Characteristics Of Gilgamesh

The second piece needed for a hero’s journey is initiation, which includes the roads of trials, the belly of the whale, meetings, attonement with the father, and the ultimate boon. Gilgamesh’s fight against Huwawa was one of many challenges he had during his journey. “Then Gilgamesh was afraid, and Enkidu/was afraid, and they entered into the Forest, afraid” (Ferry 26). Just as a hero would act, Gilgamesh didn’t let his fears get the best of him, but instead he entered the Forest to fight Huwawa. Another challenge Gilgamesh faces later in the story is fighting the Twin Dragon Scorpion Beings. When he came to the mountain and saw the monster, fear spread through his body, but he didn’t let it stop him from his goal. “Terror in the body of Gilgamesh/seized hold of him

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 is a hero. He notably did good, had a humane purpose to do good, which in the end displayed an everlasting message. In The Epic of

In the “Epic of Gilgamesh” translated by N.K. Sanders, Gilgamesh completes a series of many challenges and obstacles, fulfilling the conditions of an archetypal quest story. In order to fulfill an archetypal quest story, the hero or protagonist must complete a series of hurdles, on their way toward achieving their goal. In the “Epic of Gilgamesh”, Gilgamesh hunts for his main obsession, immortality, while he battles off monsters, with the help of some friends. Sensing Gilgamesh embraces too much power, the gods create a friend for Gilgamesh named Enkidu in the hopes of lessening Gilgamesh’s power. Enkidu and Gilgamesh turn out to be best friends after Enkidu loses a wrestling match

He rows so hard and fast that is says, “Half way through all that pulling, Gilgamesh had worn the oars to bits.” Even Utnapishtim could not believe what he saw and says, “I do see, but I am blind. I do know, but cannot understand how he behaves like the beasts of here and there.” All of these things prove that he has the skill of a warrior and leadership ability beyond imagination, but that is not all that is required to be a hero. Intelligence builds the basis of a heroic individual, as well.

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 storyâˆ(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

Gilgamesh is the king of Uruk and very confident in his ways. He begins his journey thinking that he above everyone else knows what is best in all situations. It is quickly revealed that Gilgamesh has a lot to learn and grow from himself. The role of knowledge and wisdom is most obvious when Gilgamesh realizes he is afraid of death and seeks to find eternal life. He comes to realize that life is about death, but making the most of the life we have.

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.

     At first, Gilgamesh is a controlling and arrogant king, who thinks only of himself. He constantly works the men, building enormous walls surrounding the

Gilgamesh was considered a hero because he had many great qualities, such as loyalty, perseverance, and heroism. Although these are heroic traits, he also had his flaws and was self-righteous, selfish, and prideful. Gilgamesh was a great man and was seen as flawless and “perfect in

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

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

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.

Gilgamesh, Oedipus, Odysseus, and Beowulf display several characteristics classifying themselves as heroes. In the story of Gilgamesh, Gilgamesh is “two-thirds divine and one-third human” (Gilgamesh, par 2). He displays heroism, perseverance, and loyalty by building a monumental wall to protect his kingdom, Urek. Gilgamesh goes on an epic in hopes of finding immortality and on his journey he faces adversity several times. He ends up not finding immortality but becomes “a profoundly changed man” (Gilgamesh, par 8). In Oedipus the King, Oedipus shows courage when he solves the Sphinx’s riddle. The city of Thebes crowns him king over the city and he marries the queen. King Oedipus shows honor when he takes the responsibility of solving the reason of the city’s plague and sends his brother-in-law, Creon, to Apollo’s Oracle in hopes of finding an answer. In the

Gilgamesh was a powerful king of Uruk an ancient city in Sumer now known as Iraq. Created by the gods, Gilgamesh was 2/3 god and 1/3 man he thought of himself as undefeatable, and carried himself immorally, taking advantage of his people. Being tired of this the people of Uruk began sobbing, and the goddess Aruru heard their cries and created Gilgamesh 's equal Enkidu. Together they would go on to venture into battles, one of which leads to the death of Enkidu that brings Gilgamesh to his very own journey to find immortality. This epic demonstrates the traits identified by the renown American psychologist Joseph Campbell in the story lines of the hero 's journey.