Epic Of Gilgamesh Research Paper

Literary works that date back to ancient times still holds relevance in today’s world. Although many advances have been made in technology and science since the olden eras, the themes and principles that are found in ancient literary works are ageless in relation to the condition of human experience. In fact, in the Epic of Gilgamesh, the oldest existing story in our human history, illustrates a reality that is shared by all humans: our mortality and inevitable death. The Epic of Gilgamesh was written thousands of years ago, but the story accurately captures the human experience. Even though many people may not be on an active quest to find immortality, the Epic of Gilgamesh tells a story that also explains

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Life, Death, and Legacy: Mortality and Purpose within Ancient Mesopotamian Cosmology How does humanity come to terms with our mortality? How do we continue to live our lives in the face of impending death? These questions are so central to human existence that mankind's earliest text, The Epic of Gilgamesh, focuses on life and escaping mortality. The literature contemplates death, legacy, and the principles of a life well lived as it follows King Gilgamesh's, the legendary Babylonian, pursuit of renown and eternal life. The Epic of Gilgamesh characterizes death as inevitable and unstoppable; quests for immortality will fail.

The concept that most clearly unites ?The Epic of Gilgamesh? and modern humanity is that immortality cannot be reached. Gilgamesh went through his entire quest, only to return with empty hands. He strove for immortality, and even almost had it, but in the end he was back where he started. He had just wasted a little more time of his ?mortal? life. Despite our advances through the centuries, humans still cannot achieve eternal life. Many teenagers, however, think that they are indestructible. They constantly take chances. Speeding, piercings, drugs, and alcohol are all things that teenagers constantly take risks with. They think, ?it would never happen to me,? when in reality no one is immortal. In the end, everyone dies, no matter what.

There are rare cases like that of Uta-napishti “who attended the gods’ assembly and found life eternal.” However, the majority of humans fear death by nature, but they also strive to rid themselves of their mortality by nature. The gods are established as the role models and all powerful being to gods and many humans, Gilgamesh included, grow envious of their immortality and try to find ways to achieve it. Gilgamesh says, “Then I was afraid that I too would die, I grew fearful of death, and so wander the wild.” (78) Even despite warnings from Shamash and Siduri that his quest is futile, Gilgamesh’s human fear for death drives him to venture the underworld and seek immortality.

When faced with mortality, in the Sumerian tale of Gilgamesh, the hero Gilgamesh displays juxtaposing side of himself between being uplifting and somber. Early in the tale, Gilgamesh appears optimistic when counseling Enkidu of Enkidu’s fleeting strength. Gilgamesh tells Enkidu that he will feel better after defeating the great giant Humbaba. It appears that Gilgamesh values the legends that will be left by such a great defeat, and hopes to spread this wisdom to Enkidu. After the death of Enkidu, Gilgamesh realizes his own impermanence and becomes quite woeful. Gilgamesh travels in search of the immortal Utanapishtim, desperate to learn the way to achieve immortality. In order to accept his fate, Gilgamesh must be subdued enough to propel

Humans are meant to be mortal and be susceptible to the power of the Gods, because that's the only way the gods can rule over them and have absolute power. humans we're never meant to fit into the cosmic world because they can never truly become gods. even if they are granted with immortality they won't have the supremacy over the people because they are still considered below the Gods who gave them the immortality. Which is something Gilgamesh struggles with since he wants in mortality but in the end he doesn't get everlasting life he gets a kingship which will give him a legacy to leave behind as his way of immortality. In the text the author's talk about the kinds of societies in ancient Mesopotamia and they spoke about Sumerian society and the kingships and even dynasties that were formed in Sumer, which is all clearly illustrated in the Epic of Gilgamesh because Gilgamesh's quest for immortality leaves him to creating this kingship the city of Sumer.

At the beginning of the story, Gilgamesh is shown as someone who doesn’t really care about death as long as he dies for a cause that would make everyone remember him for his deeds. As a result, he would be physically dead but spiritually alive because every single person would know who he was and what he did. However, this idea of him changes when he witnesses the way his beloved friend Enkidu dies, and therefore he embarks on a journey to find eternal life. It was better for him to live forever rather than die and be forgotten. Hence, two important themes can be seen throughout the whole story which is friendship and death.

men, hear me! Hear me, O elders of teeming Uruk, hear me! I shall weep

he begins to realize he is not worthy to be a god or have everlasting

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 epic gives insight to the ways in which ancient Mesopotamians valued life. This becomes most obvious when Enkidu reveals to Gilgamesh his nightmare of the dark and enslaving afterlife as he is dying (The Epic of Gilgamesh, 2). This leaves Gilgamesh with extreme terror of death which provokes his desperate attempts to escape it. Giving death fearful and dark characteristics communicates that the afterlife is a harrowing experience and life is the individual’s harmonious experience. This serves to establish that ancient Mesopotamians sensed that life was something to be cherished and conceived of in a positive light. In addition, Mesopotamian life views are also illustrated when Gilgamesh must accept that he will not receive his requests for immortality from the gods (The Epic of Gilgamesh, 2). This suggests Mesopotamian society believed wise men should be grateful for their destiny and that he or she should not reach beyond what they are given. In doing so, this

Nature in the Epic of Gilgamesh appears to be either man’s greatest enemy or his ally, depending on whether he can conquer it at all. Those who cannot conquer nature, fear it greatly. Those who can conquer nature however, seem to gain immense personal power from doing so. Gilgamesh is an example of the latter. There is one aspect of nature that both parties fear, and will both inevitably be conquered by, that aspect is death. Gilgamesh himself is incredibly afraid and leery of death. After Enkidu’s death, Gilgamesh mourns for him “six days and seven nights” then proceeds to wander the earth. However, before he sets off wandering, he “slaughtered fatted cattle and sheep” and “heaped them high for his friend”. Gilgamesh performed these

When it comes to the topic of medical marijuana there is a lot of biased opinions on its purpose or benefits/risks to humankind. In addition to whether its uses can cure underlying diseases or if its only use is simply for relief. Furthermore, if marijuana does have so-called healing aspects to it, does that make it a forgiving crime if someone purchases marijuana illegally for pain or treatment purposes? That being said, should medical marijuana be legalized in all states, and how will this affect crimes in those areas where medical marijuana is legal?

An example of the Sumerians fearing the afterlife is portrayed in “The Epic of Gilgamesh” Gilgamesh asks Unthapashtim (a biblical version of Noah; Genesis), if there is anyway he can attain immortality. Gilgamesh realized that he was mortal after the death of his friend. Utnapishtim tells Gilgamesh that there is no such thing as permanence. Gilgamesh must come to terms that one day he will die and that scared him greatly. (Sherman, 2000, pg. 8)