Azra Sabovic Final Draft There are two main characters, Gilgamesh and Agamemnon, who share some of the same values, while contradicting in others. Gilgamesh, as two-thirds a god and one-third a men, has taken upon journey in look for the eternal life, wile fighting with his conscience. Agamemnon, commander-in-chief of the Greek army, attacked Troy with the motif of revenge for his brothers honor, having different conscience and laws around him, which developed certain actions. Initially in the story, Gilgamesh is living the life as a God. He is famous among the people for being powerful and no one could ever stand up to him. The people are also grateful that Gilgamesh is the one "who opened passes through mountains; and who dug deep walls …show more content…
This is strengthen after seeing his best friend dying with a "worm drop out of Enkidu's nose" (Ferry 63), which brought motivation to searching for eternity. Additionally, Gilgamesh wanted to go to a quest because he enjoyed the fame he had in the city, and feeling powerful over everyone else, "It is Gilgamesh who will venture into the Forest, and cut the Cedar down and win the glory" (Ferry 17). Besides, even if Gilgamesh falls, his fame is guaranteed, "If I should fall, my fame will be secured" (Ferry 17). This proves that Gilgamesh did not care if he would die, as long as his name stays imprinted in peoples mind, or better yet, history. Although he has built the city providing to people a …show more content…
Gilgamesh's decision on going to quest affected a wild man Enkidu. In their trip, Enkidu followed him and encouraged him to not be scared of all the creatures that have gotten in his way. Gilgamesh, although strong, was scared in the fights against the demon Huwawa, and Bull of Heaven. He would cry and hide himself, sometimes even weep. In each situation, instead of being like Gilgamesh, Enkidu had quick mind and knew what he had to do, which is show Gilgamesh he was not alone, "Two people, companions, they can prevail together against the terror" (Ferry 26). This is showing that Enkidu had more bravery than Gilgamesh, and although not his quest, did not run away from the challenges. Furthermore, when the Gods were deciding who to punish for the deeds, they have chosen Enkidu, where Gilgamesh had nothing to say in order to save him. The sun God Shamash has tried to save him because Enkidu was compressed into this trip. Initially, the mother of Gilgamesh Rimat-Ninsun, just before the trip has hit the biggest weakness of Enkidu, "Enkidu has neither father nor mother;" (Ferry 13). This proves the fact that Enkidu had no choice but to feel worthless and, therefore, go to this dangerous trip. He just accepted the guilt of Enkidu as if it was fair. This is unfair because these were Gilgamesh's quests, and he was just following his wishes. Although there is a prevalent repetition of how Gilgamesh suffers for his
While Gilgamesh was a hero thought to be more beautiful, more courageous, more terrifying than all of the people of Uruk. Even though his desires, attributes, and accomplishments were just as there’s, he was still mortal.
In the Epic of Gilgamesh it states this, “...Enkidu dies. For the first time, Gilgamesh is faced with a situation he cannot control. He also experiences, for the first time, the human emotions of grief and fear…” this portrays it was because of Enkidu’s death that Gilgamesh came to meet grief and fear; feelings he had not yet known before because he had always won, and got everything he had wanted. Another example of this is when he was talking to Siduri and exclaims, “...Enkidu my brother, whom I loved, the end of mortality has overtaken him. I wept for him seven days and nights till the worm fastened on him. Because of my brother I am afraid of death, because of my brother I stray through the wilderness and cannot rest…” Both
part of the story. Gilgamesh appears very impressive because of his great size and stately
Often, literature is based on several heroes and their adventures. Most especially, the epic stories symbolize different countries, nations, and cultures. The authors usually shape the characteristics of these stars and profile their unique techniques of writing as well as their imaginative power. Gilgamesh is one of the most known heroes, whose character was developed in the famous “Epic of Gilgamesh” as the strongest of men, a fair judge, a brave warrior, and an ambitious builder who built the magnificent walls of Uruk to protect its people. On the other hand, there are some undesirable characteristics that he possesses such as selfishness, and arrogance mostly brought about by the fact that he is part human and part god. He is characterized
Gilgamesh is known for his strong friendship with Enkidu. When Enkidu passed, it was as if his entire world fell apart because now he too was looking mortality in the face and he was scared. “How can I rest, how can I be at peace? What my brother is that shall I be when I’m dead.” It was hard to confront the future of his own demise without Enkidu, but when Gilgamesh conquered that inner fear it made him stronger. Much like a flower bud trying to bloom it must too encounter the harsh elements of nature but when it survives it will be stronger than
Gilgamesh, feeling the fear of his own mortality, sets out on a journey to search for a way to preserve himself. Although the journey that he endures is much larger than life, Gilgamesh comes to realize that he can never achieve immortality. Before the creation of Enkidu, Gilgamesh is a man without an equal match. He is an individual with overwhelming power, and it is because of this that makes Gilgamesh a very arrogant person.
In the epic poem Gilgamesh, King Gilgamesh goes on a humbling journey that helps him develop his flawed character. Gilgamesh develops a homosocial relationship as he travels alongside Enkidu. However, after Enkidu’s passing, he grows a fear of death, and goes on another quest seeking the answer to immortality. Gilgamesh’s desire for immortality quickly becomes more of an obsession once he realizes he is still human. Through the use of repetition and imagery, the poem shows that Gilgamesh’s need to be remembered soon becomes less of an obsession, as he begins to accept that he is a mortal but finds a legacy to leave behind through his city, Uruk.
The main character in the book The Epic of Gilgamesh, is Gilgamesh himself. In the beginning of the book one realizes that Gilgamesh is an arrogant person. Gilgamesh is full of himself and abuses his rights as king. He has sexual intercourse with the virgins of his town and acts as though he is a god. Throughout the story, many things cause Gilgamesh to change. He gains a friend, he makes a name for himself by killing Humbaba, and he tries to become immortal because of the death of Enkidu. Through these main actions his personality changes and he becomes a better person.
The first sign of a sincere change in Gilgamesh arises as a result of the birth of Enkidu. From the beginning, a powerful link developed between Gilgamesh and Enkidu. The bond was as powerful as that between man and woman. The wise Ni...
The Epic of Gilgamesh is the greatest text of Mesopotamia and one of the earliest pieces of world literature. Gilgamesh quest for immortality explores human concerns about death, friendship, nature, civilization, power, violence, travel adventures, homecoming, love and sexuality. (pg. 95) “The Gilgamesh of the epic is an awe-inspiring, sparkling hero, but at first also the epitome of a bad ruler: arrogant, oppressive, and brutal.” (pg.96) Gilgamesh is 2/3 god because of his superhuman strength and endurance; he is 1/3 human because of his mortality. His epitome of a bad ruler will cause the gods to give consequences to his actions.
In the epic of Gilgamesh, there are many complex characters. Every character involved in the story has their own personality and traits.
Before the coming of Enkidu, Gilgamesh was a man of great power. A being for which there was no equal match, Gilgamesh boasted about his overwhelming glory and power. However, his arrogance was accompanied with an extensive abuse of power, which pushed the city of Uruk into a state of rage. Still Gilgamesh felt no despair; he lived to display to others his majestic power. The first sign of a sincere change in Gilgamesh arises as a result of the birth of Enkidu. From the beginning, a powerful link developed between man and woman. The wise Ninsun said to Gilgamesh,"You will love him as a woman and he will never forsake you". Gilgamesh had finally met his match, a friend that would serve as his life-long companion. Upon the seal of this great friendship, Gilgamesh began to change his selfish ways. Nevertheless, he shared with Enkidu the luxuries of kindness. Setting aside his great pride and power, Gilgamesh had opened a place in his heart, and in his sumptuous life, for his beloved brother.
The Epic of Gilgamesh and The Odyssey both are held in high respect by literature analysts and historians alike for the characterization of the hero and his companion, the imagery brought to mind when one of them is read, and the impressive length in relation to the time period it was written in. The similarities that these two epics share do not end with only those three; in fact, the comparability of these works extend to even the information on the author and the archetypes used. However, The Odyssey and The Epic of Gilgamesh contrast from one another in their writing styles, character details, and main ideas. Both epics weave together a story of a lost man who must find his way, but the path of their stories contrast from one another.
The story of Gilgamesh seems to be a collection of trials and tribulation. Throughout the book, you watch characters battle demons with each other, as well as within themselves. The tantalizing temptations that fill each character, ultimately leads to destruction and death. One example was the relationship between Ishtar and Gilgamesh. Both characters display a type of arrogant, 'ego-consciousness' (Neumann 63) that inevitably leads to subversive fate.
Gilgamesh was two thirds of a god who possessed beauty, a gorgeous body, and great amounts of courage and strength that surpassed all other humans. His greatness was established through the wonderful walls he built around Uruk, a rampart, and a temple for Anu and Ishtar (Gilgamesh & Sandars, 61). Enkidu on the other hand was initially an uncivilized man created by the goddess of creation, Aruru. His appearance was strictly barbaric with his long hair and hairy body, whose innocent mind knew nothing of a civilized human culture (Gilgamesh et al., 62). He ate grass and lived among the other animals in the woods until a trapper spotted him while trying to catch his game and noted to his father that he “was the strongest man in the world [and] is like an immortal from heaven” (Gilgamesh et al., 62). The trapper indicated his feeling of inferiority to Enkidu in the woods as he says he is afraid of him. One could say that Enkidu rules the woods of the uncivilized just as Gilgamesh rules over the city of Uruk; over the civilized. Both men are characterized as powerful, strong men in their domain yet Gilgamesh is in fact stronger and more powerful than his brother, Enkidu whom he calls his servant, fore he is the king of Uruk and is two thirds god. Enkidu also dies halfway through the adventure the two have while Gilgamesh, who is afraid of death, goes on to find a way to live immortally. Though inferior to his king brother, Enkidu completes the other half of Gilgamesh: while Gilgamesh knows the ins and outs of the city he rules, he is not familiar with the woods or nature in the ways that Enkidu is. Though they are different from each other, they both hold parallels with one another by bringing out the best in each other, thus reasonabl...