The Epic of Gilgamesh - Assignment Example

World Civilization The epic of Gilgamesh is an extended narrative poem, which, on the bigger scale, is based on the manners of heroes and warriors. The epics mostly bear significance on a national basis as they are embodied in the history of any country or nation in a grandiose or lofty way. The basic epic is primitive or oral, such as Gilgamesh’s epic. The secondary epics include literary or written ones, such as The Aeneid. The Epic of Gilgamesh dates back to 2150-2000 BC and before that there were only two huge Indian epics called the Ramayana and Mahabharata, which date back to 1000-800 BC. There were also two epics of Greeks titled as ‘The Odyssey’ and ‘The Iliad’ as of 900-700 BC, which are older than epic of Gilgamesh (Campbell, 1949). The epic of Gilgamesh dwells on the difference between an animal, a man, and a god. Gilgamesh is both a god and a man. Enkidu is also a man and a god and this is the tale of these two becoming humans as they travel together. Utnapishtim is also called Noah as per the Hebraic myth. He is considered the immortal. Gilgamesh is indeed the hero of the epic. Enkidu is not only an advisor to Gilgamesh but also his friend and also referred to as Hercules in the greek legendary past. The huge massive monster is Humbaba. The story is about the cycle of a hero’s life based on initiation, departure, and return. It is based on Joseph Campbell’s idea of four functions of the heroic cycle. The traits that make a person a hero are to fight against one’s fear, quest for eternal life, facing death, and a lot of suffering dealt with wisdom (Campbell, 1949). Gilgamesh in the epic itself is one-third man and two-thirds god. Gilgamesh is a hero in the epic who is a brave person, beautiful as well and also horrifying as compared to most of us people. Hid attributes, achievements, and desires symbolize our own ambitions and feelings. But, he is mortal too and also must see and experience death like us. The philosophy is that this legend of Gilgamesh is 1/3rds mortal and 2/3rds divine. His huge emotional intelligence and power is great but tyrannize the people of his time. People of that time used to call the gods, the leading god called sky-god Anu is the god of the city. The wild man is known as Enkidu with adequate power to match that of Gilgamesh. Ultimately, the fight between two people makes any of them never succeed. The animosity turned into mutual respect in the end and long-lasting relationship (Campbell, 1949). Now the two newly met friends set on an adventure with each other but finally, the gods were able to murder Enkidu. Gilgamesh seriously weeps for the loss of his friend and a realization struck him that he will soon die too. Therefore, he came to know about Utnapishtim- the immortal. The only global food survivor is called Utnapishtim. Subsequently, Gilgamesh goes all across sea to go for his friend Utnapishtim, who talks about his extraordinary life adventures. The Flood of Gilgamesh is also called Utnapishtim’s flood. When the council of gods came up with the idea to devastate the mankind, the god who created man called ‘Ea’ warned against Shuruppak to Utnapishtim. Shuruppak was a town near Euphrates bank and instructed about the huge boat (Campbell, 1949). This Epic of Gilgamesh is the tale of the King Gilgamesh in Uruk who dominates the people of his town. As a sentence, the god gives him a friend known as Enkidu who became a good friend and a shadow of King Gilgamesh. When they both sets on an adventure together, Enkidu and Gilgamesh challenge the gods by murdering the huge Humbaba, also cutting the blessed forest of cedar which he protected, and killed the Bull of Heaven. The frightening dreams of tyrants’ destiny were seen by Enkidu and then these tyrants became slaves of House of Death. Finally, Enkidu dies because of sickness of gods. Devastated by the death of Enkidu and also perspective of his own death, a quest for the power of immortality was undertaken by Gilgamesh which brought him to Utnapishtim’s residence. Utnapishtim was a righteous man who obeys all the orders of the gods and then god protected him from the Great Flood. Gilgamesh was put to various tests by Utnapishtim and then finally was sent away, assured that demise cannot be escaped. A modest Gilgamesh comes back to Uruk and then asks that his story be adorned in a stone (Gilgamesh, 2004). There were several gods of the Epic of Gilgamesh. These include Anu who is the father of the gods, called the ‘heaven’- sky god; Anunnaki is the god or gods if Earth and Aururu, also called Ninhursaga who is womb goddess or the mother goddess, known as midwife of gods. The god of storm and wind is called Enlil or Ellil. The wisdom god and god of waters is Ea or Enki. The underworld goddess is called Ereshkigal. Gilgamesh is the king of Uruk and Lugalbanda’sand goddess Ninsun’s son. The heavenly gods were called Igigi. The fiend protector of forest of cedar was called Huwawa and Humbaba. The goddess of fertility, love, and battle is called Ishtar or Inanna or Irnini or Ishhara. Gilgamesh’s father Lugalbanda was not only a king but a warrior and fighter as well. Ereshkigal’s messenger is called Namtar who is the ‘cutter of fate’. The plague and war god, or god of underworld god, also called ‘Prowls by Night’ was known as Nergal. Gilgamesh’s mother called Ninsun was the queen and another name was ‘great wild cow’. A lawgiver or god sun is called Utu or Shamash. The veiled, Ishtar’s manifestation is the ‘barmaid’ known as Siduri. The vegetation god and ishtar’s lober was Dumuzi (Adonis, or Tammuz) and the god who was able to survive the dangerous flood and most favored of all the gods was none other than Ut-napishtim (Gilgamesh, 2004). The ancient Gilgamesh portrays two women who are conveyers of wisdom and learning. The first woman is Priestess Shamhat who is given to Enkidu. This was done to her because she went into the wilderness where she took off her robe and laid there nude for seven days and Enkidu was all erect the whole time and he had sex with her. This act of love made Enkidu a man and breaks the barriers of the uncivilized and formerly inhabited world he lived in. This marked the starting of a civilization. Civilization prospers to ‘hygiene’, ‘human food’, and also ‘responsibility by civic endorsements.’ The priestess brought Enkidu to a domestic life and he became known of the things he wouldn’t have as an animal. Shamhat is a compassionate goddess that brought civilization and knowledge to this great hero to prepare him for future trials (Gilgamesh, 2004). Another important woman figure in Gilgamesh epic was Shiduri. Shiduri encountered Gilgamesh on his quest for Enkidu upon his death. This was the time when Gilgamesh was looking towards immortality. Uruk’s King elucidates himself and his motive of journey and judgments were questioned by Shiduri and then he explains it better to her. She was the one encouraging him to take all his grief away and enjoy the things he has in his life. Or else, Gilgamesh was trying to die. Gilgamesh’s mother was described earlier in this text. Different aspect of all figures of goddess is presented in the epic as different roles are played by different goddess. The perilous and treacherous side of a goddess life is depicted by the very devastating goddess Ishtar who is shown in an inconsistent manner (Campbell, 1949). Works Cited Campbell, Joseph.  The Hero with a Thousand Faces.  Princeton, New Jersey: Princeton University Press, 1949. Print. Gilgamesh.  Trans. Mitchell, Stephen.  New York: Free Press, 2004. Print. Read More