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Gilgamesh Vs Nature

Decent Essays

One of the many themes that can be read in literature is the relationship between Nature versus Man. These two forces distinguish how one factor impacts another over the course of a character’s journey. In the poem, “The Epic of Gilgamesh,” translated by Andrew George, the protagonist, Gilgamesh goes on this physical and mental journey as he encounters nature through the god's creation, known as Enkidu. Over the course of the poem, Gilgamesh begins this process of adapting and learning about nature and morality, based upon Enkidu’s upbringings. In the novel, “Frankenstein,” by Mary Shelley, the creature embodies how it can physically alter in certain climates, as well as the creature being able to understand how people adapt to their …show more content…

In Tablet I, Enkidu’s physical traits are described as him being, “Coated in hair like the god of the animals, with the gazelles, he grazes on grasses, joining the throng with the game at the water-hole” ( pp. 5 ) . This is a prime example as to how Enkidu can be viewed embodiment of nature, based on the fact that he is the direct creation from the gods and his sole purpose is to challenge Gilgamesh. Relative to this journey, the novel “Frankenstein,” demonstrates how the surroundings of nature help adapt the creature on the physical journey . For instance, in chapter 13, the creature describes to its creator, Victor Frankenstein, about the physical journey it takes and how nature’s elements strengthened the creature. “I was more agile than they and could subsist upon coarser diet; I bore the extremes of heat and cold with less injury to my frame…” ( pp. 108 ). This description of natural forces highlights that nature has aided the creature in survival, which can be viewed as beneficial due to surpassing strenuous conditions. This physical account proves that the relationship between nature and man shapes the character’s journey, physically, which results in a higher chance in adapting to surroundings quickly for both characters.
The two literary works offer how each character grows as other elements nurture the protagonist. In the case of Gilgamesh, the poem highlights the attachments between him and Enkidu. Towards the end of Tablet IV,

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