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,
Upon arrival, Enkidu wimps out and says “Do not go down into the forest; when i opened the gate my hand lost its strength.” (76), to which Gilgamesh replies, “ Dear friend, do not speak like a coward. Have we got the better of so many dangers and travelled so far, to turn back at last?” (76-77). This dialogue between the two friends shows the huge difference in their personalities and highlights Enkidu’s cowardice and tentativeness and Gilgamesh’s bravery and strong will.
The very first lines of the epic focus on Gilgamesh and the impressiveness of his accomplishments. They stress the wisdom he attained, drawing attention to it right away with the repetition of what he learned;
Gilgamesh and Enkidu form a wonderful brotherly relationship with one another. And they mirror one another in many ways. Both men are alike in the sense they need to be tamed in order to rule over, or to coexist with civilized people. Enkidu is tamed by the prostitute Shemat and in return will tame Gilgamesh. The way the Gods created them, they are individuals with immense physical abilities. However even though they have similarities, they also have differences, as friends normally do. Gilgamesh is a man of noble stature living having lived his life amongst civilization. Enkidu is a wild man raised by animals and lives the way they do. The Gods created both men to be amazing in stature. Both are powerful but Enkidu’s power is derived by his strength. Whereas Gilgamesh has both strength and knowledge from growing up in civilization. He is also the boldest
Through careful depiction of the literary devices metaphor and juxtaposition, The Epic of Gilgamesh, The Book of Genesis 1-3 and The Iliad help to overwhelmingly transform the transition between the fictional and natural world. In the fictional novel, The Epic of Gilgamesh, the internal conflict of Man vs. Wild was a major conflict in regards to the central theming of the story. There was an extreme division between man and nature starting in the extreme beginning of the story. The main characters who compliment this conflict were Gilgamesh and Enkidu. The Epic of Gilgamesh directly flows into a comparison with The Book of Genesis. Gilgamesh ties into the Book of Genesis because the relationship between Adam and Eve is similar to Enkidu and
The maturation of Gilgamesh and his desire to acquire wisdom throughout his journey is quite apparent. By overcoming difficulties such as upholding Uruk, becoming friends with Enkidu, and various other scenarios, Gilgamesh proves that he did in fact grow up throughout the epic.
Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein deeply develops the trope of nature vs. nurture. The romantic era is characterized by a desire to revert to natural animalistic living in the world. Shelley’s main characters embody nature and nurture respectively. Victor, raised in a loving home, kills with no concern and disregards his caring family. The Monster, Victor’s creation, on the other hand, is forced to live in nature like an animal with no companion. Victor is Shelley’s direct comment on the Victorian lifestyle characterized by material possession and religious moral structure. Victor embodies one who is grounded in societally constructed niceties and formalities but is corrupted by the lifestyle. The monster is shown to be the morally correct character
Frankenstein, a novel by Mary Shelley, tells the story of Victor Frankenstein’s pursuit of creation and the monster he unintentionally brought to life. Horrified with his own creation, Victor escaped his responsibilities, leaving him to fend for himself. The story follows the monster’s futile attempts to assimilate into humanity, his hatred finally leading him to killing his creator’s family one by one until Frankenstein committed himself to vengeance. The theme of humanity was prevalent throughout the novel as the monster’s existence blurred the line between what was “human” and “inhuman.” The question of whether nurture, or nature, mattered more to one’s identity was explored throughout the story. In Frankenstein, nurture rather than
Throughout the novel Frankenstein written by Mary Shelley, the creature is subjected to countless acts of violence and rejection. For a monster to develop, one must have been formerly exploited either by an individual or their society. The creature is not only a physical product of science, but his atrocious behavior is also an explicit result of Victor’s actions toward him. The creature was not born a monster, but slowly morphed into one as he experiences violence and rejection from his society.
In Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein there are several parallels that can be drawn. One of the major parallels in the novel is the connection between Victor Frankenstein and the creature he creates; there is an interesting relationship between these two characters. Frankenstein and his creation are not blood related, however, their similarities bond the two. Despite their dislike for one another and their physical differences Frankenstein shares many characteristics with his creation, throughout the novel we see each of them find comfort in nature, become isolated from society, and seek revenge towards those who have wronged them. There is significance in these similarities; if Frankenstein’s creation had not been physically deformed they would
Mary Shelley's Frankenstein is very much a commentary on the Enlightenment and its failure to tame the human condition through reason. The human condition can be defined as the unique features which mold a human being. The creature is undoubtedly a victim of this predicament. He grapples with the meaning of life, the search for gratification, the sense of curiosity, the inevitability of isolation, and the awareness of the inescapability of death. These qualities and his ceaseless stalking of his master conjure up the metaphor that he is the shadow of the Enlightenment. Indeed, the Enlightenment is represented through Frankenstein whereas the creature is the embodiment of everything it shuns. These include nature, emotion, and savagery. The two characters are understood as counterparts and yet strikingly similar at the same time. The creature is considered a monster because of his grotesque appearance. Frankenstein on the other hand is a monster of another kind: his ambition, secrecy, and selfishness alienate him from human society. He is eventually consumed by an obsessive hatred of his creation. Both characters also commit primordial crimes. Although rationality pervades through Frankenstein's endeavours, it can be argued that he becomes less human the more he tries to be God. The secret of life lies beyond an accepted boundary from which none can return. By creating life Frankenstein ironically sets the stage for his own destruction as well as that of his family. The
The two dominant forces of our universe are man and nature, they need to be existing in a delicate equilibrium. One should not go beyond the other’s dividing line, we as humans should not meddling with nature and cross the line. In Mary Shelley's Frankenstein, the point is emphasized that the balance between man and Nature must be preserved. In the book, Dr. Victor Frankenstein gives life to a creature constructed from the parts of dead humans. The creature was a hideous abomination of unnatural origin, which makes him an outcast that has no place in our world. The creature is fueled by the hatred and violence of humanity, thus both the creature and Victor
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.
supposed to have decided to destroy the earth by water. In the Biblical book of
In the words of Henry David Thoreau who is a poet state, "Nature and Human life are as various as our several constitutions. Who shall say what prospect life offers to another." Speaking of nature and life, I want to compare and contrast ancient Mesopotamians attitudes towards nature and life through the stories of Gilgamesh, the Epic of Creation, and Hymn to the Sun. Looking at these stories establishes three different views of nature and life which can either be negative or positive. The first story, you see a man who meets his match and then goes on an adventure together. The second story is about how the world was created from a small swirl of water and then became more. The third which is a poem describes the way of life and how Aten provides the means to survive on earth. While reading, the reader should get a sense of how each one differs and how they compare in the small aspects. Now, let's start our journey in ancient times which is a time people believed the world was ruled by gods.
Frankenstein by Mary Shelley explores the fight between man and nature through the story of eager scientist Victor Frankenstein, who artificially creates life from the body parts of the deceased with disastrous consequences. By highlighting the intense power of nature, Shelley comments on the folly of attempting to subjugate nature to bend to one’s will.