The Epic Of Gilgamesh: The Oldest Story In The World

In The Epic of Gilgamesh the lines that are repeated at the beginning and end of the epic show that only immortality a human can gain lies in creating things that last beyond a person’s lifetime. While at the beginning of the epic Gilgamesh is seeking eternal life, when he concludes his journey he realizes that he has created an enduring legend through the foundation of his city, Uruk. Through this legend, Gilgamesh can live on in the memory of his people, long after he has passed away. The epic is able to convey this message multiple ways. The opening lines immediately introduce and impress upon the audience the importance of Gilgamesh, and the significance of his kingship. The epic continues on to describe the city of Uruk, with special consideration given to the walls surrounding Uruk. 3. Finally, the ending repetition of the lines shows that Gilgamesh has become aware of the legacy he has created in Uruk, and and accepts that in lieu of immortality. okay so these are the three? points you are talking about in your paper? make sure they match up with your paragraphs proving them and are not so vague

The Epic of Gilgamesh is one of the world’s oldest existing stories that were collected in Mesopotamia. It is a story about a heroic king named Gilgamesh, who treated his people in a nasty way. He was a domineering, and cruel leader, feared by many because of his unnatural strength. He forced his people into labor in order to expand his kingdom. The people cried unto the gods and they created Gilgamesh’s equal Enkidu, who they later became friends. Gilgamesh witnessed the death of his close friend Enkidu, and this made him to search for immortality because, he was afraid to die. However, he learnt that, no human was immortal, and that he was destined to die, just like his friend Enkidu.

One of the most fascinating pieces of literature, The Epic of Gilgamesh, deals with and explores many of the problems humans have wrestled with for thousands of years. Even though the text does not explicitly answer any of the questions it poses, it gives clues that point to the answers. One of these questions, the dilemma of whether to act based solely on a person’s intuition or act based on reason and advice, occurs regularly in the text. Throughout The Epic of Gilgamesh, characters have success and failure when they act based on either their intuition or using reason, but the epic clearly points out, through examples, that acting based on reason instead of intuition constitutes more success in all facets of life.

“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.

Gilgamesh encounters Utnapishtim, a man who survives the great flood and receives immortality. Utnapishtim gives Gilgamesh eclectic tasks to achieve eternal life. The first task is to stay awake for seven days, which Gilgamesh is unable to accomplish. Feeling sorry, Utnapishtim tells Gilgamesh a secret that if he finds the “plant that grows under the water… [it] restores his lost youth” (31). Gilgamesh lights up and ties rocks to his feet to sink down to search for the marvelous plant. Gilgamesh finds the ultimate boon. He is overjoyed and eager to bring the plant back to his homeland to restore the youth of all the men there. The refusal of the return occurs when, he was returning home and becomes careless and bathes in a nearby well of cool water, leaving the plant unattended. A snake suddenly appears and eats the plant, restoring the snake’s youth. Gilgamesh begins to weep upon seeing that he failed in his quest for immortality. Gilgamesh returns back to his homeland, Uruk, and engraves his story on a stone for everyone to see and

Gilgamesh is the oldest piece of epic Western literature known to mankind and was written in 2000 B.C., which predates the Old Testament. It is a heroic, epic poem that explores friendship, mortality, and humanity. According to the poem, Gilgamesh was part man and part god, the biggest part being made in heaven and the smaller somewhere on earth (21). Gilgamesh, the ruler of Uruk, is the best of the best and is thought of as god-like. The men that Gilgamesh ruled over cried out to the gods asking for help to send someone to humble Gilgamesh. The gods created Enkidu, a man that matched Gilgamesh’s strength and virtues, to humble Gilgamesh. The two become friends, humbling Gilgamesh. Enkidu ultimately dies in the epic poem, leaving Gilgamesh distraught but starting him on his pursuit to find immortality. His search for eternal life leads him to Utnapishtim, the only survivor of the flood and the only man to become immortal. Utnapishtim gives Gilgamesh the secret to eternal life, but Gilgamesh’s eternal life is stolen from him by a serpent. In the end of Gilgamesh, he learns that

Gilgamesh existed as one of the oldest known Sumerian rulers of all time and is accredited to many accomplishments. Legend has it that he created the first Sumerian civilization, constructing a city with many elaborate temples and immense walls. However, he has also been characterized as one of the cruelest and most self-centered rulers of all. Throughout the course of Gilgamesh’s life he goes from being a womanizing, slave driving ruler to a negligent and stubborn king, who not even god-sent Enkidu could help transform into a better king.

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.

Because Gilgamesh is distraught over the realization that he will die one day, he inquires Unanapishtim to reveal the secret of how he received the gift of immortality. Utanapishtim narrates the story of the flood, and how he

But when Enkidu dies while fighting Humbaba, one can tell a change in Gilgamesh’s character. Since Enkidu was his close and only friend, it makes it more visible that everyone is mortal. One may say that, by going into the forest and facing Humbaba, Gilgamesh makes a name for himself and changes the views of the people in his city. The great accomplishment of killing Humbaba makes him a better person because he protects his city and for his love of Enkidu and his people. This is a considerable amount of change from the beginning of the story. There are no major changes in the character of Gilgamesh until Enkidu enters the picture. Enkidu is the primary reason for the ultimate changes in the personality and maturity of Gilgamesh. The main factor contributing to the changes in Gilgamesh the love that develops with Enkidu. Enkidu is made to make Gilgamesh more human. In the first paragraph of the book the gods are angry with Gilgamesh and send down an equal of himself, they send down Enkidu. After becoming friends, Gilgamesh changes because he has an equal to be with.

When his best friend Enkidu dies, Gilgamesh is deeply saddened and is terrified by the thought of how he will die. Putting off every worldly possession that he once cherished, Gilgamesh journeys to learn the secret of eternal life. After the long, arduous trek, which included a nearly impossible test by the only man who was ever granted immortality by the gods, he finds instead the wisdom needed to strike harmony with his divine and mortal attributes. After realizing his proper place in the world,

Perhaps one of the main reasons the Epic of Gilgamesh is so popular and has lasted such a long time, is because it offers insight into the human concerns of people four thousand years ago, many of which are still relevant today. Some of these human concerns found in the book that are still applicable today include: the fear and concerns people have in relation to death, overwhelming desires to be immortal, and the impact a friendship has on a person’s life. It does not take a great deal of insight into The Epic of Gilgamesh for a person to locate these themes in the story, and even less introspection to relate to them.

There once lived a king, the great king of Uruk in Mesopotamia. This great leader was Gilgamesh. His preserved epic is of great significance to modern day culture. Through Gilgamesh, the fate of mankind is revealed, and the inevitable factor of change is expressed. In the Epic of Gilgamesh, it is a great love, followed by a lingering grief that cause a significant change in the character of Gilgamesh.

As a mortal, Gilgamesh’s presence is a perverse show of disrespect to the gods in itself- a point made clear by each deity he encounters. To then slaughter animals for personal gain (i.e. food when he should be fasting) and not as holy offerings- like during previous quests- is absolute sacrilege. Thus, it is no coincidence that the water serpent seizes the eternal life-granting flower from Gilgamesh’s grasp at the last second (31); rather, it is a deliberate omen intended to teach him humility and understand his destiny. Afterwards, Gilgamesh displays consideration for Ur’s subjects, which is why the gods pardon his transgressions and permit his return to the living. Eventually, Gilgamesh becomes an accomplished and revered king, earning one last reward for his piety- his legacy lives on through oral tradition and song (33-34).

Gilgamesh then goes on a fifty-five line long rant, just absolutely trashing Ishtar for her advances. Ishtar then runs to her father, who just so happens to be Anu, to request the Bull of Heaven to kill Gilgamesh. At first, Anu says that she provoked the king to say such things, but when Ishtar says she will raise the dead, the god agrees to her request. Yet again, Anu must show his wrath. The Bull of Heaven is released onto Uruk, but together, Gilgamesh and Enkidu are able to defeat it and save the city. Enkidu throws part of the bull’s body at Ishtar, and Gilgamesh hangs its massive horns in his bedroom, which of course only further angered Ishtar. After a night of celebration, Enkidu has a dream in which the gods say that he must die. Another example of the wrath of the gods, Enkidu falls ill and dies after twelve days. Hoping to discover how he himself can avoid the fate of his comrade, Gilgamesh goes on a journey to find Utnapishtim, a man who survived a great flood and was granted eternal life by the gods. When Gilgamesh finds him, Utnapishtim tells him the story of the flood he experienced, which was sent from the gods for no other reason than they were angry. In The Epic of Gilgamesh, the wrath of the gods is provoked for many reasons, whether it is to teach a lesson, or the gods are simply angry. Either way, the wrath of the gods is present in this poem.