Death and dying are two of the most common fears among people fictitious and non- . People want to make their mark on the world so that their images may live on even after they die. Gilgamesh, from the “Epic of Gilgamesh,” is no different. In this ancient poem, Gilgamesh begins as a ruthless brute who answers to no one until he meets his match, a man named Enkidu. He and Enkidu proceed to take on heroic feats so that Gilgamesh may gain pride, glory, and—ultimately—immortality. Because of these superhuman tasks, the goddess Ishtar becomes enraged and kills Enkidu which sends Gilgamesh into a weeklong depression from which he emerges with a new passion for the pursuit immortality. Gilgamesh’s fear of being forgotten drives him to believe that he may achieve immortality through superhuman acts, but he realizes that he can live on in the hearts and on the tablets of his people.
Early in “Gilgamesh,” Gilgamesh and Enkidu slay the Cedar Forest guardian Humbaba, and the Bull of Heaven. According to Gilgamesh, killing these creatures would help him reach his goal of immortality; however, these actions cost the life of Enkidu which instills a new and rawer fear in Gilgamesh. In Jared Christman’s article, “The Gilgamesh Complex: The Quest for Death Transcendence and the Killing of Animals,” he states that the killings of animals sprouts from Gilgamesh’s fear of death and the vitality that he can get from within said animals (Christman 301). In committing “zoocide” Gilgamesh feels that he can defeat death (Christman 298). Christman goes on to say that after Enkidu’s death, Gilgamesh travels to Utnapishtim so that he can learn how to progress in his “quest for death transcendence.” Thinking that he has done greatness, Gilgamesh prattles off ...
... middle of paper ...
...le I do think this, I do understand that death is inevitable. It is best though to chase your dreams while they are still possible.
Works Cited
Lawall, Sarah N., and Maynard Mack. The Norton Anthology of World Literature. 2nd ed. Vol. A. New York: Norton, 2002. Print.
Christman, Jared. "The Gilgamesh Complex: The Quest for Death Transcendence and the Killing of Animals." Society & Animals 16.4 (2008): 297-315. Academic Search Complete. EBSCO. Web. 14 Apr. 2011.
Hooke, S. H. "Parallels with the Gilgamesh Story." Folklore 45.3 (1934): 195-211. JSTOR. Web. 14 Apr. 2011. .
Wolff, Hope Nash. "Gilgamesh, Enkidu, and the Heroic Life." Journal of the American Oriental Society 89.2 (1969): 392-98. JSTOR. Web. 14 Apr. 2011. .
After encountering the death of his friend Enkidu, Gilgamesh realizes that all men will die. Gilgamesh evolves from the beginning of The Epic of Gilgamesh as an unruly king to a realistic king who’s life ends in death. In the end after accepting that he too must die and be subject to fate, Gilgamesh settles back into his city setting, only this time to be a wise king rather than the foolish hero he once was.
Gilgamesh’s aversion to growing old and eventually dying is the most sympathizing and acknowledged part of Gilgamesh that is a clear echo to the Western
Gilgamesh goes on to seek eternal life. Death had never been a topic he had to deal with. Jacobsen explains, “death, fear of death, has become an ob...
Harris, Stephen L. “Gilgamesh.” The Humanist Tradition in World Literature. Ed. Stephen Harris. Columbus, OH: Charles E. Merrill Publishing Co., 1970.
Woody Allen once stated, “It’s not that I’m afraid to die. I just don’t want to be there when it happens.” Even the most stout-hearted soul would admit the truth of that statement. Death—like life—is a mystery. It is also a test. Acting as an immutable deadline, death forces us to confront its inevitable reality. But not everyone deals with it in the same way. Those who lack the strength to cope are consigned to a life of unconquerable fear and insecurity and are the stuff of tragedy. Others, however, do succeed in attaining a measure of immortality, though the journey is long and difficult. These are the culture-makers of society: its painters, composers, and poets. Their common link is the warrior spirit, the part of them that struggles, succeeds...and struggles some more. The Epic of Gilgamesh reflects this spirit of the warrior. Although Enkidu’s death indicates that mortals seemingly are at the mercy of the gods and death is inevitable, Gilgamesh nonetheless embarks on a quest for godhood: Enkidu has to die so Gilgamesh can live.
“You will never find that life for which you are looking. When the gods created man they allotted him death, but life they retained in their own keeping,” Siduri talking to Gilgamesh. (Gilgamesh 4). The epic of Gilgamesh has an abundance of parallels to the trial and tribulations of any human life. Gilgamesh’s story is humanities story of life, death, and realization. The awaking of Gilgamesh from a childish and secure reality connects my own life experiences to the epic tale.
The Epic of Gilgamesh, the first recorded story, follows Gilgamesh as he struggles to deal with mortality, loss, and his limitations as a human. As these ideas develop through the death of Gilgamesh’s friend Enkidu, a central theme around mortality emerges, refines, and develops. During Gilgamesh, readers are shown that one’s acceptance of mortality is important for recovering from a loss, and for accepting the limitations you have as a human.
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.
He overcomes many obstacles to reach this man, some of which no mortal had ventured through before. Finally, when he meets Utnapishtim, Gilgamesh explains his desire to be immortal and his fear of death. Utnapishtim challenges him to "not sleep for six days and seven nights" ("The Epic"). He is determined to complete this challenge and prove to Utnapishtim and himself that he deserves immortality, however "sleep breathes over him like a fog," and he is unable to stay awake ("The Epic"). Eventually he is awoken and thinks he has only been asleep for a few minutes. He is still full of despair confident that death is fast approaching. His journey ends in failure, but also leads to an important epiphany. Even if death itself invokes fear. We know it exists but not where it leads. The mystery of death, leaves fear and sadness to cultivate in the mind of Gilgamesh. Gilgamesh says, "Nobody sees the face of Death. Nobody hears the voice of Death". He goes on, nothing that "death is a picture that cannot be drawn”. This form or force that is death cannot be explained. Gilgamesh believes that something that cannot be heard or seen but that can strike and kill at any moment is something to be feared. Death gives us no clues as to what happens after life. We can only speculate as to how this mysterious element operates. Ultimately, all we know is that the human body decomposes. This grim outlook, this life constantly being empty, leaves Gilgamesh feeling only empty and mournful. But he also discovers that it is better to die happily than live in
The Epic of Gilgamesh. Trans. Benjamin R. Foster. Text. Martin Puncher. New York: W.W and Company, 2013.Print.
In the epic poem Gilgamesh, retelling by Herbert Mason, Gilgamesh goes on a journey to find a way to reserve death for this friends, Enkidu. Through his journey, Gilgamesh experiences different challenges that end up giving him wisdom on the grieving process. Enkidu’s death benefits Gilgamesh, but not in his way Gilgamesh expects. Gilgamesh expects to resurrect Enkidu with the help of Utnapishtim, but instead Gilgamesh gains wisdom about death from his journey.
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. .
---. “The Development and Meaning of the Epic of Gilgamesh: An Interpretive Essay.” Journal of the American Oriental Society 121.4 (2001): 614-622. JSTOR. Web. 28 Feb 2014.
The stories of the hunt for immortality gathered in the Epic of Gilgamesh depict the conflict felt in ancient Sumer. As urbanization swept Mesopotamia, the social status shifted from a nomadic hunting society to that of a static agricultural gathering society. In the midst of this ancient "renaissance", man found his relationship with the sacred uncertain and precarious. The Epic portrays the strife created between ontological nostalgia for a simpler time and the dawn of civilization breaking in the Near East. In this Epic, Gilgamesh is seen trying to achieve immortality through the methods of both the old and the new. His journeys through the sacred and the profane in many ways characterize the confusion arising from the unstable social climate. Therefore, the society, by writing the story of Gilgamesh, guarantees not only his immortality, but the immortality of the new order being established.