The Epic Of Gilgamesh And The Bhagavad Gita

“The Epic of Gilgamesh” is a didactic story set out to expose the inevitability of death. The true meaning of this story is sometimes overlooked because the story is told in heighten language not easily understood. The epic hero in this story is Gilgamesh; he undertakes a quest for knowledge which is overshadowed by his ignorance. The tragic death of Enkidu, Gilgamesh’s trusted companion forces the epic hero to change his perception of death. To overcome great obstacles one must be willing to put their ignorance aside. Tzvi Abusch’s analyzes “The Epic of Gilgamesh” in his article “The development and meaning of the Epic of Gilgamesh”. Abusch’s explication of Gilgamesh’s identity, friendship, achievements and ignorance towards death lacks substance.

Therefore, the interaction between divine and mundane entities was anarchical for the most part. The gods valued piety and as such, respect and obedience was important to them. Another reason for the conflict in the interactions with the gods was that human reverence for their divinity was no guarantee for protection. For instance, the floods that swept Uruk killed many innocent people who revered the gods for the sins of their king. The divine entities in the poem are comparable to God as depicted in the Bible as both kind and vengeful. His vengeance as that of the Sumerian gods was indiscriminate too. From the poem, one can deduce that for the people of Uruk, piety and respect for divinity are not regarded moral obligations rather a mere acknowledgement of divinity and supernatural order of things (Kovacs 98).

In the Epic of Gilgamesh there are many notable relationships but the relationship between Gilgamesh and Enkidu is hands down the most noteworthy. When analyzing the relationship of Gilgamesh and Enkidu there are many factors that go into play. It is really the sole foundation of the whole Sumerian epic and it really changes the whole personality of Gilgamesh. In order to get a better understanding of how the two characters complement each other we have to first break down their individual appearances and characteristics. After that is made clear then it is more appropriate to begin to analyze their relationship which in time turns out to be a relationship for the ages.

The Epic of Gilgamesh is a story that could be in fact teaches us social order or morals all together. The story has many themes that can be portrayed in today’s life. There are themes such as love, honor, religion, pride, and symbols.

These specific actions and events will later influence the reader on how the hero is transformed throughout the story. At the beginning of the Epic of Gilgamesh, the author emphasizes Gilgamesh’s miraculous birth from the goddess Ninsun, the goddess Belet-ili, and Lugalbanda. The story, however, mentions Gilgamesh already as a king of Uruk, as he built the cities’ walls by himself. Gilgamesh is portrayed as a mythic hero, but he comes off as haughty and deranged. He is physically fit and is well aware of his supremacy. This emphasis on his perfect physique foreshadows that he is a mythic hero. Gilgamesh is described when the author of the Epic of Gilgamesh writes, “In Uruk the sheepfold he would walk about, Show himself superior, his head held high like a wild bull.” In his short introduction as king, he mistreats his people by beating men and raping any woman he wants, even virgins on their wedding day. The people of Uruk have had enough of the cruelty and express this to readers as they pray to the gods for relief. Another example of Gilgamesh’s brutality is when he orders Shamhat to go into the woods so Enkidu could have sex with her. The author of the Epic of Gilgamesh writes, “Go, hunter, lead forth the harlot Shamhat, and when he approaches the cattle at the watering place, she must take off her clothes and reveal her attractions.” By ordering

In many societies and cultures gods are the figures that people answer to when they do good or bad things. Babylonian society is no different, Gilgamesh still has a higher power to answer to even though he is King of Uruk. The society that Gilgamesh is immersed on is built on the satisfaction of the gods. The gods contain a lot of power separately and together. For instance, Shamash, the sun god, lawgiver, and judge,

The Epic of Gilgamesh is designed to show that the gods’ pride is often a result of their uncontrollable power, and that a powerful being must have counsel in order to suppress the

While Gilgamesh is two-thirds god he is still one-third human, making him lesser to any god. After Ishtar asks Gilgamesh to be her bridegroom, he openly insults her, repeatedly. Ishtar is so furious that she used her power by appealing to her godly parents and saying ‘Gilgamesh has heaped insults on me, he has told over all my abominable behaviour, my foul and hideous acts’ (Sandars, 1973, Chapter 3). Through this plea she sets in motion actions that will kill Enkindu and hurt Gilgamesh emotionally. Gilgamesh thought he was as powerful as a god and this narcissism is the ultimate turning point in the story.

There are many reasons I would consider Gilgamesh an epic hero, but out of those many there are two in particular that stick out to me. The first thing is that he has superhuman abilities. His strength, speed, and mind are all above the average human. He shows that he is able to do things that everyday men would not be able to even consider trying. The other thing is Gilgamesh's leadership skills. He takes his partner under his wing in order to defeat the monster throughout the story. In the story Gilgamesh is said to be the strongest and most respected man of that time. this just shows how much people look up to him and they know the skill he has. these reasons are why i believe that Gilgamesh is a hero in this

The Epic of Gilgamesh inspires you to ponder who is this “Gilgamesh,” and why is he so called “Epic?” The first few pages allows you to recap on how Gilgamesh is a remarkable person, “two thirds of him god, one third human” (tablet I, page 1). This powerful statement allows the reader to understand that you reading about a person who wants to be represented as being more god than being a human. Initially you think Gilgamesh as a great leader with powerful moves that no other can overcome. While you read longer and strengthen your impression about Gilgamesh you often notice his opposite side reveal his inner beast. “His companions are kept on their feet by his contests, the young men of Uruk he harries without warrant. Gilgamesh lets

The Epic of Gilgamesh obviously centers on the character Gilgamesh. The fact that Gilgamesh is two-thirds God and only one-third man, he views himself as superior to those around him. Gilgamesh appears to be very impressive because of his great size and stately presence (Tablet I: 30-38). The main character Gilgamesh emerges more divine than human (Tablet I: 50) and possesses the highest degree of strength (Tablet 1:36).

The Epic of Gilgamesh follows the storyline of two individuals who become vital for each other’s survival in the journey that they share together. Gilgamesh, a man who is considered one-third God and two-thirds man befriends his first mortal friend Enkidu after a battle. The mindset that he demonstrates in the story portrays the ignorant, self-centered and uncaring person that he sets himself to be. Gilgamesh’s mindset of being invincible influences him to mistreat others around him in a horrific ways. The knowledge of being considered a God formulates this idea of supremacy in his mind therefore he feels unlimited power to do anything that he wishes without consequences.

The gods in Gilgamesh, contrary to the belief of many monotheistic religions of today, are not a source of morality or ideal moral conduct. Gods can be the cause of human suffering, thus be the cause of evil. One example of this is the flood. The flood was sent by the gods, and nearly destroyed the entire human race. This would not have been considered as a moral act by the Mesopotamians, yet the gods still had the authority and ability to do such thing.

In The Epic of Gilgamesh, Gilgamesh begins as an inconsiderate ruler who does not respect his people or the community. It becomes clear from early on in the novel that Gilgamesh has caused an upset in society, and for the population to function smoothly he has to

The portrayal of Gods in Homer’s “The Iliad” and the ancient Sumerian poem “The Epic of Gilgamesh” has many parallels and divergences in regard to their interactions and relations with human beings. Although there is a difference of nearly 1000 years between the release of both of the epic poems, a firm analogy can be established between these works. The Gods in “The Epic of Gilgamesh” are portrayed as more inconclusive and detached from humans while the Gods of “The Iliad” are shown as decisive and intimate with human affairs.