An Analytical Essay: The Epic Of Gilgamesh

(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.

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.

Gilgamesh was a very intelligent leader. He shows throughout the entire epic a sense of foresight that keeps him safe and his city powerful. It is known, that a good leader must prove that he is powerful, and that he can defend his people in the best way possible. Gilgamesh knew that by fighting the terrible beast Humbaba he would prove to his people that he was strong and powerful and could out wit even the strongest beast. He tells Enkidu that, “All glory will be ours if now we conquer this unprecedented foe and risk the woe that frightens others.” He also shows foresight by respecting his mother’s wisdom when she told him that Enkidu was his true friend. Additionally, throughout the entire epic Gilgamesh looks to his mother, “who is wise and worries not,” for advice and counseling on things to do and the right paths to take in his life. Looking to those who are wise and more intelligent, is

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

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

At the beginning of the epic, before Enkidu is introduced, Gilgamesh is described by the narrator as godly and fit for Uruk’s throne by default. These descriptions are vital in order to interpret how the villagers feel and also to perceive just how mighty Enkidu has to be in order to rival Gilgamesh. “Supreme over other kings, lordly in appearance, /he is the hero, born of Uruk, the goring wild bull. /He walks out in front, the leader, /” (1. 27-29). The narrator speaks extremely fondly to emphasize just how mighty the main character is and that no other men in any of the nearby regions seem to come close when the level of their manliness is compared to that of Gilgamesh. The use of the words “Supreme” and “Lordly” indicate that in Gilgamesh’s point of view, he is doing an excellent job of reigning over his

In the beginning, Gilgamesh is a fantastic athlete and warrior. As one would expect from an individual who is two thirds god and one third man, his beauty, strength and courage surpassed all others. He built great walls for his city and temples for the gods. Gilgamesh's flaw, however, is that he is a poor king. He is known for

Gilgamesh was feared more than respected by his people for his selfish actions, they resorted to

The Epic of Gilgamesh is full of themes in which the force of love, fear of death, and power of the Gods are portrayed. The theme of death and the inevitability of it are not only just themes but are themes that reflect on who Gilgamesh is as a character. Death is an inevitable and inescapable fact of human life, in which Gilgamesh is determined to overcome by becoming immortal. Because Gilgamesh is known for his godly power, strength, and ambition the gods decided to counteract his arrogance with the creation of Enkidu…man of the wild. Enkidu was created to put Gilgamesh in his place, but with a kiss they began to call one another brother. Gilgamesh the beloved king of Uruk is bitter that only the gods can live forever which ultimately decides that he shall find a way to prove differently. With the help of Enkidu, Gilgamesh sets out on a quest for immortality. The theme of the inevitability of death is prominent as shown by his fear, experience, and acceptance. Gilgamesh’s fear of death is what ultimately makes him the king his is in the end of the poem.

Gilgamesh worked hard to achieve a great name for himself. He had companions, respect, confidence, and

The theme of love is evident from Gilgamesh’s and Enkidu’s friendship, and it portrays the idea that people change in good company. When Gilgamesh and Enkidu meet, their relationship is one of enemies; however, it quickly evolves to an intimate bond. From Enkidu’s influence, Gilgamesh’s persona goes from tyrannical ruler to understanding king. Gilgamesh helps Enkidu become more civil, thus they rely on each other for balance. This balance is why the epic is an epic for that the hero undergoes a trial and becomes stronger from it. When Enkidu dies, Gilgamesh morns and fails to lead Uruk, which shows that with the absence of friendship and love man is less than whole.

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

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

Love, both erotic and platonic, motivates change in Gilgamesh. Enkidu changes from a wild man into a noble one because of Gilgamesh, and their friendship changes Gilgamesh from a bully and a tyrant into an exemplary king and hero. Because they are evenly matched, Enkidu puts a check on Gilgamesh’s restless, powerful energies, and Gilgamesh pulls Enkidu out of his self-centeredness. Gilgamesh’s connection to Enkidu makes it possible for Gilgamesh to identify with his people’s interests. The love the friends have for each other makes Gilgamesh a better man in the first half of the epic, and when Enkidu dies, Gilgamesh’s

This is where the poem speaks to the ideal of living by stating that Gilgamesh has been given all of this authority and power so he should not chase things that he was not destine for, but rule as a just leader and keep the peace and balance. The idea is not to just live for ones self, but look out for the overall good of others.