Gilgamesh And The Epic Of Gilgamesh

Gilgamesh And The Epic Of Gilgamesh
The maturation of Gilgamesh and his desire to acquire wisdom throughout his journey is quite
apparent. By overcoming difficulties such as upholding Uruk, becoming friends with Enkidu, and
various other scenarios, Gilgamesh proves that he did in fact grow up throughout the epic. As the
epic starts, Gilgamesh is portrayed as a self–centered, self–admiring leader who believes that he is
the only individual that can lead the city of Uruk. Gilgamesh believes that he is a god–like figure
and often refers to himself as one. He believes that he is above everyone else in the city of Uruk. For
example, in the epic there is a scene where Gilgamesh enters the city of Uruk, the epic describes the
scene as; "He entered the city of Uruk–the–Town–Square, and a crowd gathered around. He came to
a halt in the street of Uruk–the Town–Square, all gathered about, the people discussed him" (15).
This quote is a good example of how Gilgamesh expected those around him to respect and look up
to him as a god–like figure. He did not lead the city of Uruk humbly; he wasn't a leader who strived
to feel like a normal citizen of the city. Instead, Gilgamesh felt that he was entitled to more
privileges than the average person. Early on in the epic, Gilgamesh is described as a "tall,
magnificent and terrible, who opened passes in the mountains, who dug wells on the slopes of the
uplands, and crosses the ocean, the wide sea to the sunrise" (2). This demonstrates how selfish
Gilgamesh truly was, and how all
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Gilgamesh Transformation
The Transformation of Gilgamesh The hero Gilgamesh begins the epic as a king that abuses his
power. Now, he was physically attractive and extremely wise, more godlike in body and mind than a
normal man. Furthermore, Gilgamesh was immensely strong. However, he was an oppressor to his
people and a rapist. For instance, the old men said, "Neither the father's son nor the wife of the noble
is safe in Uruk; neither the mother's daughter nor the warrior's bride is safe" (Ferry, 5). Basically,
Gilgamesh was a man driven by his every whim and desire. If he wanted it, he took it. In response to
the people's pleas, Aruru created the wild man, Enkidu.
Enkidu was designed to balance Gilgamesh's irrepressible urges and furry. Aruru molded Enkidu
with the people's words in mind, "You made this man. Now create another. Create his double and let
the two contend let stormy heart content with stormy heart that peace may come to Uruk once
again" ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
For instance, Gilgamesh says, "But now I see that you are Utnapishtim, made like me" (Ferry, 65).
Nary a time in Gilgamesh's life had he ever considered someone to be one and the same. Notably,
Gilgamesh's initial reflex was to battle Utnapishtim, but throughout his journey, his transformation
has brought him to new realizations about himself, and those around him. Utnapishtim gave
Gilgamesh a test. Utnapishtim stated, "Let there be now a test of Gilgamesh. Let him but keep
himself awake for a week, six nights and seven days, to show his worth" (Ferry, 76). Truly,
Gilgamesh had never been challenged in such a way, and for him to have failed was inconceivable
in the mind of Gilgamesh. Yet he did fail. After receiving the secret of immortality, Gilgamesh
decides to share the plant rather than keep it for himself. After losing the plant to the snake,
Gilgamesh ultimately accepts his fate of mortality. He declares his legacy be the city of

The Gilgamesh Of The Epic Of Gilgamesh
The Epic of Gilgamesh consist of narratives in tablets that effectively forwards the ideology of
kingship in Mesopotamia through a compilation of themes. Gilgamesh outward appearance was
magnificent, but inwardly he was a relentless tyrannical king. The epic makes it clear that he was
beautiful, strong, and wise collectively these facts intertwine with him being one–third god and two–
third human. Oddly, Gilgamesh never effectively utilized his assets for the betterment of his people;
rather he used it for his own wishes. Despite, his abusive kingship, there was always an overarching
restorer of balance overtly seen through the themes of love, immortality, religion, gods' wrath, and
womanly intervention. Ultimately, kings in Mesopotamia had absolute power, but once it was
abused, the gods intervened to restore order. The narratives, tablet by tablet, served to critique the
perception of kingship. King Gilgamesh, ruler of Uruk, was as petrifying as one could imagine; in
modern terms he would be labeled a terrorist. Yes, in some respects he fulfilled his role as king; he
built the great infrastructure of Uruk for his citizens, but that in it of itself was not sufficient because
his evils overweighed his good doings. He exploited women for sexual gratification, he killed sons,
he sacrificed warriors, and he essentially did what he wanted when he wanted with absolutely no
consideration of the people he reigned over. The citizens were helpless, they sought refuge to a
source

Enkindu Vs Gilgamesh
The renowned work, The Epic of Gilgamesh is the one the earliest pieces of literature recorded.
Originating from ancient Mesopotamia, The Epic of Gilgamesh has captivated audiences due to its
riveting tale of King Gilgamesh. During his journey for immortality and glory, Gilgamesh
encounters Enkidu, the half–man half–beast. The gods create Enkindu as an imitation of Gilgamesh,
with the purpose of countering Gilgamesh. Both dynamic characters Enkindu and Gilgamesh share
similar characteristics; however, they also have their differences. In the beginning of The Epic of
Gilgamesh, King Gilgamesh is characterized as being "uncannily perfect" and being the offspring of
the goddess, Ninsun (38). It is written that, "two–thirds of him was divine, and one–third of him was
human" (39). Despite his flawless appearance and ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
I will speak out boldly" (42). Enknidu's desire to save the people from Gilgamesh displays his
characteristics of honor and humility. This differs from Gilgamesh's narcissism and recklessness.
After Gilgamesh and Enkindu wrestle in their first encounter, they befriend each other. Both
Enkindu and Gilgamesh ability to form a friendship between each other, displays both characters
having respect and sensitivity. It seems Enkindu's companionship is humbling Gilgamesh.
Gilgamesh requests Enkindu join him on a quest to defeat the evil creature Humbaba. Gilgamesh's
mission to destroy Humbabba displays his boastfulness and courage. Weary at first, Enkindu says to
Gilgamesh, "The haunt of Humbaba is a hopeless quest" (48). Eventually Enkindu dreams and tells
Gilgamesh, "We will catch Humbaba and kill him / Then we will throw down his corpse on the field
of battle" (54). Enkindu's decision to join Gilgamesh displays his support and loyalty to Gilgamesh.
Also it shows that both Enkindu and Gilgamesh share immense

The Transformation of Gilgamesh Depicted in The Epic of...
Gilgamesh struggled to establish moral principle. His personality at first was an arrogant, self–
centered tyrant ; he was described by Enkidu "His teeth are dragon's fangs, his countenance is like a
lion his charge is the rushing of the flood..." (pg. 16 line 3–6). But towards the end of this epic
narrative Gilgamesh switched over to a more humble and sincere person. This adjustment in
Gilgamesh's behavior shows his modesty and the morality throughout the story.
At first, Gilgamesh was seen as an oppressor to his people. He was known to be among the best of
creation; as stated in the prolouge "When the gods created Gilgamesh they gave him a perfect
body...". This emphasizes his signification of his situation and makes him feel better ... Show more
content on Helpwriting.net ...
This king saw himself more superior to his people, and he was filled with pride.
His personality starts changing after he defeated Humbaba, who was causing havoc in the society.
After he kills him this changes the views of the people in his city and he becomes loved. He did a
great deed for his people, and he felt very gratifying about it. Although this played a role in his
personality shift, the turning point occurred after death of Enkidu. After his death Gilgamesh was
grieving intensly, by this the reader can infer that he is humbling himself.
Gilgamesh knew that Enkidu was just as magnificent as himself, so after his death When Gilgamesh
knew death was around the corner he did not enjoy worldly pleasures, thus making him more god
fearing.
Another interesting point is when Gilgamesh called upon god "O glorious Shamash, I have followed
the road you commanded but now if you send no succor how shall I escape?" (p.17 lines 33–
34).This exemplifies the fact that Gilgamesh needs divine help, Gilgamesh is not satisfied with his
own strength and abilities thus calls upon god in humility. The last occurance that proves
Gilgamesh's personality shift is when he decided to bring the plant back to Uruk. He wanted the old
men to eat it first so they can be rejuvenated, and then he would take part of it last. In conclusion,
Gilgamesh's personality and outlook on life changes completely throughout the story. It shows that
no matter how strong an epic

The Epic of Gilgamesh: The Ignorance of Gilgamesh
In The Epic of Gilgamesh, Gilgamesh's pursuit for immortality is marked by ignorance and selfish
desire. Desire and ignorance, as The Buddha–karita of Asvaghosha suggests, pollutes man's
judgment resulting in his inability to break the cycle of birth and death. At the core of Gilgamesh's
desire resides his inability to accept the inevitability of death, making his rationality behind the
pursuit of immortality ignorant and selfish. Implicitly, Gilgamesh's corrupt desire for immortality
conveys that Gilgamesh does not mature as a character. Enkido's arrival in The Epic of Gilgamesh
forces Gilgamesh to reconsider his immaturity. Gilgamesh is introduced as "tall, magnificent and
terrible" and as one "who crossed the ocean" (George i.37–40). ... Show more content on
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Again, reason dictates that if the elderly and wise recommend not traveling into the forest, he should
not. Prior to Enkido's introduction, Gilgamesh would have dismissed these words of wisdom as
attempts to declare his weaknesses. His experience confronting Enkido, however, force him to
evaluate his attempt to kill Humbaba leading him to fear the possibility of failure and the
consequences that come with failure. While Gilgamesh is simply attempting to kill Humbaba, this
journey subliminally represents Gilgamesh's early confrontation with mortality. For instance,
Gilgamesh dreams, "heaven cried aloud, while earth did rumble. The day grew still, darkness came
forth, there was a flash of lightning, fire broke out. The flames flared up, death rained down"
(George iv.99–106). His dream foreshadows Enkido's dreams of death and Enkido's death later in
the text, introducing the concept that mortality ends in death. Right before he kills Humbaba,
Humbaba states that he is not certain whether Enkido or Gilgamesh will die, but he is certain that
death will come. By foreshadowing death, Humbaba reminds Gilgamesh that he is one–third human
and therefore is doomed to the same fate as humans. Gilgamesh declines Ishtar's offer for marriage,
inevitably resulting in Enkido's death. He evaluates Ishtar's offer and concludes that the

Gilgamesh : The Epic Of Gilgamesh
In Tablet XI of Stephen Mitchell's written adaptation of the well–known myth, The Epic of
Gilgamesh, the main protagonist, Gilgamesh, has met Utnapishtim, the once mortal man turned
immortal by the gods. However, before delving into Tablet XI of Gilgamesh, it's important to
understand what has happened before, in Tablet X. In Tablet X, Gilgamesh has traveled with
Urshanabi across the Waters of Death to find Utnapishtim to figure out how to obtain eternal life as
Utnapishtim has. When Utnapishtim and Gilgamesh first meet, Gilgamesh explains how Enkidu
died and Gilgamesh was so overcome with grief that he stayed with Enkidu's body for a week,
hoping his sorrow could reanimate his friend. It isn't until a maggot crawls out of Enkidu's nose ...
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Utnapishtim hears the spoken words and began constructing the ship with many people to help him.
He repaid them in bulls, sheep, and alcohol and when the ship was built, he gave the people a feast
and they "feasted as though it were New Year's Day". When the storm was underway, the gods tore
through the land so viciously that when the Flood waters rose, even the gods were afraid and sought
refuge in Anu's palace. However, when they couldn't enter because the gates were close, they
"cowered like dogs". As the storm continues, the mother goddess, Aruru, cries out for her children
while the gods cry. After seven nights, the storm ceased and Utnapishtim cried out of happiness.
However, the ship was caught on a mountain for seven more nights. At the end of the second week,
Utnapishtim released a dove to find land, but the dove returned. Then, Utnapishtim set free a
sparrow, but the sparrow returned. Lastly, Utnapishtim released a raven and as it found a place to
land, it remained there and did not return to the ship. After the water had receded, Utnapishtim set
free the animals and offered a slaughtered sheep to the gods. When Aruru came to the offering
Utnapishtim had made, she

Gilgamesh
Adva Asraf
English 391–0500– Pamplin
January 14th, 2016
Essay #1
Epic heroism usually denotes to an individual of highest social class such as great kings or leaders.
Epic heroes are outstanding fighters, sometimes carrying some divine powers. To show his heroic
elements, the hero must confront some supernatural enemies, quests, war, or adversity. The Epic of
Gilgamesh depicts most of these characteristics of epic heroism. The description about his birth to
the journey and adventures in his life meets the characteristics of an epic hero. Although, at some
points, Gilgamesh engages in acts of selfishness and arrogance, I believe he achieves the
characteristics of an epic hero and portrays those characteristics throughout the epic. ... Show more
There is a certain aspect of epic heroism in his journey to the Utnapishtim and his journey to the
Underworld. His journey to across the water of deaths matches that described in most epic heroic
myths. For example, Gilgamesh travel in the mountains is similar to Odyssey's quest inside the land
of the dead.
Another characteristic of an epic hero is that they receive favor from gods or faces supernatural
enemies. Gilgamesh both receives the help of the sun god and faces the supernatural enemy sent by
Ishtar. Gilgamesh conflicts with the goddess of lovemaking after he rejects her advances for
marriage. Ishtar is most likely attracted to Gilgamesh because of divine characteristics, something
that makes him an epic hero. As seen in most historical literature such as Odyssey, only epic heroes
tend to experience an intimate or face–to–face relationship with the gods and goddesses.
In addition, an epic hero is expected to return home after completing his quest or adventure. The
epic hero returns with some treasure or various aspect of completeness. Gilgamesh quest was based
on finding his immortality. Instead, he succeeds to understand his divine powers and accepts his
mortality. After the quest, Gilgamesh changes his attitude and gets a heroic burial after his
death."...went through every hardship only to emerge a wise and excellent king worthy of his own
epic"

"The Epic of Gilgamesh" is a didactic story set out to expose the inevitability of death. The true
meaning of this story is sometimes overlooked because the story is told in heighten language not
easily understood. The epic hero in this story is Gilgamesh; he undertakes a quest for knowledge
which is overshadowed by his ignorance. The tragic death of Enkidu, Gilgamesh's trusted
companion forces the epic hero to change his perception of death. To overcome great obstacles one
must be willing to put their ignorance aside. Tzvi Abusch's analyzes "The Epic of Gilgamesh" in his
article "The development and meaning of the Epic of Gilgamesh". Abusch's explication of
Gilgamesh's identity, friendship, achievements and ignorance towards death lacks substance. Abusch
perceives Gilgamesh to be a man, hero, king and god who acts in a manner that accords limits and
responsibility imposed upon him by his society. Abusch illustrates that: "Gilgamesh is aggressive
and courageous, even impetuous, and he shows little or no concern for his own safety and focuses
all of his energy upon battle, obligation, honor, and victory" (3). The author explains that even with
the greatest power and achievements there is no humanly possible power that is able to withstand
death. Abusch's analysis talks about Gilgamesh coming to terms with his nature and learns about
death. The main conflict in the article is between Gilgamesh being an epic hero and his ability to
obtain moral growth. Gilgamesh exists in

Gilgamesh, The Epic Of Gilgamesh
In The Epic of Gilgamesh, Gilgamesh has to go through a series of hardship to obtain immortality.
Gilgamesh's determination to find immortality is impacted by the death of his best companion,
Enkidu. At the end of Gilgamesh's quest, he learns the destined fate of mortals (which is...?).
Gilgamesh's character development is shown throughout the story; he changes from an invincible,
fearless king to a king who has accept his mortality and sees his own limitations. Although the quest
of Gilgamesh seems to focus on gaining immortality, it works as a bridge to help Gilgamesh accept
his mortality and to understand that immortality is not achieved by the length of life, but by the
stories that's pass on. In the beginning (beginning of what? the epic? the quest?), Gilgamesh seeks
immortality because he wants to live forever. After Gilgamesh witnesses the death of Enkidu,
Gilgamesh becomes afraid of death himself. many direct parallels are shown throughout the story to
justify the reasoning behind Gilgamesh's fear of death. Enkidu often acts as an equal companion of
Gilgamesh; Gilgamesh is born with a mixture of human and divine, while Enkidu is a mixture of
human and wild beast. Although there is a difference in their status, their ability and strength are still
the same. Gilgamesh is "perfect in strength" (Tablet I, Line 36) and Enkidu is "the mightiest in the
land" (I,117). When Gilgamesh sees someone, who has been through every hardship with him and is
equal in strength, grasp

The Epic Of Gilgamesh : Gilgamesh
Gilgamesh in 2015 Even though the epic Gilgamesh is thousands of years old, it is still read today.
Why would the era of technology read an epic this old? This is because the themes in Gilgamesh are
still relevant. In addition, the themes are experiences that Gilgamesh went through in his life period,
and serve as lessons for the current readers. Gilgamesh's themes include journey, legacy, love, and
death. These themes make Gilgamesh a vital reading for the 21st century citizens because people
today still experience journeys, legacy, love, and death just like Gilgamesh did thousands of years
ago. Everyone goes through journeys in life. Yet, some people are in different journeys from ours.
Many people go through distinct journeys to discover who they are. Gilgamesh seemed lost in life at
the beginning of the epic. He was a terrible king, always bullying his people. When Enkidu came
into his life, Gilgamesh changed into an ideal king. However, it was not just Enkidu that changed
him, but the journeys they both went through. They went on almost impossible challenges. First,
they went into Cedar Forest to slay Humbaba, the beast and cut down the tallest cedar tree. Second,
they killed the Bull of Heaven that Ishtar, the godess of love and war, unleashed. Lastly, Gilgamesh
goes alone on a journey to find immortality, which he fails to do. By the end of all the journeys,
Gilgamesh becomes a wise, devoted, and heroic king. Like Gilgamesh, some challenges are won
and others are

The Transformation of Gilgamesh in the Epic of Gilgamesh
The Transformation of Gilgamesh in the Epic of Gilgamesh
In "The Epic of Gilgamesh" by we see significant transitions in the hero's character as the story is
developed. In this narrative poem, we get a glimpse of who he is and what his purposes and goals
are. We see Gilgamesh act in many different ways. As an overbearing ruler resented by his people, a
courageous and strong fighter, a deflated, depressed man, and finally as a man who seems content
with what he's accomplished. Through all of these transitions, we see Gilgamesh's attitude toward
life change. The goals he has for his own life alter dramatically, and it is in these goals that we see
Gilgamesh's transition from being a shallow, ruthless ruler to being an introspective, content man.
The epic begins with the men of Uruk describing Gilgamesh as an overly aggressive ruler.
"'Gilgamesh leaves no son to his father; day and night his outrageousness continues unrestrained;
And he is the shepherd of Uruk, the enclosure; He is their shepherd, and yet he oppresses them.
Strong, handsome, and wise. . . Gilgamesh leaves no virgin to her lover.'"(p.18, Line 23–27) The
citizens respect him, but they resent his sexual and physical aggression, so they plead to the gods to
alleviate some of their burden. The gods resolve to create an equal for Gilgamesh to tame him and
keep him in line. This equal, Enkidu, has an immediate impact on Gilgamesh. When they first meet,
both having never before met a man equal in stature,

Compare Gilgamesh And Oedipus
To a naked eye, comparing the two epics of Gilgamesh and Oedipus may seems to be a difficult
task. Especially considering they're derived from separate civilizations. At a glance it may seem like
the only thing these two have in common with one another is the fact they were kings. However,
when you take a closer look at these characters you notice something about the two; they're are both
suffering servants. Oedipus and Gilgamesh qualify as suffering servants due to the emotional
turmoil brought upon them by the gods for the purpose of mending their communities. The Epic of
Gilgamesh starts off very promising. We're introduced to the handsome, strong and wise ruler of
Uruk, Gilgamesh. He was godlike. Literally, he was composed of one third man and two thirds god.
However, he rules over his kingdom with an iron fist; raping women and oppressing his subjects.
From his own perspective he was living the life it didn't matter it came to the expense of others. At
least that was what he thought at the time. It all changed when he came in contact with his friend,
Enkidu. The God's heard the suffering of Gilgamesh's people, so in return they create Enkidu to
balance out Gilgamesh's character. Once the two come in contact, they were irrespirable. Gilgamesh
had a companion and formed an unspeakable friendship the wild man, but when Enkidu dies and
Gilgamesh loses his only true friend, his whole world falls apart. He is stricken with grief.
Wandering aimlessly around the forest sobbing

Gilgamesh Archetype
There are two different views of Gilgamesh: a hero and a criminal. In the eyes of the citizens of
Uruk, Gilgamesh was a criminal. They had a strong antipathy towards their King. Many people
wanted to take him to court and have him sentenced to life in prison. Gilgamesh caused lots of
trouble, which led to him being taken down from throne shortly after his journey from Mashu.
Gilgamesh has been caught killing animals for the fun of it, destroying the properties of others, and
acting as a selfish man who lacks care. An archetype is a typical example of a certain person or thing
in a society's culture. Gilgamesh is considered to be a criminal example of an archetype because of
his inconvenient ways of living. This is because Gilgamesh acts as

Essay on The Epic of Gilgamesh
In the ancient Mesopotamian world, the realm of civilization was viewed to be highly illustrious. At
the same time, this state of advancement of great antiquity was also an attribute of divinity. The
elements of civilization were intimately associated to the highly esteemed divine mediation. Despite
the prominent theology culture in The Epic of Gilgamesh, divine intervention is not the only
element that could transform the crude heroic figures into sagacious men. Strength and power are
definitely not the only possessions that could advance one in life even though they clearly
distinguish the heroes from ordinary men. It is rather, more significantly, the process of
internalization. No civilization emerges directly and independently – it is ... Show more content on
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Even though the King of Uruk is expected to be highly civilized, ironically he does not appear to be
so. Overwhelmed with ego, arrogance and complete misuse of power, Gilgamesh has condemned
civilization insofar his existence. He thwarts his humanity by emphasizing his strength and power in
order to be more successful, forsaking the well–being of his people. Hearing the laments and cries of
the people of Uruk, the gods then create Enkidu as a match for Gilgamesh. For Enkidu is a divine
creation, with "[a] virtue in him like the god of war Ninurta, long waved hair of the goddess of corn
Nisaba, and body of matted hair like the god of cattle Samuqan" (Sandars 63), one would have
expected him to be a lesson to Gilgamesh. However, the creation of Enkidu does not really answer
the people's grieving as an equal who can contend with Gilgamesh together and keep him busy from
all his iniquities (Sandars 62). Enkidu can never be Gilgamesh's match as he is created completely
human while Gilgamesh two third divine.
This strategy, in fact, works in a different manner whereby Enkidu teaches Gilgamesh the real
significance of being a human. This shows a fascinating twist as Gilgamesh's intention to "tame"
Enkidu by sending him a prostitute instead mirrors his taming by Enkidu. It is because Enkidu's
indulgence in sex with the prostitute "for six days and seven nights" that

The Epic of Gilgamesh Introduction The Epic of Gilgamesh is the story about Gilgamesh, the King
of Uruk and Enkidu, their friendship, how Enkidu dies, how Gilgamesh mourns the death of his
friend and finally he understands enlightened truth . Most of this story is narrated from Gilgamesh's
point of view. The story is set in Mesopotamia and the portrayal of Gilgamesh is ironical. He is
described as a king of immense vigor and strength who is not benevolent with his subjects. He
befriends Enkidu who is of equal valor. They embark on different conquests together after which
Enkidu gets dreams with message of his impending death . Enkidu subsequently dies with illness .
With the death of his friend Enkidu, Gilgamesh is shattered and also becomes obsessed with his own
life and so he embarks on a quest to find Utnapishtim, who is bestowed with immortality by the
Gods. He believes that he would get eternal life from Utnapishtim, who had received eternal life
from the Gods . The story's theme throughout is related to how man evolves through various
incidents in his life and finally realizes that immortality for a human lies in doing good work for
others but not in the conquest of death. The entire story revolves around how Gilgamesh, obsessed
by life yearns for eternal life and how it eludes him even though he undertakes dangerous quests to
find it . The thesis statement is that humans can attain immortality by the acts and deeds they
perform. Summary

Gilgamesh Motivation
The Epic of Gilgamesh is a poem that addresses the friendship between two main characters named
Enkidu and Gilgamesh. Throughout the story both of the demigods embark on long journeys with
each other to solidify the concepts of friendship, honor, mourning, and mortality. The tale expresses
the values as well as religion within the Mesopotamian culture through the underlying meanings and
composition within the poem. Motivations therefore then can be drawn from the epic in result to its
context and overall cultural influence on the content of the poem. In turn, relation of that motivation
can be applied to the medical field within modern times due to the contemplation of death and the
fear of death being clearly experienced in many people's lives ... Show more content on
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A man named Utnapishtim was heard of to be the only person who was capable of gaining
immortality. In his journey, Gilgamesh expressed fear of mortality for the first time in his life and as
a result to his mourning and fear his body became worn down throughout his expedition. When he
arrived to talk with Utnapishtim, he was told the story of how Utnapishtim gained his immortality in
the first place. Utnapishtim began to tell Gilgamesh about the story of the flood and how he gained
his immortality, but although Gilgamesh had an urgency to know the truth he fell asleep. Later when
Gilgamesh woke from his sleep he was sent on one last journey to discover a plant that could grant
him immortality. This plant was a secret of the gods and Gilgamesh gained a chance to obtain the
immortality that he desperately

Human Nature In Gilgamesh
In the Epic of Gilgamesh, Gilgamesh was mostly divine but shared minimal characteristics of a god.
Such characteristics were bold physical structures and the strength of a wild bull which he inherited
from his mother, Ninsun, the cow goddess. Everything else such as his characteristics, mentality,
and actions mirrors ours, humans which makes him more like us than a god. His actions portray the
burden of the flawed human nature that we all carry such as being aggressive, competitive, and
running away from our fears.
Initially, Gilgamesh was known as the tortuous, accomplished, and competitive king of Uruk who
drove people out of their sanity and sought trouble. He frequently held competitions to determine
the mightiest of all in ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
Furthermore, by agreeing to bet his life on the success of his quest, Gilgamesh reveals the desire for
being remembered by humans which are specified in the statement, "I must set my hand to cutting a
cedar tree, I must establish eternal fame" (II. 189–190). Being famous is not a necessity, but a want.
It's just the nature of human to not be satisfied with anything that we have. Something deep inside us
always desires for more. Gilgamesh was the king of Uruk, instead of creating the reputation of a
kind, considerate, generous king, he decided to slay a tremendous monster and tried to impress
others instead. It's the most common mistake that we humans always make. We tend to be so busy
impressing others and striving for their cheers with such frequency, that we forget to be ourselves
and think before we act.We often feel self–conscious and inferior to ourselves after we experience
failure, which we fail to tolerate. Impressing others and having the ought to be seen in a positive
perspective is what makes us compete against one another which might not always be morally right.
Sometimes it's better to be the best together rather than ruining relationships due to the consequence
of proving to the world that you're finessed. Gilgamesh harassing young girls and women of his
kingdom implies that it's also an aspect of the human nature to be aggressive and compel others to
do something for their favor. Although we are known to be the only

Enkidu And Gilgamesh
Often times' power comes in many forms strength is a kind of power. Since Gilgamesh has no match
in regards to strength that makes him superior. Superior meaning, the highest being that rules
overall. Gilgamesh meets someone who also has the same strength him. The person was Enkidu,
who was sent down from the gods. In the beginning of their friendship, both bumped heads a lot,
until they realized that they both had equal strength. Besides Enkidu it was no one else who had the
same strength as him. The two of them was like Batman and Robin, until Enkidu dies. "We
witnessed the transformation of Gilgamesh's heroic indifference to death...." said by Tzvi Abush. I
agree with this statement because The Death of Enkidu had a big impact on Gilgamesh and also his
power. The death of Enkidu made Gilgamesh open his eyes more. I guess you can say that
Gilgamesh humbled himself way more. Instead of being this Ideal hero to his community or city, he
decides opening up to being a normal person with some type of hierarchy. He became somebody
who can accept things for how they are. Enkidu and Gilgamesh relationship started off ... Show
more content on Helpwriting.net ...
In the beginning Gilgamesh was just a character still trying to find himself. Some people viewed
him as out of control, arrogant and a warrior. But all in all, Gilgamesh was a special character.He,
Gilgamesh was a "man–god". It was believed that Gilgamesh was half human and also half god.
Beings though he was a man–god, he was seen differently, he was also treated in a way like no
other.Gilgamesh, was held with way much more respect. He received and had a type of power,
nobody could've compared and competed with. Not only did Gilgamesh have a certain type of
power different from others, most people looked at him as a hero

The Epic Of Gilgamesh And Gilgamesh
In the Epic of Gilgamesh there are many notable relationships but the relationship between
Gilgamesh and Enkidu is hands down the most noteworthy. When analyzing the relationship of
Gilgamesh and Enkidu there are many factors that go into play. It is really the sole foundation of the
whole Sumerian epic and it really changes the whole personality of Gilgamesh. In order to get a
better understanding of how the two characters complement each other we have to first break down
their individual appearances and characteristics. After that is made clear then it is more appropriate
to begin to analyze their relationship which in time turns out to be a relationship for the ages.
Gilgamesh like many other mythological heroes was fortunate enough to be made up of two parts,
part man and part god. Of all of the men in his land he was the greatest and before he met Enkidu he
used that to his advantage in both positive and negative ways. He was the most ferocious warrior
and the most creative architect they had ever seen. Before the arrival of his better half, Gilgamesh
used to force hard labor upon his people, rape his women, and selfishly indulge his appetite. With
that being said you can pretty see with a clear eye view that before Enkidu's arrival, Gilgamesh was
not that easy to like. Enkidu on the other hand is described as being a hairy chested and brawny
man. He was made from clay by Aruru, who is the goddess of creation. He was indeed created to
take away all of the arrogance

Gilgamesh Essay
Topical Essay 1
The story of "Gilgamesh" depicts all of the heroic triumphs and heart–breaking pitfalls a heroic
narrative should depict to be able to relate to today's audience. However, "Gilgamesh" was once
considered a lost and forgotten piece of literature for thousands of years, so there is a tremendous
gap between the time it was created and the time it was translated into language that today's
audience can understand. That gap in history makes several aspects of the story of "Gilgamesh"
strange and unfamiliar because what we now know about ancient Middle Eastern cultures and
languages is a lot less than what we know about the cultures that prospered after ancient Middle
Eastern cultures. Much of the content in the story of ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
However, the prostitute was depicted as a nurturer and a symbol of pleasure. The prostitute seduced
Enkidu and taught him how to function properly in human society. The prostitute also played a
major role in Enkidu and Gilgamesh becoming friends because she led Enkidu to Uruk, which was
the place Gilgamesh ruled. The way the story of "Gilgamesh" ended was a bit strange to me as well
because typical heroic narratives end in heroism and triumph. In the story of "Gilgamesh"
Gilgamesh doesn't reach his goal of attaining eternal life at the end, instead he fails miserably and
meets the inevitable fate of death. I expected him to overcome the tremendous odds that were
stacked against him and victoriously become immortal. Today's audience is used to the hero
overcoming what most consider impossible at the end of a story. Although I found the story of
"Gilgamesh" to be somewhat strange it contained several familiar elements that are prevalent in
many heroic tales from the past and present. One familiar element was what some people refer to as
the "under–dog" factor. Gilgamesh and Enkidu embarked upon the most grueling and epic journey
of their lives just to find the vicious giant named Humbaba. The way that Humbaba was described in
the story made you feel like there is no way possible he can be defeated. This makes the audience
want to side with the lesser opponents because you can relate

Gilgamesh And Death
Death is a very large theme in the "The Epic of Gilgamesh." Being that this epic largely represented
the Sumerian and Mesopotamians idea I believe the feeling of Gilgamesh himself on death and it 's
aftermath would be very much the same for most of the society in the time that it was written.
Gilgamesh was largely afraid of dying and did everything he could to avoid this inevitable fate.
The first major sign we have of Gilgamesh 's fear of dying comes when his friend Enkidu dies. At
first Gilgamesh cannot even accept his death, he does not even bury the body until maggots start to
appear in Enkidu. Eventually, he realizes that he too must face death one day. This fear is clearly
indicated when Gilgamesh states "I am afraid of death" ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
Gilgamesh attained this plant only to have it stolen by a serpent while Gilgamesh rested and bathed
in a Welcoming Pool.
Gilgamesh then gave up on his work to try to defeat death and despite his long hard journey, returns
to Uruk no closer to immortality than he left. His fear of ending up dead like his friend Enkidu has
finally become an inevitable reality and he has the ferrymen

In The Epic of Gilgamesh a young man meets and befriends a wild man named Enkidu. Enkidu,
once a man who lived among animals, became civilized after having sex with a female. From this
point on Gilgamesh and Enkidu's relationship start, but shortly into the novel Enkidu becomes sick
and dies. This is the start to Gilgamesh journey in attempting to avoid death by seeking immortality.
In his quest Gilgamesh meets several people all who assign different routes to the next person he
should speak to. Eventually he comes up and meets Urshanabi; the ferryman who then takes him to
Utnapishtim. Urshanabi explains to Gilgamesh how the Gods met up and decided to destroy
mankind through a flood. Also how Utnapishtim was informed of this and he built a huge wooden
boat where he would take the seed of many different species of animals. Utnapishtim does not
believe he is worthy of the gift so challenges him to a task where Gilgamesh must stay awake for
days, he fails the challenge. Instead Utnapishtim advises Gilgamesh to retrieve a plant on the bottom
of the ocean that will restore youth to anyone who eats it. When Gilgamesh goes back home he
showers and in the midst of it a snake eats the flowers he returns to the city empty handed but full of
wisdom. His journey has taught him that although he cannot live forever the human species will
remain to live as an immortal species as long as they reproduce. Some aspects of this story is very
much similar to the bible and Noah 's ark in which

Gilgamesh 's Epic Of Gilgamesh
The story of Epic of Gilgamesh deals with different behaviors in Gilgamesh. Throughout the story
Gilgamesh behavior changes, he is portrayed as overbearing ruler, as a courageous and strong
fighter to his peoples, and finally as a man who seems content with what he 's accomplished.
Through all of these transitions, we see Gilgamesh 's attitude toward life change. The goals he has
for his own life alter dramatically, and it is in these goals that we see Gilgamesh 's transition from
being a shallow, ruthless ruler to being an introspective, content man.
In the beginning of the story Gilgamesh is described to be an overly aggressive ruler. People respect
him, but they dislike Gilgamesh sexual and physical aggression, so they called to the gods to lighten
their burden with Gilgamesh. The gods created an equal to have control over him and to also keep
him in line, so they send Enkidu. Enkidu has an immediate impact on Gilgamesh, these two never
met before. And they both did not hit it off right with each other. They basically had a brawl with
each other. The gods gave Gilgamesh a real battle to deal with, Enkidu instantly changes Gilgamesh
behaviors throughout the story; Gilgamesh and Enkidu fighting with each other creates a serious
mess, but they both end up without animosity toward the other. In having this equal this gives
Gilgamesh to learn to have respect for him and another man around him. Gilgamesh and Enkidu
behavior with each other is how human in today society act,

Analysis Of ' The Epic Of Gilgamesh '
In the very beginning in The Epic of Gilgamesh, Gilgamesh is a bully king who frightens and
annoys the people of Uruk. After the gathering with Enkidu and becoming his friend does
Gilgamesh transform, into a hero worthy of history. The brotherly or "bromantic" ( considering the
questionable relationship they have) love the two have for each other helps Gilgamesh become an
better leader to his people by permitting him to better understand and identify with them. Even
though the myth of Gilgamesh is very ancient, friendship and death still have a contemporary
significances as well as contemporary societal taboo that we as a society can't comprehend and that
involves their friendship that is often questionable by some. Considering the theme ... Show more
This was a new chapter of a great friendship, Gilgamesh began to amend his self–centered ways.
Nevertheless, he shared with Enkidu the luxuries of kindness. Setting aside his great pride and
power, Gilgamesh had opened a place in his heart, and in his extravagant life, for his beloved
brother.
In addition, friendship exhibited the reasons of Gilgamesh's grief and why he tried to do the
impossible just so his friend, Enkidu, could resurrect to life. It also showed how loyal friends could
be to each other. Enkidu only knew the animals while Gilgamesh, who did know about humans, was
an arrogant king that had never treated anyone with equal rights. Both men knew that their
friendship would work out when the goddess Ninsun, said, "It will be a person, she continued
speaking in her somber monotone, a companion who is your equal. In strength, a person loyal to a
friend, who will not forsake you and whom you will never wish to leave. Gilgamesh was quiet at
this interpretation of his dream" (p. 1). Ninsun was true, and the bond between Gilgamesh and
Enkidu was one of great loyalty and trust.
Similarly, the development of friendship between Gilgamesh and Enkidu was very shocking. As
soon as they met each other, they began to fight. This occurrence would have steered people to think
that their companionship would not have evolved and that they would be enemies. As the story
progresses, we learn that this is demonstrated incorrectly by their

Immortality In Gilgamesh
The epic of Gilgamesh tells a story about a half human half god man searching for life answers.It
highlights the basic of human nature, human fears, desires, and needs. The main character
Gilgamesh has these characteristics of humankind with intense strength and the position of power
from his god like background. The first thing the audience learns from the story is that Gilgamesh
builds protective walls around the city, a great gift to his society. When the audience next learns that
the king has been abusive to the young men of the city and has deflowered young maidens, their
disapproval of these acts is tempered by their initial approval of his great accomplishment. Overall,
the early portions of the story demonstrate that the abiding criterion ... Show more content on
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In tablet I the reader does not know what Gilgamesh"s purpose is, but they are lead to understand his
search is external. The reader learns of Enkidu's creation, but does not know yet his real purpose.
The first time the reader learns that Gilgamesh seeks his immortality externally, is when he tells his
mother of his dream, 'A star fell from the heavens, a meteorite, and lay on the empty plain outside
Uruk.This dream is about Enkidu's creation. The implication of this quote is subtle, but visible; it
occurs when he says that the meteorite is on the plain, outside Uruk.'"' Thus his '"'outside'"' or
external quest

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 on Helpwriting.net ...
"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

Gilgamesh 's Death Of Gilgamesh
In Tablet XI, Gilgamesh's mourning over Enkidu's death exhibits Gilgamesh's discontent and anger
towards his weakness and frailty as a human, but he discovers another route to acquire immortality
at the end. Gilgamesh travels to seek the answer to immortality from Utanapishtim, but Gilgamesh
is too weak to withstand the test of becoming immortal. Gilgamesh is an arrogant king, and
worshiping gods was prevalent during his lifetime. Although Gilgamesh is two–thirds god, the one–
third god of him will result in Gilgamesh dying from human delicacy. Following Enkidu's death,
Gilgamesh travels in search of the puzzling answer to immortality. He battles with the realization
that he will one day suffer death, like Enkidu. During this time, it was believed that when people die
their spirits go to an awful place. Death is not seen as peaceful. This could be why Gilgamesh
presented feelings of extreme discontent with the realization that he is not immortal. As Gilgamesh
approaches Utanapishtim, Gilgamesh expects to see a man that is godly and strong. Gilgamesh
realizes that Utanapishtim seems normal and frail like him. Gilgamesh was perplexed to realize that
Utanapishtim was granted immortality because there was nothing unique about him that Gilgamesh
could see.
Because Gilgamesh is distraught over the realization that he will die one day, he inquires
Unanapishtim to reveal the secret of how he received the gift of immortality. Utanapishtim narrates
the story of the flood, and how he

One of the most fascinating pieces of literature, The Epic of Gilgamesh, deals with and explores
many of the problems humans have wrestled with for thousands of years. Even though the text does
not explicitly answer any of the questions it poses, it gives clues that point to the answers. One of
these questions, the dilemma of whether to act based solely on a person's intuition or act based on
reason and advice, occurs regularly in the text. Throughout The Epic of Gilgamesh, characters have
success and failure when they act based on either their intuition or using reason, but the epic clearly
points out, through examples, that acting based on reason instead of intuition constitutes more
success in all facets of life. The short epic revolves around the namesake character Gilgamesh, who
regularly acts impulsively using his intuition and instincts without heeding the advice and wisdom
of others. The adventures and downfalls of Gilgamesh illustrate why using reason matters so much.
Gilgamesh's propensity for rashness can be seen early on in the epic when he meets Enkidu and
immediately decides to go after the monster Humbaba. Once he decides to go, nothing can persuade
him otherwise (Gilgamesh 109–110). Even when Enkidu, who lived in the area where the monster
guards, tells Gilgamesh "The haunt of Humbaba is a hopeless quest (110)," Gilgamesh remains
steadfast in completing his conquest of the monster. When the elders hear about their king's plan
they sternly tell him: You are

Essay On Gilgamesh
There is debate to whether or not the 12th tablet of the Epic of Gilgamesh belongs to the original
story. Gilgamesh showcases many tropes that we see in classic epics and novels of heros. He was a
man without fear, without a challenge, and at the beginning of the story he is painted out to be more
of a villain than a hero. This was do to his unrest, he need someone who could challenge him; this
would allow him to go down the path path of a hero. Enkidu was created by the gods to challenge
Gilgamesh and push him. I feel after he meets Enkidu, he starts to consider his fame more and
channels his gifts towards accomplishing feats instead terrorizing his people. Although, this
development happens later in his life I feel Gilgamesh holds higher ... Show more content on
Helpwriting.net ...
In Tablet 7 (60–62) they talk about the underworld as Enkidu is passing into the afterlife. Despite
that the text doesn't really strike fear into the reader about the underworld. He is turned into a dove
and is taken to a house where the gods of the the underworld and afterlife reside. Fame is glorified
more in the first 11 tablets. So if it was presented the way it was in the 12th tablet it would take
away from that aspect. If I tell you what I saw of the ways of the Netherworld, O sit you down and
weep!' (194). This line alone depicts the differences in viewpoints in the first 11 tablets when
compared to the 12th tablet. Its depicting the netherworld as a hellish place and brings to question is
fame worth it. Enkidu tells Gilgamesh of the people he saw; the man who battle, the one who is left
to rot in the fields. Enkidu states that the first man his love ones weep and the second man has found
no rest in the netherworld (195). This tablet tackles what happens to these men of honor and fame
and shows that regardless of what you do in the the human world, the netherworld is ruthless to all. I
begs the question is eternal glory and fame worth it in

Gilgamesh Downfall
An epic poem is a narrative poem that normally speaks about heroic acts and events that are
significant within a specific cultured. Many ancient writers used these epic poem to tell stories of
adventures and of courageous accomplishments. In the Epic of Gilgamesh, we learn about
Gilgamesh, a man who is two part God, and one part man. Though he is known as one of the fiercest
and most ambitious warriors, his flaws were a major downfall. Through his characteristics and the
historical background of Gilgamesh, we learn it's historical context and the importance of the two
main characters, how gods are portrayed and its historical occurrence, and lastly how the Sumerian
society functioned. The historical context within Gilgamesh begins when an ... Show more content
on Helpwriting.net ...
The Sumerians looked to their Gods in every aspect of their life. They're gods are powerful and
impede with the lives of the humans. They have human emotions and problems. An example of this
would be when Ishtar, the God of War and Love, tries to tempt Gilgamesh into having sex with him
and he refused. As a result, she was offended and proceeded to seek revenge on him. Though the
gods are powerful, they are a lot like the humans and in order for everything to work, the humans
and gods have to work together. In some ways, the humans and gods are even similar. For example,
they both share the common characteristic of fear. This was shown when the flood began and "even
the gods were terrified at the flood, they fled to the highest heaven...they crouched against walls,
cowering like curs" (Gilgamesh 110). This particular flood that occurred within The Epic of
Gilgamesh relates to the flood of Noah and the Ark. This flood occurs because Noah's god, Yahweh,
was enraged with the wickedness of humanity, therefore, sent a flood to destroy it. Though he sent
the flood out of anger, he showed Noah and his family grace by not allowing them to experience the
flood, thus, surviving. In the poem, Noah is best seen through Utnapishtim, a god Gilgamesh seeks
for immorality because of his fear of death. A similarity example within the two floods would be
that they both had a God destroy humans

The Epic Of Gilgamesh And Gilgamesh
A hero is a man of extraordinary ability and the courage to do things when others falter in the face of
adversity. The role each hero plays in society varies greatly depending on the time period and the
gods' intervention in their worlds. They often possess great strength or other noble abilities. In
Gilgamesh we see Enkidu and Gilgamesh blessed with incredible strength so much so that it gets
them into trouble. In The Iliad, there are many different heroes each with their own roles and
abilities. Some are warriors, others are cunning in nature, and some possess the brute strength that
spreads fear in the enemy. In each society, the role of the hero is to inspire those around them and
conquer lands or people that stand in their way. Enkidu and Gilgamesh are defined primarily by
their strength. They are fortified with bravery and willing to take on even the most impossible of
tasks. Gilgamesh decides to kill Humbaba, the guardian of the cedar trees. Enkidu tries to be the
voice of reason, but Gilgamesh convinces him death is nothing to fear. Later on Enkidu dies after
the gods intervene because of Gilgamesh and Enkidu's antics and this sends Gilgamesh into a panic,
not wanting to die himself. He seeks immortality of the flesh and goes through many trials to get a
hold of an immortal plant. His foolishness ultimately costs him his one chance at immortality but a
lot is learned. Gilgamesh returns to be the hero of Uruk, guarding the city. In The Iliad a couple of
the main

Epic of Gilgamesh
In the Epic of Gilgamesh, Gilgamesh became a hero and Enkidu helped Gilgamesh grow and
develop as a person, a leader, and a hero. Heroism is a major theme of this story. Gilgamesh also
overcame the obstacle of his best friend dying and persevering when he had no other choice but to
give up.
The Epic of Gilgamesh was a story about a leader named Gilgamesh. Gilgamesh ruled the city of
Uruk and along the way, he learned how to become a better leader. During this time, the gods create
Enkidu who is a mixture of man and animal. Enkidu and Gilgamesh are enemies when they first
meet, but then, as they work together, they become best friends. They decide to take on the task of
defeating Humbaba, who is a giant, and they bring back a tree from the great forest as a symbol of
their victory. Ishtar, the goddess of love, falls in love with Gilgamesh and Gilgamesh chides her for
her cruelty on her lovers. Ishtar sends the Bull of Heaven to destroy Uruk. Gilgamesh and Enkidu
defeat the Bull of Heaven in order to save the city of Uruk. The gods decide that Enkidu and
Gilgamesh should be punished for what they have done so they decide to kill Enkidu. After Enkidu
dies, Gilgamesh grieves for seven days. The death of Enkidu makes Gilgamesh depressed and he
desires immortality. Gilgamesh realizes that he will not be able to rule Uruk forever and since he is
two–thirds God and one–third man, he will have to face mortality as any human does. He also wants
to become immortal

The Epic Of Gilgamesh And Gilgamesh Essay
While the women in the Epic of Gilgamesh may not be the primary focus of the epic, which instead
recounts more of Gilgamesh's own trials and travails, they still play quite vital roles in their
interactions with both Enkidu and Gilgamesh. Women such as Shamhat, Ninsun, and Ishtar in The
Epic of Gilgamesh are often portrayed with a particular emphasis on their intrinsic connections to
civilization–and in the case of Shamhat and Ninsun, in terms of their motherly characteristics as
well–which serves as their primary influence over men. When taken into account with Gilgamesh's
overarching quest for immortality, this inherent connection that women have with civilization, and
particularly so through their roles as mothers of not just a single character, but in general of the
entire progeny of civilization itself, lends to the notion that women themselves are the very
progenitors of civilization who will ultimately uphold Gilgamesh's own quest for immortality. One
of the first women of particular importance and influence to appear in the epic is Shamhat the harlot.
Shamhat is initially introduced to the wild man Enkidu as a means to tame him, as "[her allure is a
match] for even the mighty" (The Epic of Gilgamesh, Tablet I.141). This characterization of
Shamhat, with a particular emphasis on the power of her allure and sexuality, puts forth the
preliminary notion that the primary source of a woman's power and influence stems from her
sexuality. Moreover, Enkidu's acceptance of

Gilgamesh a Hero
The story of Gilgamesh, the King of Uruk who is two thirds god and one third human, is a
interesting and intriguing piece of literature. The story tells of Gilgameshs' strength, bravery,
intelligence, looks, and loyalty making him a true model hero. It says that Gilgamesh was (pg.13),
"given a perfect body and endowed with beauty and courage and his beauty surpassed all others."
Throughout the story he is constantly going into battle and going on long adventures to find answers
that will better his city. He is also respectful to those he meets along his journeys and asks God for
strength during his battles. Gilgamesh is a religious character that posseses super human strength,
bravery, selflessness, and intelligence making him a model ... Show more content on
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Gilgamesh knows this to be true because he tells his friend Enkidu before the battle that all the glory
will be theirs if they are to defeat this mighty foe. Another example of Gilgamesh's wisdom as an
intelligent leader is how he looks to others that are older and more experienced for advice
throughout the entire story. All the way through the story Gilgamesh looks up to his mother for
counseling and advice as to what he is suppose to do in different areas of his life. A leader who is
consistently seeking advice and wisdom from those who are older and more seasoned truly makes
that person an intelligent leader, and that is exactly what Gilgamesh does. Gilgamesh, being a
religious man, knows that he could not have accomplished the things that he did on his own.
Consistently he is giving thanks to other people or to the gods for his many feats. After Gilgamesh
had slain the bull from heaven he was quick to honor and give thanks to his god Shamash. "They
butchered and bled the bull and then cut out it's heart to offer as a sacrifice before Shamash. Then
Gilgamesh and Enkidu retreated from the altar itself and stood afar in deep respect as they did pray."
(pg. 27) And even before he fights the bull Gilgamesh looks to Enkidu and says, "Be unrelenting
and hope that God gives us the strength." (pg. 26) Both of these quotes demonstrate that Gilgamesh
knew that he could not kill the beast Humbaba on his own, and that he respects his god and knew
that

The Epic Of Gilgamesh
At some point in each of our lives, we've all wanted to be the hero, and some of us reigned to be
lucky and actually got the chance to be this almighty hero. Gilgamesh, two–thirds god and one–third
man, was one of the few lucky ones to prevail "lucky", he lived a life where he had great power over
people and great strength. In this paper you will read a summary of the story "The Epic of
Gilgamesh" written by N. K. Sanders. Gilgamesh meets people along the way of his life, and loses
some, there are epic battles and journeys. Gilgamesh, a god–like hero, met his lifelong companion,
Enkidu, during his time being the king of Uruk. During this time it was strongly believed that there
were multiple gods and that they had all of the power on Earth. ... Show more content on
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The reason for this is, he had a strong bond with Enkidu and, it seems, he would've done anything
for him. When I'm around my family, or my friends, I feel the same way, like I need to be there for
them, even when they're sick. Another way I relate to him is, he is very wise, yet he makes some
decisions that shouldn't be made. I also do this, like every other person I know, and I also learned
from those mistakes. The only way that I can relate to Enkidu is, for that he can see past his issues,
like he did with Gilgamesh, and be mature about it. Overall, the story of Gilgamesh, isn't just some
story. In conclusion, The Epic of Gilgamesh is a story of a god–like hero, Gilgamesh. He had many
adventures, and shared most of them along side his "brother", Enkidu. He loses one of his loved
ones during his life, and gets back on his feet to go on another quest, searching for an immortal life.
He learns about a story similar to that of one told in the bible. He learned valuable life lessons.
Overall, The Epic of Gilgamesh, was quite an epic

Gilgamesh is a Failure in the Epic of Gilgamesh Essay
After reading The Epic of Gilgamesh, I have come to realize that Gilgamesh is not a hero, but a
failure. His journey does not follow the traditional circular hero's journey and he does not posses the
traits that an admirable hero should have. The first part of the hero's journey is the call to adventure.
This is the voyage that the hero is asked to go on in order to accomplish greater good for human
kind. This is the hero's chance to help his or her community, family or friends by embarking on a
long journey and challenging his, or herself. Gilgamesh does not go on a journey to help others, he
goes to make himself look better. " I have not established my name stamped on bricks as my destiny
decreed, therefore I will go to the country ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
Gilgamesh just kills Humbaba to look stronger even though Humbaba is not doing any harm to
anyone. Gilgamesh also kills the bull that belonged to Istar. When he kills the bull, he disrespecting
the Gods by destroying their property. Another reason why these trials to not make Gilgamesh a
hero is because they are not difficult for him. He is hardly struggling to complete them and being
constantly challenged is part of beings a hero. Gilgamesh's mentor is Inkidu. The hero is supposed to
respect the mentor while Gilgamesh indirectly kills his. When Inkidu and Gilgamesh kill Humbaba
the Gods kill Inkidu as a punishment. Not only did Gilgamesh hurt the Gods, but he also let his
mentor die for his mistakes. After undergoing the trails, the hero moves on to the abyss. The abyss is
the darkest point for a hero in the hero's journey. For Gilgamesh the abyss is when Inkidu dies.
Gilgamesh is completely at fault for his own abyss. He is upset when he is actually the one who
caused the problem. After the abyss, the hero is raised back up again and moves on to the return. In
the return, the hero is praised for the good that he, or she, has brought to the people. Gilgamesh is
only praised because he is a king and the people have to respect the king. They can't respect him for
his journey because he doesn't bring anything back for the people, he only brings something back
for himself. The other reason

The Epic Of Gilgamesh By Gilgamesh
The Epic of Gilgamesh portrays Enkidu's mortality as a step to portraying his purpose of life. was
his hubris to the continuation of his life in the Netherworld. Out of clay, Aruru created not a man,
but a being that matched the strength and resilience of the King of Uruk, Gilgamesh (George 2003:
5). His principle of life, to ultimately change the ways of the tyrannical king, which was achieved
easily through a test of strength (George 2003: 10). Simply, "They kissed each other and formed a
friendship." (George 2003: 17) before joining strength to defeat the ogre Humbaba. For the test
against the protector of the Cedar Forest, Enkidu proves the power of betrayal by helping
Gilgamesh, his metaphorical brother, kill his old friend Humbaba to assist in the welfare of Uruk
(Al–rawi/George). Large planks of cedar were sailed back leagues to Uruk with the head of
Humbaba on them, illustrating how vigor can be taken away so effortlessly. Similarly, after
Gilgamesh angers the Goddess Ishtar, the intellect of Enkidu allowed the thousands of citizens and
the destroyed land to be compensated with the murder of the Bull of Heaven (George 2003: 52).
However, his purpose in life to was assist Gilgamesh into becoming a better king, not kill the
protectors of the gods, therefore he was rewarded with mortal emotions and eventually death. In one
of his visions, the gods give him a glimpse of the Netherworld, a blank society of true equality.
George depicts the view of it on page 61:
"He

Hammurabi And Gilgamesh
Resplendent Royalty Noble and just, kings from Before the Common Era, Hammurabi and
Gilgamesh vanquished evildoers from their lands, with influence forever shaping their respective
society– while being revered by friends and feared by foes. With legacy inscribed in cuneiform,
their legacy lives on to prosper, the impact of which is insurmountable. However, unlike The Code
of Hammurabi, The Epic of Gilgamesh "...was not written by one specific author but evolved
gradually..." (95). Nevertheless, Gilgamesh's core traits were not lost to the test of time, remaining a
"...powerful kind and an awe–inspiring warrior" (95). These two texts speak to the testaments of
what great men are made of and the how great societies are represented by equally great leaders.
Even though Hammurabi and Gilgamesh appear harsh in nature, they are virtuous and capable kings
– serving the greater purpose of the people they represent. Consequently, the mighty rule of these
kings brought about the perception of brutality. In The Code of Hammurabi for example, the penalty
"... [if a] merchant is then proved to be a thief ..." is that they "...shall be put to death" (The Code of
Hammurabi 6). Furthermore, thievery as a common man would require the value be returned many
times over again; if one was unable to do so, "...he shall be put to death." (6). Capital punishment
was not only applied to thievery, "...if a 'sister of god' open a tavern, or enter a tavern to drink, then
shall this woman be burned to death" (15).

Gilgamesh And The Epic Of Gilgamesh

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