Beowulf - the Ideal Hero

Since long ago, people carried an image of what it means to be a hero. It is evident in some great books one might even say. As in The Epic of Gilgamesh, Antigone, and The Iliad, heroism is displayed and exalted, but what does being a hero mean? Overarchingly, in regards to these works, the heroes earn their titles as heroes by notably doing what is right when the time is right, with humane purpose, and an everlasting message. However, Gilgamesh, Antigone, and Akhilleus, being different in their purposes, everlasting messages, type of heroism as whole, can not compare in regards to heroic status.

Gilgamesh, on the other hand, is not so lucky. His weakness is something that he cannot escape. Since Gilgamesh is part human, death is an inevitable fact of life. Gilgamesh’s fate is first foreseen when he has a dream about a wild man Enkidu. Gilgamesh tells his mother,” Stars of the sky appeared, and some kind of meteorite of Anu fell next to me. I tried to lift it but it was too mighty for me, I tried to turn it but I could not budge it. – I loved it and embraced it as a wife. I laid it down at your feet, and you made it compete with me. (220-231)” Gilgamesh learns his destiny is to love Enkidu, but the gods create Enkidu to destroy Gilgamesh. When the goddess of love sends the bull of heaven to kill Gilgamesh, Gilgamesh and Enkidu defeat the bull, but the gods are not happy. As punishment, they speak the curse of death upon Enkidu. Heart-broken

Because of his pride, he does not listen, which is one of his biggest flaws in the story. Furthermore, you can see Gilgamesh’s perseverance when he finds out that the outcome of his journey is not favorable, but he still continues to go after praying to Shamash (26). This shows that he would always continue with what he started and that he was not one to give up on what he says he is going to do. His loyalty to his friend, Enkidu, is also very obvious, especially after Enkidu passed away, when Gilgamesh “Slaughtered fatted [cattle] and sheep, heaped them high for his friend” (62). This shows that Gilgamesh really enjoyed and appreciated Enkidu as a friend, and even after his death, he did everything possible to make sure that he was recognized and respected. But, after his death, Gilgamesh still showed his flaw of being self-righteous because he felt that he deserved eternal life because he was part god. For instance, he stated, “Enkidu, my friend whom I loved, is turned into clay! Shall I too not lie down like him, and never get up forever and ever?” (78). The idea of death really hit him after Enkidu because he realized that death is inevitable, no matter how prideful you are or how much you achieve, it is still going to happen. Gilgamesh definitely had too many heroic qualities that were

In the Epic of Gilgamesh, Enkidu helps act as a catalyst for the transformation of Gilgamesh’s character from an undefeatable god-like brute into a complex thinker. In the eyes of Gilgamesh, he is unstoppable and is willing to challenge death itself so long as he is remembered as a hero by his subjects. With Enkidu’s help, Gilgamesh learns to become a better person as a ruler, not as a better warrior. Although not blood related, Enkidu was like a brother to Gilgamesh and the duo shared an inseparable bond. Throughout the epic, Enkidu teaches Gilgamesh that he is not unstoppable, being stubborn will not stop him from dying, and that there are no easy solutions to life.

Gilgamesh is considered a hero because of his skill, intelligence, and willingness to die, not to mention his feeling of reverence and respect for death. Throughout the entire epic, Gilgamesh demonstrates outrageous skill as a warrior and leader. While Gilgamesh was respected, many people felt disdain for him. Gilgamesh was born two-thirds god, and one-third man, giving him supernatural abilities. Because of this, the gods challenged Gilgamesh. These abilities made him arrogant, and although it is not now, back then it was respected. Gilgamesh used to do whatever he wanted. When Enkidu, a wild man who first lived

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:

In the epic of gilgamesh, Gilgamesh is a man and a God. He built high walls and had orchid fields around his city. He also wasn’t respectful. He touched women whenever he wanted to, He never gave his servants any type of love. Enkidu is a man who was created to tame gilgamesh. He was created by the Gods. The Gods wanted to tame him so they sent an equal power which was enkidu. A wild man who becomes Gilgamesh 's best friend. After being visited by Shamhat, the prostitute, Enkidu is civilized and leaves the animal world behind to journey with Shamhat to Uruk. Enkidu accompanies Gilgamesh to defeat Humbaba before he passes away. Gilgamesh journeys to the Underworld to try to bring

Enkidu's death left Gilgamesh frightened and confused. The despair in his heart was so great that he could not rest; would he ever be at peace? He became terrified of his own death. Puzzled and searching for answers, Gilgamesh set out on a quest for Utnapishtim. It is on this great journey that Gilgamesh learns of a

However not only Enkidu helped Gilgamesh but Gilgamesh also helped Enkidu to be a better man. Enkidu was born in the wilderness and was accepted by the wild

The theme that I came to a conclusion is the inevitability of death. Death is inevitable to immortals; every mortal is destined to taste the fruit of death. Enkidu perhaps did not fear death itself but feared dying without making his name or dying in a battle for it is an honorable death. Enkidu said to Gilgamesh: “ My friend, one who falls in combat makes his name, but I, I do not fall in combat, and shall make not my name” (page 62). In the book, the fear of death is shown greatly in Gilgamesh. After Enkidu’s death, seeing his flight in deathbed, Gilgamesh started fearing death, “I did not surrender his body for burial, until a maggot dropped from his nostril. Then I was afraid that I too would die, I grew fearful of death, and…” (page 78). He set out in the wild to find about the life and death, grieve for Enkidu and fearing death. During him wandering in the wild, he learns about Utnapishtim who is the only mortal that has attained immortality. Then Gilgamesh reaches Utnapishtim and he denies Gilgamesh immortality as he fails the test of going without sleep for a week. “For there in my bed-chamber Death does abide, and wherever I turn, there too will be death” (page 97), Gilgamesh realizes that death is unavoidable and it is life that he should focus

The life of a warrior is not always filled with glamour and glory. Warriors cannot simply waltz through a tough battle, shedding blood left and right and taking all the glory and credit for themselves. There are often tough decisions to be made. Warriors also cannot just think of themselves, for their decisions often affect the lives of others as well. They need the heroic code to guide them in their decision making. In this essay, I will describe the heroic code and share its applications in the stories of Beowulf, Gilgamesh and Noah, and The Illiad, as well as my other personal experiences.

Death, its implications, and unanswered mysteries are foremost concerns to the characters of Gilgamesh. At once an impetus for action and an existential fear, the complex role of death is especially evident in the aftermath of Enkidu’s demise, which forces Gilgamesh to confront his own relationship to mortality. This confrontation ultimately reveals a central dissonance within Gilgamesh, as a king and warrior, he wields near absolute power over his enemies and subjects, yet he is impotent to prevent the death of Enkidu.

In The Epic of Gilgamesh, Gilgamesh terrorizes the people or Uruk. Because of this, they call out to the sky god Anu for help. Anu decides to turn to the goddess of creation, Aruru whom makes an equal for Gilgamesh. Aruru created Enkidu to be just like Gilgamesh and for them to contend together and leave Uruk in quiet. When Gilgamesh got up and went to the house of a bride waiting for the bridegroom, Enkidu stepped out and stood in the street blocking the way. They met at the gate and Enkidu put his foot to prevent Gilgamesh entering the house. This began a fight between the two and they broke the doorposts, the walls shook, and snorted like bulls together. Enkidu was thrown and his fury died. Enkidu then admitted “there is not another like you in the world” (Gilgamesh, 4). Enkidu and Gilgamesh then became good friends that went on an adventure together. This adventure entails cutting down a cedar forest to build a great monument for the gods To accomplish they must kill the Guardian of the Cedar Forest, the great demon, and Humbaba the Terrible. Enkidu dreamed that someone should be punished for the killing of Humbaba and the Bull of Heavens and he soon becomes sick and suffers for twelve days before he dies. Gilgamesh wept and then goes on the search for an everlasting life. He then finds Utnapisthim who gives him the secret to everlasting life, which is staying awake for six days and seven

The Epic of Gilgamesh epitomizes the human experience. Despite being two-thirds divine, perfect in strength and ideally handsome Gilgamesh was still a bit naïve. 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

Gilgamesh and Achilles, heroes in the ancient world, were great fighters. The goal for both was to achieve an immortal name for themselves, even if it meant dying. Yet, when they went into major battles accompanied by their best friends, their friendship had an impact on their behavior which resulted in deadly consequences. In the Epic of Gilgamesh, Gilgamesh and his best friend Enkidu go up against and kill the terrifying monster Humbaba. Afterwards, Gilgamesh’s unintelligent actions lead to more strife in which he insults the goddess Ishtar and as a result she punishes Enkidu. As a punishment, Enkidu dies of sickness and Gilgamesh's life changes. His life changes in a way were he feels a need to find answers on achieving immortality, so he