Examining the nature of humanity and the reason for being has always been a topic of interest that transcends time, gender, age and culture. All literature in existence examines human nature or human interaction or interpretation with non-human things. The one thing we can know for certain is that life is not eternal: we all die. Despite this, each of us have a predisposition to survive and we go to extreme lengths to do so, such as by acquiring mass amounts of power in which to rule over other humans, ensuring a ruler’s survival. We fear what we know is inevitable, so we use the threats of power, including that of ‘higher powers’, to frighten people into believing that they shall face a terrible consequence if they threaten the survival of another. The Epic of Gilgamesh and the book of Samuel I illustrate the corruption that results from using the threat of power, be it human or divine, to ensure one’s best interests and the extreme lengths a human will travel in the pursuit of denying death.
The Epic of Gilgamesh follows the journey of the hero Gilgamesh, ruler of Uruk, who is two-thirds a God and just one part human. We are introduced to Gilgamesh as a tyrant who covets women and sends young men to battle or to endure heavy-labored work. As he is two-thirds a God, Gilgamesh is the strongest in the land, preventing anyone from challenging him as ruler. He is a dictator and has more power than he can use, so in the pursuit of entertainment that could live up to his God-like standards, he often causes great trouble in Uruk. The people of the city know they cannot satiate his appetites, so they turn to the only beings who have more power than Gilgamesh: the Gods. The people pray to the all-powerful Gods to create an equal for G...
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...cal reasoning which suppress the character’s actions. There are also characters that give into their desires to move themselves higher up in the hierarchy. The ultimate all-powerful beings are the Gods, who have unlimited power because they can control life and death. It stands to reason then that the characters who desire power would seek to be as close in perfection as the Gods; many of them do this by disobeying the Gods to prove their power. These plans often fail, as even Gilgamesh, two-thirds a God, could not control the wrath and ruthlessness of the Gods. The Epic of Gilgamesh and Samuel I examine human nature at it’s core by delving into the greed and darkness which resides in us.
Works Cited
The English Standard Version Bible. New York: Oxford University Press, 2009. Print.
Sandars, N. K., trans. The Epic of Gilgamesh. London: Penguin, 1972.
"The Epic of Gilgamesh." The Norton Anthology of World Literature. 3rd ed. Vol. A. New York: W.W. Norton & Compnany, 2012. 99-150. Print
The Gods of the Epic of Gilgamesh repeatedly interfered with the lives of mortals in doing so they showed they had flaws. As if a signature move of the Gods, the flaws they had caused strife in the mortal world. The immaturity of the Gods is blatant often times ignoring the sensible thing to do and instead making Foolish decisions. Even with this flaw they showed their strength in helping the mortals forcing the direction of the hero on a whim.
Among the oldest surviving literature today is the Epic of Gilgamesh, and it illustrates this point perfectly. Gilgamesh, created by the gods, two thirds god and one third human, to lord over humanity, has no compassion. In his Kingdom, Uruk, Gilgamesh rules like a despot. Any woman he fancies, he rapes. His people are oppressed. The gods, not intending such a travesty, send Enkidu down to both fight and befriend Gilgamesh. After the fight, Gilgamesh stops being a tyrant and becomes friends with Enkidu. Even just in this first part of the story, Gilgamesh has already “died by the sword.” Gilgamesh lived his life by powering through everything, building large monuments, and oppressing his people, whether they wanted to be oppressed or not. It is not a coincidence that the plan the gods chose was to create a man equal to Gilgamesh and have them both fight. Gilgamesh, unable to listen to anything but power, was changed by someone of equal power. The old Gilgamesh, the one who oppressed and raped as he liked, is effectively dead after Enkidu befriended him after their fight. Later on, Gilgamesh and Enkidu go on an adventure to a forest they should not have gone to. Apparently, convinced not to use his power on his own people, Gilgamesh wants to channel his strength elsewhere, by challenging the gods. After Gilgamesh spurns the advances of the goddess Ishtar, she sends the Bull of Heaven to punish him. Even knowing that he has offended the gods, Gilgamesh scoffs at the punishment and crushes the Bull. Angered at this defiant action, the gods punished Gilgamesh by killing Enkidu, his only friend. And thus, Gilgamesh breaks. Reminded terribly of his own mortality, Gilgamesh goes on a journey for immortality, and along the way he learns that humans are not meant for it. At the end of the story, after a long journey, Gilgamesh is a changed person, his old
Often, literature is based on several heroes and their adventures. Most especially, the epic stories symbolize different countries, nations, and cultures. The authors usually shape the characteristics of these stars and profile their unique techniques of writing as well as their imaginative power. Gilgamesh is one of the most known heroes, whose character was developed in the famous “Epic of Gilgamesh” as the strongest of men, a fair judge, a brave warrior, and an ambitious builder who built the magnificent walls of Uruk to protect its people. On the other hand, there are some undesirable characteristics that he possesses such as selfishness, and arrogance mostly brought about by the fact that he is part human and part god. He is characterized
The epic Gilgamesh was translated by Herbert Mason and is about a king named Gilgamesh who wants to have power and authority over everything in his life. During Gilgamesh’s life journey he learns important lessons about the outcomes of this yearning for power over life. Gilgamesh’s journey demonstrates that humans find that control is necessary to succeed on the journey of life. It also displays that curiosity is a key trait that drives humans to push boundaries. Gilgamesh learns that the ability of humans to control their surrounding has may have unintended consequences.Humans seek to conquer and subdue the natural world, and make it fit to human needs and desires, which end up destroying the world.
The ancient Mesopotamian writing, The Epic of Gilgamesh, gives readers insight into the traditions and customs of the people who wrote it. Like all epics, The Epic of Gilgamesh is the story of a heroic national figure: this epic gives the story of the life of Gilgamesh from his birth as two-thirds god, one-third man to his death. Throughout the epic the importance of loyalty is addressed. In The Epic of Gilgamesh readers see that loyalty is the most important aspect of a Mesopotamian relationship and that there are always consequences for violating trust.
adventures. Gilgamesh is the king of Uruk. Gilgamesh allows his power to go to his head,
One important idea in the Epic of Gilgamesh is that power without purpose leads to corruption, as authority is shown to be easily abused and misused when in the wrong hands. One example of the exploitation of power happens shortly after Gilgamesh rejects Ishtar’s desire to marry him, due to the state of her past lovers. As a result of being “insulted” Ishtar uses her status as Queen of Heaven and manipulates her parent’s power, to demand the Bull of Heaven in order to destroy Gilgamesh as an act of vengeance. To show the calamitous effects of releasing the Bull of Heaven, the narrator states “When they reached the gates of Uruk. The bull went to the river. With his first snort, cracks opened in the earth and 100 young men feel down to death” “200 fell down dead” “Woe to Gilgamesh for he has scorned me in killing the Bull of Heaven” The words “hundred”, “death”, “two hundred” and “woe” create a destructive tone that conveys Ishtar’s indifference to the 300 deaths of her own people, which
Gilgamesh, The Epic of. Vol. A. The Norton Anthology of World Literature. Ed. Martin Puchner, et al. 3rd ed. New York: W. W. Norton and Company, 2012. 95-150. Print.
The myths which prove the contradictory behavior of the gods, acting as both benefactors and tormentors of man, can readily be explained when viewed in light of the prime directive for man, to worship the gods and not “overstep,” and the ensuing “Deus ex Mahina” which served to coerce man to fulfill his destiny as evidenced by the myths: “Pandora,” “Arachne, and “Odysseus.” Humankind and it’s range of vision over the gods beauty and power portrayed them to be benefactors but unseemingly it depicted their affliction towards humans.
The Epic of Gilgamesh. Trans. Foster, Benjamin R. New York: W W Norton & Co Inc, 2001. Print.
The epic begins with the men of Uruk describing Gilgamesh as an overly aggressive ruler. "'Gilgamesh leaves no son to his father; day and night his outrageousness continues unrestrained; And he is the shepherd of Uruk, the enclosure; He is their shepherd, and yet he oppresses them. Strong, handsome, and wise. . . Gilgamesh leaves no virgin to her lover.'"(p.18, Line 23-27) The citizens respect him, but they resent his sexual and physical aggression, so they plead to the gods to alleviate some of their burden. The gods resolve to create an equal for Gilgamesh to tame him and keep him in line. This equal, Enkidu, has an immediate impact on Gilgamesh. When they first meet, both having never before met a man equal in stature, they brawl. "They grappled with each other, Snorting like bulls; They shattered the doorpost, that the wall shook."(p.32, lines 15-18) In giving Gilgamesh a real battle, Enkidu instantly changes him; having this equal gives Gilgamesh a sense of respect for another man. These two men fighting each other creates a serious mess, but they both end up without animosity toward the other.
Throughout time, people of all cultures have told stories of heroes and kings. The most ancient story we have on record is the tale of King Gilgamesh. This story is an account of the King's journeys and accomplishments. Although it was written over four thousand years ago, many comparisons can be made between the society in which the story was written and our own modern society. In this essay, differences and similarities between the two societies will be examined.
Gilgamesh is an epic of great love, followed by lingering grief that causes a significant change in character. It is the story of a person who is feared and honored, a person who loves and hates, a person who wins and loses and a person who lives life. Gilgamesh's journey is larger than life, yet ends so commonly with death. Through Gilgamesh, the fate of mankind is revealed, and the inevitable factor of change is expressed.
"Epic of Gilgamesh." Academy for Ancient Texts. Ancient Texts Library. Web. 12 Oct. 2011. .