them and are not so vague The very first lines of the epic focus on Gilgamesh
and the impressiveness of his accomplishments. They stress the wisdom he attained, drawing
attention to it right away with the repetition of what he learned;
"He who saw the Deep, the country's foundation,
[who] knew..., was wise in all matters!
[Gilgamesh, who] saw the Deep, the country's foundation,
[who] knew...was wise

The Epic of Gilgamesh
Perhaps one of the main reasons the Epic of Gilgamesh is so popular and has lasted such a long
time, is because it offers insight into the human concerns of people four thousand years ago, many
of which are still relevant today. Some of these human concerns found in the book that are still
applicable today include: the fear and concerns people have in relation to death, overwhelming
desires to be immortal, and the impact a friendship has on a person's life. It does not take a great
deal of insight into The Epic of Gilgamesh for a person to locate these themes in the story, and even
less introspection to relate to them.
While many people today seem to be scared to die, and make great strides to avoid an early death,
this is not a new...show more content...
"Every person– whether they had been good or bad, and regardless of whether they were a king or a
peasant– everyone was treated the same in the Underworld" he says. (Brand pg. 3)
These ideals are very different from modern–day beliefs about death. Christian views about the
afterlife include the two options for our souls after death: heaven– the happy, safe, and comfortable
place where the good people go, and hell–the fiery, and dangerous place some go to if they made bad
choices on Earth. Others believe in reincarnation, where a person's soul lives on and takes the
form of something else. Many people, no matter their religious stance, want to believe that there
is something else after death, because it makes it easier when the time comes. It certainly eases
some of the grief and anxiety that people face over death, and is far more comforting than the
beliefs that ancient Mesopotamians held about death. In any case, most scholars agree that death
was not viewed as a positive passing before, or during the time, the epic was written. As a result, it
would have been easy to see for people of the past to empathize with a written text encompassing
these concerns. Furthermore, present day readers would also be able to understand why the main
character in The Epic of Gilgamesh was scared to die.
Gilgamesh worked hard to achieve a great name for himself. He had companions, respect,
confidence, and

Reflection Of The Epic Of Gilgamesh
Upon all the readings discussed this semester, I have made several intricate connections based on the
morals, universal themes, human behavior, and challenges faced in these stories. Epic of Gilgamesh,
Oedipus the King, and Jataka Tales exhibit many broad and diverse themes; however, the three most
important themes I took away was the theme of friendship, power, and how greed numbs intelligence.
I found these themes important because each one connects to my life in some sort of way.
The epic of Gilgamesh was about a hubris king named Gilgamesh and his journey with his best friend
Enkidu. Along their journey, Gilgamesh learns things about himself through the trial and tribulations
he encounters along the way. One of the lessons that he learned was friendship. However, it was
Enkidu who benefited from the lesson of friendship the most. For instance, Enkidu's desire for a
friend is important in his transition from the wild–man life to ordinary human life. This desire is
what brought him and Gilgamesh closer. In the beginning of the poem, Gilgamesh is self–absorbed
with himself. The way he treats his people is an act to stay superior and fill a void. The goddess
Aruru created a creature that would be able to humble Gilgamesh's ego – his name was Enkidu.
Through Enkidu and Gilgamesh's' s friendship Gilgamesh realized that the world doesn't revolve
around him and that it's ok to have someone else in your world.
Oedipus the king was an intriguing tale about a king who dedicates

The Epic of Gilgamesh is Truly an Epic Essay
An epic is an extensive narrative poem celebrating the feats of a legendary or traditional hero.
There are several main characteristics that make up an epic as a literary genre. First is that, it
contains an epic hero, its hero searches for immortality (but doesn't find it physically, only through
fame), it delivers an historical message, it is a long poem that tells a story, and the gods or other
supernatural beings are interested and involved. The Epic of Gilgamesh is classified as an epic
because it fits all the characteristics of an epic as a literary genre.
The first important characteristic of The Epic of Gilgamesh that helps to classify it as an epic is
that it includes a hero. Gilgamesh is the story's epic hero....show more content...
Gilgamesh saves the day once again when Ishtar sends down the Bull of Heaven to wreak havoc on
the city. With the help ofEnkidu, he kills the bull by using his great strength. This fighting scene is
typical for an epic hero. Like most epic heroes, Gilgamesh has superhuman achievements in battle.
Because of his great strength, beauty, and courage, Gilgamesh is clearly the hero of the story, which
is necessary for the work to be considered an epic.
Another characteristic of an epic fulfilled by The Epic of Gilgamesh, is that the hero of the story
goes on a journey in search of immortality. This is seen in many epics of the ancient world
(Kramer 8). After the death of Enkidu, Gilgamesh realizes that one day, he too will die. From the
beginning of the story, it can be seen that Gilgamesh has an obsession with fame, reputation, and
the revolt of mortal man against the law of separation and death (Wolff 694). Tablets IX, X, and XI
are all dedicated to this journey for everlasting life. Hoping to learn the secret of immortality,
Gilgamesh makes a long and difficult journey in search of Utnapishtim, the one human being who
has obtained it. Although several people told him along the way that he would not succeed in
gaining eternal life, he didn't let that stop him. When he finally finds Utnapishtim, he tells him there
is no way for Gilgamesh to have what he has. He also reveals to

The Epic of Gilgamesh Essay
In the epic of Gilgamesh, Gilgamesh embarks upon a quest seeking immortality as a means to
peace, meaning, and joy in life. He tries to reach it in many different ways, each as unsuccessful as
its predecessor. The two main types of immortality are physical and through the actions or
achievements of ones life. Gilgamesh tries first through his actions, but then undergoes a
transformation which leads him to next attempt physical immortality. He eventually comes back to
the point at which he began; however, now he realizes that the beginning point was always the
object of his quest. Uruk, his city, is his legacy and the key to his quest. This lesson underscores his
humanity, for often we cannot truly learn a...show more content...
Enkidu always tell him the same thing after he has the dreams. He tells him, '"'The dream you
had tonight is fortunate.'"' He does this to comfort Gilgamesh and encourage him on his quest.
In Tablet VI Gilgamesh and Enkidu"'"s fame makes them bolder, even overconfident;
Gilgamesh thinks that what he has already done is enough for him to be immortal. After killing
the bull of heaven, Enkidu in his arrogance, says to Ishtar, '"'I would do the same to you
what you have seen me do to the Bull of Heaven.'"' They have come to believe that they are
greater even than the gods, the classic sin of hubris. At the end of this passage it is evident that
Gilgamesh sees himself to be already immortal when he says, '"'I am the strongest. My fame
will be secure to all my sons...'"' He believes that he has made enough of a name for himself
to ensure forever that his sons will have continued fame.
Enkidu dies in Tablet VII, causing Gilgamesh to transform his quest. He does not endure this
transformation immediately. He first mourns his companion"'"s death all throughout
Tablet VIII. In Tablet IX Gilgamesh realizes that he could have just as easily been killed; he now
wants to never die. He now knows that he is not a god, and that the real gods have extraordinary
powers over even him. He is now

Gilgamesh Research Paper
Many texts, both ancient and modern, explore the possibilities of living forever. The Epic of
Gilgamesh is just one of the stories examining this theory.
The Gilgamesh tablets discuss many such issues pertinent to much of today's population: what is the
meaning of life? How will I be remembered? This age old topic is explored through many popular
mediums today such as graphic novels and in the film industry. Additionally the immortal question is
further studied in some scientific industries, to the disdain of some of the more theologically
minded, with the advent of cloning systemic cell systems. The focus of this essay is whether or not
it is actually possible to become immortal, and if so, then, how can such longevity be achieved.
Immortalisation, spirituality and memory are the exploratory themes throughout this essay in
relation to both the Gilgamesh Epic and in part the Bible. The Sumerian narrative poem 'The Epic of
Gilgamesh', is printed in cuneiform characters on clay tablets. It was found in Nippur, Mesopotamia
and dates back to around 2,000 BCE. The actual tablets were lost for thousands of years. However
countless stories of Gilgamesh have circulated, told in the archaic Hittite, Elamite and Hurrian
languages, over the centuries throughout Asia and Europe. Even the Greeks and Roman continued
in their oral narratives to refer to 'King Gilgamesh' at as late a date as 200 AD. Over time though
these oratories came together as one story. Although ancient this

The Human Experience In The Epic Of Gilgamesh
The Epic of Gilgamesh epitomizes the human experience. Despite being two–thirds divine, perfect in
strength and ideally handsome Gilgamesh was still a bit naГЇve. He was overbearing on his citizens,
and he was afraid of dying. The priest–king of Uruk's life seems incomplete until the creation of
Enkidu. Ironically enough Enkidu who was created to be an enemy to Gilgamesh, became his best
friend. Gilgamesh leaves the comfort of civilization and journeys into the wilderness with his friend
to undergo their first adventure. The duo appears to be an unstoppable pair slaying both the giant
Humbaba and then the Bull of Heaven. It is only through divine intervention that the pair is broken
up when Enkidu dies through severe illness. Gilgamesh is hit

The Epic Of Gilgamesh By William Shakespeare
Mesopotamia, 2700 B.C.: a place and time so ancient that it is difficult to imagine what it must
have been like to live there. One story, known as the world's oldest written tale, is The Epic of
Gilgamesh. This poem happens to be from that very time period in Mesopotamia and it clearly
exhibits the values and views of the people from that era. It achieves this through Gilgamesh's
behavior at the beginning of the tale, the way in which women are perceived, and the heavy role
played by the gods throughout the entirety of the epic.
The first way in which The Epic of Gilgamesh succeeds in portraying the ideals and principles of its
people is shown from the very start of the poem. At first, Gilgamesh is a king who definitely takes
advantage of his role in society. As stated within the epic, "No son is left with his father, for
Gilgamesh takes them all . . . his lust leaves no virgin to her lover, neither the warrior's daughter
nor the wife of the noble" (62). It was this behavior that resulted in the creation of his sidekick,
Enkidu, for the people of Gilgamesh's city of Uruk protested to the gods about his actions. The fact
that Uruk's citizens opposed what Gilgamesh was doing rather than simply accepting it shows that
the people from this time believed that kings should be fair and loyal to his subjects. This counters
other historical works in which kings are often shown to be overpowering and deceitful to their
people with no attempt at opposition. All in all, the way

Gilgamesh : The Epic Of Gilgamesh
The Epic of Gilgamesh is a Mesopotamian epic poem loosely based on a real king who ruled
sometime around 2700 BCE. The standard version of this epic was written in the Akkadian
language. In this epic poem, Gilgamesh is King of Uruk, he is one third mortal and two–thirds god;
he is described as a strong, arrogant, and unruly king that does not show much consideration for his
actions. Gilgamesh is a very egocentric person; he has no respect for the feelings of others and does
not care about how his actions affect the citizens of Uruk. The Gods notice the unruliness of
Gilgamesh and conjure up Enkidu to defeat Gilgamesh. Instead of becoming enemies, Enkidu and
Gilgamesh become friends, but their friendship is short lived when Enkidu dies, which leaves
Gilgamesh to extremely grieve for the loss of his friend. In order to avoid death Gilgamesh seeks out
immortality from a man called Utanapishtam. Unfortunately Gilgamesh soon learns that he cannot
escape death because he finally comes to terms with his own mortality and discovers that death is
inevitable. The contrasting themes of love and friendship, fear of failure, inevitability of death, and
wisdom of experience that occur throughout the Epic of Gilgamesh show how man cannot escape his
own mortality no matter how hard he tries. The theme of love and friendship is a dominant theme
throughout the epic mainly because this epic follows the relationship between Gilgamesh and
Enkidu. Gilgamesh and Enkidu were meant for each

Essay The Epic of Gilgamesh
Justice is described as a concept of moral rightness based on ethics, rationality, law, natural law,
religion, fairness, or equity. The people of ancient Egypt and ancient Mesopotamia also believed
and relied on this concept. Rulers, if not fair and just, were often eliminated by their subjects or their
enemies. There were many great kings and pharaohs of the ancient age that were just to their
kingdoms, and these often went down in history. Yet, those kings and pharaohs who were blinded by
their own selfishness often became just as famous. Two men,Akhenaten of ancient Egypt and
Gilgamesh, king of Uruk, were such rulers. They were powerful and cunning individuals, yet they let
their own selfish nature ruin the ability to be a great...show more content...
(Gilgamesh 71)" Gilgamesh's grief for his friend was natural, but he shouldn't have abandoned
his people and his royal duties. As ruler, his people have to follow his decree, and need his support
to thrive. By forcing them to grief, and abandoning his position, he left them in a very vulnerable
position. His last and final abandonment of his people began with Gilgamesh's quest for
immortality. He was so upset and shocked by what occurred to Enkidu's body after death, that he
vowed he would never die. His selfishness has grown so far, that when he finds his cure for
mortality, he chooses to let an old man test the plant in case it brings death instead. "I will bring it to
Uruk–Haven, and have an old man eat the plant to test it. The plant's name is "The Old Man
Becomes a Young Man." Then I will eat it and return to the condition of my youth. (Gilgamesh
106)" Gilgamesh was a powerful man with a lot of ambition, and potential. It was just ruined by his
selfish nature. He was, all–in–all, a famous and great ruler... but not a just one.
Akhenaten, a pharaoh of ancient Egypt, had big shoes to fill when he stepped up to the throne. His
father, Amenhotep III, had helped restore their country to its former glory by being a diplomat.
Amenhotep negotiated with bordering nations to provide stable political alliances, and trade routes.
Egypt,

The Epic Of Gilgamesh Essay

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The Epic Of Gilgamesh Essay