Significance of Troy in Iliad and Uruk in Gilgamesh - Research Paper Example

 Significance of Troy in Iliad and Uruk in Gilgamesh Cities or places where the settings of epic novels like The Iliad and Gilgamesh are of significant importance. They act as the backdrop of the entire plot where action will take place and thus, their significance cannot be ignored. Cities like Troy and Uruk are associated with legends or events of the heroic works of Iliad and Gilgamesh, respectively. The heroes came to be known by the names of the cities they belonged to- Gilgamesh of Uruk; Helen of Troy; the Trojan War, Gilgamesh of Uruk etc. are some examples that manifest the significance of cities in the heroic works of ancient times. Homer’s Iliad is fundamental to any study of Troy and the Trojans... the Iliad’s importance for the purpose of the book is twofold. First, it is the earliest surviving literary representation of the Trojans... Secondly, the Iliad had a continuing influence right through to the end of the ancient world. (Erskine, 48) Thus, the history of Troy was preserved in Iliad and its architecture, culture, civilization and wars shape the events and the personalities of the heroic figures in Iliad. ...nor were the trench and the high wall above it, to/ keep the Trojans in check longer. They had built it to protect/ their ships, and had dug the trench all round it that it might/ safeguard both the ships and the rich spoils which they had/ taken, but they had not offered hecatombs to the gods. It had/ been built without the consent of the immortals, and therefore it/ did not last. (Book XII) Troy was built by the sea and was protected by a trench and a fortified wall. This shows the military strength of Troy and it also explicit its ability to attack the enemy from behind its walls. The high walls of the fortress gave an opportunity to assess the strength of the approaching enemy and an easy way to attack it. Moreover, the trench also served as an important defence mechanism to keep the enemy out of the city. Though the military might of Troy seemed invincible, yet it fell because the gods were perhaps not happy with the people. As it was built without paying homage to the gods or the ‘immortals’; therefore, it was bound to be destroyed. It points towards an important religious factor in Iliad that cities can retain life only with the approval of gods. “The lofty towers of wide-extended troy” (36, Book II) could not be saved from burning down to ashes even with all its military strength. This was not the case long before, when “None stands so dear to Jove as sacred Troy” (68, Book IV). Troy was a city that was self sufficient in crops and agriculture. The coastal weather might also be a factor of surplus wheat and grain as mentioned in Book X11 of Iliad: “We hold a/ large estate by the banks of the river Xanthus, fair with orchard/ lawns and wheat-growing land;” (Book XII) The geographical location of Troy was of paramount importance in Iliad because it helped flourish its economy and military strength. It was naturally protected by the sea and it did not have immediate or uncertain threats from neighbouring enemies, as it was surrounded by sea. With no imminent threats of war, Troy prospered in peace and tranquillity. It is a matter of fact that people that enjoy high level of security have better chances of growth; therefore, the economy of Troy thrived and multiplied. “In the old-days the city of Priam was famous the/ whole world over for its wealth of gold and bronze,” (Book XVIII) It was customary for cities to be known by the names of their emperors. Troy became ‘the city of Priam’ and Uruk became ‘the city of Gilgamesh’. This is one of the striking similarities between the two cities- Troy and Uruk. As a centre of culture and civilization, Uruk enjoys a central place in the Epic of Gilgamesh. ... How Uruk claimed its place within the milieu of the ancient Sumerian cultural centres. Innana, the Queen of Heaven and tutelary goddess of that city, brought the arts of civilization to it after numerous adventures. This and other myths, too numerous to discuss, emphasize the unique role of particular ancient cities (Nippur, Ur, Eridu, Uruk) as the setting for the origins, growth, and diffusion of the civilized arts. (Orlin, 172-173) Uruk is described as a centre of culture and civilization. The chief occupations of its people were agriculture and trading. It celebrates its culture in the form of festivals, music and dance. It seems to be a city where people enjoy the freedom to live as they want to be. The city is described with special reference to women and children. Women and children are particularly mentioned to suggest the colourful and festive way of life of the people of Uruk. There was plenty of food, happiness, and a sense of carelessness in the inhabitants of Uruk. Look about, Enkidu, inside Uruk-Haven,/ where the people show off in skirted finery,/ where every day is a day for some festival,/ where the lyre and drum play continually,/ where harlots stand about prettily,/ exuding voluptuousness, full of laughter/ and on the couch of night the sheets are spread .(Gilgamesh, Tablet I) Showing off in ‘skirted-finery’ indicates the dressing sense of the people of Uruk. The civilization of Uruk seems to be very refined. The festivities exhibit the happiness of the people, which comes from strong financial conditions of their city. People that live in sound financial conditions have a taste of fine clothing, music and arts. In this way, Troy and Uruk share thriving economies and fine civilization. Though the festivities as mentioned in Gilgamesh are not found in Homer’s Iliad, yet peace and tranquillity, which are fundamental for sustaining sound economies are shared by both. "If you demand the Bull of Heaven from me,/ there will be seven years of empty husks for the land of Uruk./ Have you collected grain for the people!/Have you made grasses grow for the animals?"/ Ishtar addressed Anu, her father, saying:/ "I have heaped grain in the granaries for the people,/ I made grasses grow for the animals,/ in order that they might eat in the seven years of empty husks./ I have collected grain for the people,/ I have made grasses grow for the animals."(Tablet VI) The city of Uruk had the capacity to save grain for seven years, and survive seven years of empty husks. There is plenty of fodder for the animals to last the next seven years. This shows that the city was planned and run smoothly by the gods. Uruk was a grand city with thriving agriculture and live stock and the life of the people is culturally rich with all its festivities, music and dance. The political conditions of both cities are different from each other. In Gilgamesh, Uruk becomes the platform of an inner war fought between Gilgamesh and Enkidu. “Gilgamesh’s oppression of Uruk and its consequences are described in three stages: an act of oppression... a complaint... and a divine response.” (Tigay, 180) However, in Iliad, two nations come face to face in a battle in Troy. Similarly, the reasons for the respective wars were different from each other. The attitudes and way of life of both cities are different in a sense that the primary focus in Iliad is the war that was burnt the city in the end. Homer describes the bygone grandeur and wealth of the city and the its military might. Gilgamesh gives an account of the lifestyle of common man, harlots, and the royal family. The kinds of lifestyles shown in both epics are entirely different, owing to the wide gap between the political situations and geographical locations. Both heroic works would be incomplete and incomprehensible without understanding the significance and importance of cities in defining their heroes, cultures and civilizations. Work Cited Erskine, Andrew. Troy between Greece and Rome: Local Tradition and Imperial Power. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2003. Print. Homer. The Iliad. (Trans.) Alexander Pope. London: J.Walker, 1813. Web. Maureen Gallery Kovacs (Trans.). The Epic of Gilgamesh. Electronic Edition by Wolf Carnahan, I998. Web. Orlin, Louis. Life and Thought in the Ancient Near East. Michigan: University of Michigan Press, 2007. Print Tigay, Jefferey. The Evolution of the Gilgamesh Epic. IL: Bolchazy-Carducci Publishers, 2002. Print. Read More