Gilgamesh And The Cannibal Spell For King Unis Analysis

As a natural phenomena that occurs frequently yet is still not completely understood, death has confounded and, to a certain degree, fascinated all of humanity. Since the dawn of our species, people have tried rationalize death by means of creating various religions and even attempted to conquer death, leading to great works of literature such as the Epic of Gilgamesh and the Cannibal Spell For King Unis.

Considered one of the earliest great pieces of literature, the Epic of Gilgamesh tells an adventurous yet profound tale about the god like king of Uruk, Gilgamesh, and his quest to find immortality. While his name now lives on through the Epic, Gilgamesh did not attain eternal life as the plant of immortality was stolen from him by a snake.

The text paints a gory picture of King Unis rising into the heavens only to start devouring the stars, which represent gods. As the unlucky deities fall victim to Unis’s ravenous appetite, their powers are absorbed by Unis, while the deities themselves fade from existence. This interpretation of life and the greater existence of mankind are virtually at polar opposites compared to Mesopotamian beliefs. In lieu of endless existence in the afterlife for all, there is only the void of nothingness for those who get in the way of King

Originally intended for oral telling, the Epic of Gilgamesh contains multiple areas of litany to allow the speaker more time to remember the story. The repeats, however, could also demonstrate that what humans perceive as the linear stream of life is really a cycle. Certain phrases such as “Trust not, Gilgamesh, in your strength alone” or “Let Enkidu walk before you” reappear in another paragraph with slight variations (115). Some reiterations happen within the same paragraph, such as “At the bull’s snort, a pit opened up… At its second snort, a pit opened up” and “When he [Gilgamesh] had gone one double hour… when he had gone two double hours…” (126, 136). Occurring around when Gilgamesh is facing danger or the unknown, closer repetitions can serve to add an air of drama and drive the story forward by emphasizing the cyclical nature of a hero’s life of fighting, beast after beast, and of existence in