Gilgamesh: A Man's Conflict

Whether it was making decisions for Uruk or helping Gilgamesh throughout his journey the gods were always there for him. As a result, Gilgamesh's birth is an aspect of him becoming a hero. The text states, “Gilgamesh was the renowned king of the city of Uruk. To his people, Gilgamesh was a tyrant who became a great hero” (175). In other words, Gilgamesh is known to become the king of Uruk.

Still Gilgamesh felt no despair; he lived to display his majestic power to others. From the beginning, a powerful link developed between man and woman. The people of Uruk were tired of Gilgamesh’s arrogance and ruthlessness. They cried out to the gods who then appealed to higher gods such as the creator goddess Aruru. They asked her to “create his (Gilgamesh) equal; let it be as like him as his own reflection, his second self, stormy heart for stormy heart.

As the song states, “He was adventurer most famous, far and wide through the nations, for deed of courage – he had prospered from that before, the protector of warriors – after the war-making of Heremod had come to an end, his strength and his courage” (38). The final piece which comprises the Anglo-Saxon hero is the notion of fame. The only after life a warrior could ever aspire to have was immortality through fame. One again this is explained by the introduction to the story, “Beowulf’s chief reward is pagan immortality the memory in the minds of later generations of a hero’s heroic actions” (24-25). By understanding what defines a hero it is a simple matter to comprehend why Beowulf is considered by some to be the greatest of all.

Every battle has a man who stands out at the forefront and shines above the rest. During these two time periods there stood two great men: Gilgamesh, the selfish, lustful king, and Beowulf the proud and boastful warrior. These two men, both powerful and well-respected, embody the true essence of what it means to be an epic hero. Gilgamesh’s lifestyle and rash decisions make him the perfect candidate for a life lesson by the gods. Beowulf and his boastful nature ultimately lead him to be great in life and to later fall.

For Achilles, his tragic flaw would be the fact that he is proud and gets enraged easily; and he lets it consume him. Homer states in The Iliad, “But any men he saw retreating fro... ... middle of paper ... ...oesn’t go on an epic journey, he is a great king and he endures an epic battle; he is also the face of unity and peace. All of these heroes are epic for their own reasons, yet some are more epic than others. Works Cited Galvin, Rachel. "The imprint of immortality."

Gilgamesh’s “arrogance has no bounds by day or night” (62). Even though he is created by the Gods to be perfect, he misuses his powers and gifts for his own earthly pleasure. He has sexual intercourse with all the virgins of his city even if they are already engaged. Through all Gilgamesh’s imperfections and faults, he learns to change his amoral personality. The friendship of Enkidu helped to change his ways, for only Enkidu, who “is the strongest of wild creatures,” (66) is a match for Gilgamesh.

New York & London: W.W. Norton & Company, 2004. Print.

The irony of the story is that Gilgamesh, who wanted to enjoy immortality, actually achieves his dream. Thousands of years after his death, he and Enkidu live through the story of their adventures, which has been passed down through time. Gilgamesh and Enkidu will be kept in an immortal state for however long The Epic of Gilgamesh is told.

Although he does not realize this at the time, Gilgamesh has an opportuni... ... middle of paper ... ...and killed the Bull of Heaven and overthrew Humbaba, the brother whom I loved, the end of mortality has overtaken him…because of my brother I am afraid of death…how shall I find eternal life?” Despite Gilgamesh’s efforts to find this life of eternity, he too dies towards the end of his journey. It is through this story that one realizes that all of the choices we make within this life are ours and ours alone. We are given this freedom in hopes that our intentions are humble, honest, and true. Gilgamesh enters this journey with selfish, material intentions. After meeting Enkidu, he transforms into the light of honest and true choices.

In a world where most rarely left their villages and were always under the shadow of debt, famine, and conquest, Gaius Julius Caesar was privileged. Throughout Caesar’s life, he effectively displayed great political and military skill and an undeniable ability to use propaganda to promote himself. Despite his overconfidence and great abilities, he was blind to any threats posed by the Senate. Caesar had come to believe that he was invincible. The senators had become increasingly tired of Caesar’s arrogance and was determined to put a stop to his rule.