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love as a motivational force in gilgamesh
the theme of love in gilgamesh
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At an early point in history, The Epic of Gilgamesh and the story of Genesis were two texts that set the framework of the entire world. They were two epics that established the foundations of religion, literature, and all other standards that were followed by every category of people. Both texts entice the audience through antique language, and the stories of epic heroes and immortal gods. Sin-Leqi-Unninni and the many writers of the Bible use love as their central theme, yet it unfolds as having distinguishing effects on all characters throughout both texts. In The Epic of Gilgamesh, the author conveys love as a motivational factor for helping Gilgamesh and other characters transition into better individuals, whereas in the Old Testament, individuals do harm upon others in the name of love in order to follow what is morally correct based on the religious standard.
In The Epic of Gilgamesh, Sin-Leqi Unninni does a magnificent job in conveying how all figures are inspired by the act of love. Enkindu is evidence of someone being manipulated and easily convinced by love. His love for the temple prostitute leads him to fall for the temptations that Uruk provides, and instigates his first experience of initial hate for Gilgamesh. Despite striking him with a feeling of hate, the love for the temple prostitute gives Enkindu the willpower to walk into Uruk and challenge Gilgamesh for power over the town. After competing on the Uruk battleground, the two gigantic men forget their desire for power but rather get entangled in a twisted erotic love. It is through their love that they aspire to beat Humbaba, god of the cedar forest. Enkindu provokes Gilgamesh to transition from a selfish and power-driven figure, to a more enlighten...
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...nother as did Jacob and his brother Esau along with Joseph and his brothers. Enkindu and Gilgamesh embraced the stench of competition to bring them closer rather than draw them apart as did the figures in the bible.
Despite being written in the same proximity of time, The Epic of Gilgamesh and Genesis of the Old Testament are based on the same ideas but are distinguishing in their overall morals. The Epic of Gilgamesh portrays love as a force that brings loved ones closer together in order to overcome the power of immortal gods, whereas, Genesis portrays love as not a strength, but rather a weakness that sets loved ones apart because of an immortal god influencing them. Sin Leqi Unninni is an advocate of love contributing to the good of individuals where the authors of the Bible are more influenced by religion, even if it means overlooking the love for others.
Gilgamesh is not only a character of a story; he is actually a portrayal of people and how they act out of human nature. He, like many of us, does not want his existence to end when he leaves this world. He is not content with what he has, good looks, money, and power, and desires more in life. The Epic of Gilgamesh is a story that we, as people, can relate to. There are similarities between Gilgamesh’s journey and our own journey through life. Some of the texts that will be compared with The Epic of Gilgamesh, are the Bible, and Mark Twain's The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn. The characters of these stories are all have that burning desire to be successful in life, which we can relate to. These texts span across different time periods and societies illustrating how human nature, particularly the desire to obtain more than one possesses, plays a significant role throughout written and present human history.
The "Epic of Gilgamesh," is told by mouth up until the time the author recorded it on paper. His original purpose of recording the story is to keep the characters immortal. The book of Genesis is recorded by a Hebrew from the telling of God to immortalize a religion whereas "The Epic of Gilgamesh" is told in words to immortalize a hero. The story is told with pride and bravado. The Hebrew writer of Genesis uses an old formal tone to tell the story of Adam and Eve to remind the reader that it is history and man's origin. Both Enkidu and Adam fail to live forever in body. Yet, they forever are remembered by their roles in shaping the lives of other men.
Ancient world literature and early civilization stories are mostly centered on human’s relationship with higher beings. Ancient civilizations were extremely religious, holding the belief that their very lives were in the hands of their almighty god or goddess. This holds true for both the people of biblical times as well as those of the epic era. However, their stories have some differences according to cultural variation but the main structure, ideas, and themes are generally found correlative. It is hard to believe that one work did not affect the others. The first great heroic epic poem of Gilgamesh and the Old Testament are parts of two cultures that are hundreds of years apart. Whereas Gilgamesh is a myth and the book of Genesis is the basis of many religions, they both have notably similar accounts of symbols, motifs, meaningful events according to the relationship between the divine and humans in literature.
...e Hebrew religious text of genesis when Adam and Eve learn of temptation or original sin. The actual wrath of Ate appears physical in both texts. In the Greek text Agamemnon “evil heart” is mentioned. Genesis shows the repercussions of Ate as naked bodies. The Greek text shows the body with little or no unity, while the Hebrew text depicts the body as, a whole. The presence of Ate in each text is for different reasons. The Iliad show the importance of honor and Genesis shows the importance of faith. The great power of Ate arises in different situations in the two texts due to the purpose of the text and the culture in which it was written. In both we see that this force is to be harnessed. This lesson of controlling anger, blind rage, and delusion is relevant in all cultures. The presence of religion and government in today’s culture attempts to harness this Ate.
The Epic of Gilgamesh has many similarities to the Bible, especially in Genesis and it’s not just that the both begin with the letter “g”’! One major similarity being the flood story that is told in both works. The two stories are very similar but also very different. Another being the use of serpents in both works and how they represent the same thing. A third similarity being the power of God or gods and the influence they have on the people of the stories. Within these similarities there are also differences that need to be pointed out as well.
The ancient Mesopotamian writing, The Epic of Gilgamesh, gives readers insight into the traditions and customs of the people who wrote it. Like all epics, The Epic of Gilgamesh is the story of a heroic national figure: this epic gives the story of the life of Gilgamesh from his birth as two-thirds god, one-third man to his death. Throughout the epic the importance of loyalty is addressed. In The Epic of Gilgamesh readers see that loyalty is the most important aspect of a Mesopotamian relationship and that there are always consequences for violating trust.
As human beings, we are designed to belive in something. Although the belief in a higher power or religion is diverse, many theologies share common themes. “The Epic of Gilgamesh” and the Hebrew book of “Genesis” are seemingly polar opposites. Christianity, demonstrated in Genesis, is monotheistic, and the Hebrews base their faith on their relationship with God. On the other hand, Sumerian philosophy, found in Gilgamesh, is polytheistic, and the Sumerian people base their theology on fear. Ancient polytheistic literature forms an archetypical pattern of the mortals trying desperately to please the gods. A mortal’s entire existence rests in the hands of the sometimes childish gods. In spite of this, these two stories
The tale of Gilgamesh is an ancient Mesopotamia poem that is considered to be the oldest surviving piece of literature. It is an epic tale about a demigod known as Gilgamesh, King of Uruk, and his close friend, Enkidu, a wild man who was originally created by the gods to fight against Gilgamesh and to stop him from mistreating the people of Uruk. Gilgamesh and Enkidu are depicted as strong and powerful male characters who go on epic journeys, face great battles, and suffer great hardships. Their epic tale and characteristics can be seen as in-depth and admirable, and this creates an interesting tale to be read, but the tale is mainly male-centric and the females depicted in it, are hard to find admirable
Perhaps one of the main reasons the Epic of Gilgamesh is so popular and has lasted such a long time, is because it offers insight into the human concerns of people four thousand years ago, many of which are still relevant today. Some of these human concerns found in the book that are still applicable today include: the fear and concerns people have in relation to death, overwhelming desires to be immortal, and the impact a friendship has on a person’s life. It does not take a great deal of insight into The Epic of Gilgamesh for a person to locate these themes in the story, and even less introspection to relate to them.
The “Epic of Gilgamesh” is a historic story of the king of Uruk, Gilgamesh. The story portrays the short lived friendship of Gilgamesh and Enkidu. The story begins as Shamat the prostitute seduces Enkidu and convinces him to go to the city of Uruk and meet Gilgamesh. From that moment on, the two were very close. They planned a trip to the forest of cedars to defeat the monster known as Humbaba so that Gilgamesh could show his power to the citizens of Uruk. However, Enkidu tried vainly to dissuade Gilgamesh in going to the forest. Despite Enkidu’s plead, the two continued on their adventure to the forest where Humbaba lives. Once they arrived, they found the monster and killed him.
Gilgamesh is an epic of great love, followed by lingering grief that causes a significant change in character. It is the story of a person who is feared and honored, a person who loves and hates, a person who wins and loses and a person who lives life. Gilgamesh's journey is larger than life, yet ends so commonly with death. Through Gilgamesh, the fate of mankind is revealed, and the inevitable factor of change is expressed.
They were two epics that established the foundations of religion, literature, and all other standards that were followed by every category of people. Both texts entice the audience through antique language, and the stories of epic heroes and immortal gods. Sin-Leqi-Unninni and the many writers of the Bible use love as their central theme, yet it unfolds as having distinguishing effects on all characters throughout both texts. In The Epic of Gilgamesh, the author conveys love as a motivational factor for helping Gilgamesh and other characters transition into better individuals, whereas in the Old Testament, individuals do harm upon others in the name of love in order to follow what is morally correct based on the religious
Karahashi, Fumi and Carolina Lopez-Ruiz. “Love Rejected: Some Notes on the Mesopotamian Epic of Gilgamesh and the Greek Myth of Hippolytus.” Journal of Cuneiform Studies 58 (2006): 97-107. JSTOR. Web. 28 Feb 2014.
Gilgamesh is a king who works his people to death and takes what he wants from them. Gilgamesh is afraid that someone will take his fame and his spot as being king. He uses the women for sex whenever he wants it and also manipulates them. The people of Uruk cry out to the Gods for help so that they can have peace. The gods hear them after so long and sends Anu, the goddess of creation, to make a twin for Gilgamesh. Anu makes someone who is as strong as Gilgamesh brave enough to stand up to him and who will ultimately save him. Anu makes Enkidu, who is a hairy wild man who lives in the wilderness with the animals.
The Epic of Gilgamesh is a moving tale of the friendship between Gilgamesh, the demigod king of Uruk, and the wild man Enkidu. Accepting ones own mortality is the overarching theme of the epic as Gilgamesh and Enkidu find their highest purpose in the pursuit of eternal life.