Lessons Learned From the Epic of Gilgamesh Essay - 1448 Words

The Epic of Gilgamesh, a Mesopotamian epic poem with no known author, is the story of the brute King of Uruk, Gilgamesh, who was two-thirds divine and one-third human, which teaches readers the unstoppable force of death, the wrath of the gods, and also the power of friendship, which are illustrated to readers through the characters journeys, and those encountered along the way. The poem, which is divided into twelve tablets, starts off with Gilgamesh being a vicious tyrant, one who â€Å"would leave no son to his father†¦ no girl to her mother†(Gilgamesh 101), and as for newly married couples â€Å"was to join with the girl that night†(Gilgamesh 109) transitions to by the end of the story an entirely new man. One of the main†¦show more content†¦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 Utna pishtim, 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. Another theme that is also present in The Epic of Gilgamesh is theShow MoreRelatedThe Epic Of Gilgamesh : Gilgamesh1013 Words   |  5 Pages Gilgamesh in 2015 Even though the epic Gilgamesh is thousands of years old, it is still read today. Why would the era of technology read an epic this old? This is because the themes in Gilgamesh are still relevant. In addition, the themes are experiences that Gilgamesh went through in his life period, and serve as lessons for the current readers. Gilgamesh’s themes include journey, legacy, love, and death. These themes make Gilgamesh a vital reading for the 21st century citizens because peopleRead MoreThe Epic Of Gilgamesh And The Odyssey1636 Words   |  7 PagesThe Epic of Gilgamesh and the Odysseus both are poems that have since early times been viewed as stories that teach the reader valuable life lessons, almost like a self-help book in today’s society. They both teach a lot of the same general lessons but there are some key similarities and differences throughout both works. Such as perseverance, and the inevitability of death are both lessons that are taught in each poem but the y are presented to the reader through different interpretations. In theRead MoreSundiata Essay971 Words   |  4 Pages Epics Sundiata was written in Africa. Gilgamesh was the oldest one written. Other works include the Iliad and the Odyssey, which were written by the blind prophet Homer. What do all these works of literature have in common with each other? The similarity that all these works of literature have is that they are all epics. What does this mean? What is an epic? The definition of an epic is that an epic is a long, narrative poem with a hero that goes on a quest. What is the hero? Well, the characteristicsRead Moreâ€Å"by the Waters of Babylon† vs Epic of Gilgamesh. Essay632 Words   |  3 Pagesâ€Å"By the waters of Babylon† Vs Epic of Gilgamesh. A lot of stories concerning religions and cultures have lot of similarities and differences, despite the fact that they are not from the same era of time. Humans used these stories and writings to express their culture and religious views. â€Å"By the Waters of Babylon† is very similar to the writings of the Mesopotamian writings in The Epic of Gilgamesh more specificlay â€Å"The story of the flood† and â€Å"The Return†. These similarities include manyRead MoreEpic of Gilgamesh Essay915 Words   |  4 PagesThe Epic of Gilgamesh is one of earliest known pieces of literature. Through years of storytelling and translation, The Epic of Gilgamesh became a timeless classic. This story is believed to have originated from Sumerian poems and legends about the king of Uruk, Gilgamesh. Throughout the epic, many themes arose about women, love, and journeys and the one I would like to discuss is the theme of death. Also, I will discuss if Gilgamesh accepts moral ity at the end of the story and the development ofRead MoreThe Epic Of Gilgamesh : King Of Uruk1332 Words   |  6 PagesIn the verse narrative The Epic of Gilgamesh the principal character Gilgamesh, King of Uruk, is described as an entity that is two-thirds god and one-third man. Gilgamesh is a hero/protagonist who exhibits many more human features than divine features. This makes him a flawed hero because all humans are flawed. He is even described in human terms. â€Å"A perfect physical specimen, gifted athlete and sex machine† [Davis p.154]. His primary flaws are pride and arrogance with his pursuit for immortalityRead MoreAnalysis Of The Epic Of Gilgamesh 1596 Words   |  7 PagesChristina Moore July 23, 2015 In the verse narrative The Epic of Gilgamesh the principal character Gilgamesh, King of Uruk, is described as a being that is two-thirds god and one-third man. Gilgamesh is a hero/protagonist who exhibits many more human features than divine features. This makes him a flawed hero because all humans are flawed. The Epic of Gilgamesh is the same type of story that is seen in the Old Testament. The story itself was found on stone tablets, written in the same time periodRead MoreElements Of The Epic Of Gilgamesh918 Words   |  4 PagesThe epic hero has been part of world literature since time immemorial. Epic tales have contained within them, various elements that have helped define the genre. These tropes have existed at least since the writing of the ancient Mesopotamian text, The Epic of Gigamesh. These vital characteristics transcend region, as they have been employed in the literature of disparate parts of the world. These elements can be seen the Old English tale of Beowulf, a s well as in the ancient Indian epic The RamayanaRead MoreGilgamesh And The Epic Of Gilgamesh988 Words   |  4 PagesThe 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. As the epic starts, Gilgamesh is portrayed as a self-centered, self-admiring leader who believes that he is the only individual that can lead the city of Uruk. Gilgamesh believes that he is a god-like figure and often refersRead MoreReview Of The Epic Of Gilgamesh 1301 Words   |  6 Pagesthe protagonist s separation from his or her daily life. The next stage is the , threshold stage. After threshold is initiation or loss and the final stages are, the ultimate boon and return. Within every quest, there is also some lesson to be learned by the protagonist. The Epic of Gilgamesh, a story written thousands of years ago by the ancient Sumerians, follows the same archetypes as any modern day quest story. Gilgamesh begins his quest when he is separated from his normal life in Uruk and meets