Gilgamesh Essay

Humanities
Heather
Idol
11.24.2014
Gilgamesh
       Heroes are those who keep finding fame and good for themselves. They are larger than life. However, at the beginning of their hero journey, many of them have many anti-hero elements in their body. They go through many epic journeys that help them understand that people’s will needs to be controlled and assists them to discover the value of life. There are many examples in many movies and comic books, they have super power, they are growing. They understand people cannot get everything they want. It is the cycle of life. In the ancient Mesopotamia, in the great walled city of Uruk in the epic Gilgamesh, two great heroes, Gilgamesh, the king of Uruk, and Enkidu, who came and stood beside Gilgamesh from the wild both have some anti-hero elements in them, but after several joys and suffering, they grasp the idea of losing and gaining. They start to change. They figure out that you have to abandon something in order to gain more. They finally become true heroes. Enkidu abandons his wild life and learns how to be a human. Gilgamesh abandons his will for fame and immortality and learns how to enjoy his life.

       The true cycle of life is you have to abandon something you used to have in order to gain more new valuable things, people will never against this law. Enkidu learns about the rule and cycle of life. In “Gilgamesh”, Enkidu grows up in the wild. He lives with those animals, he eats grass with gazelles, and when he is thirsty, he drinks clear water from the water holes. (P76) This is his original life, he lives like this for a very long time of his life, kind and peaceful, but in the book, a trapper saw the wild Enkidu, he told Gilgamesh about Enkidu, Gilgamesh also dreamed about him, so he said to the trapper “Go to the temple of Ishtar, ask them for a woman named Shamhat, one of the priestesses who give their bodies to any man.” (P77)He decided to use this way to get Enkidu out of wildness. “The gazelles saw him and scattered, the antelope and deer bounded away”(P79) He cannot be with those animals anymore, so he has to follow Shamhat to the kingdom of Uruk and starts another fantastic new life in humans’ world, he becomes the friend of Gilgamesh, he stands beside him, he has the same power as Gilgamesh, he lives in the greatest part the city of Uruk. He abandons his wild life and starts his new life in human’s world.

       Gilgamesh also learns about the cycle of life. In Book III, Gilgamesh decides to kill Humbaba in the Cedar Forest in order to get the wood to build a temple and at the same time to build his fame. Humbaba cursed them “I cursed you both. Because you have done this, may Enkidu die, may he die in great pain, may Gilgamesh be inconsolable, and may his merciless heart be crushed with grief.”(P127) Gilgamesh killed Humbaba. Enkidu does die. Gilgamesh loses his friend and all chance at living his life.

       At last, Gilgamesh wants to be immortal, because he is still selfish, he leaves his everything, he leaves his city and his people. “I could find the one man whom gods made immortal, I would ask him how to overcome death.” (P159) He travels a long way to find the god who creates immortal, but he failed. Shiduri told Gilgamesh about one important rule of life. “Humans are born, they live, then they die, this is the order that gods have decreed. But until the end comes, enjoy your life, spend it in happiness, and not despair. Savor your food, make each of your days a delight, bathe and anoint yourself, wear bright clothes that are sparkling clean, let music and dancing fill your house, love the child who holds you by the hand, and give your wife pleasure in your embrace. That is the best way for a man to live.” (P168)But he is still losing, after having the test by Utnapishtim. He loses all his hope, that is also what has to go through. Gilgamesh finally understand the meaning of life and learns how to enjoy his life, after heading back to the city of Uruk, Gilgamesh tells the city of Uruk with his truly passion. He regains his view of his life, regains his city of Uruk, he sees his great buildings again, he sees his people at last.