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Analyze the character of gilgamesh
Characteristics of Gilgamesh in the Eqpic of Gilgamesh
Analyze the character of gilgamesh
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Book 1:Diction Annotation In the passage it says “Gilgamesh sounds the tocsin in for his amusement, his arrogance has no bounds by day or night”(62). The word ‘Arrogance’ is used in this book to describe Gilgamesh’s personality and his bad characteristics. Arrogance in this context is used to describe a person who believes that they are superior to others and to convey it in an insulting way. In this case gilgamesh shows his arrogance by how he treats and oppresses the people of Uruk. He sounds the tocsin an alarm that is usually used to warn people for amusement he is worrying his people for his own entertainment. This helps the reader understand how his arrogance is show through the small things he does to the people of Uruk. Due to the negative connotation of the word arrogance we can imply that gilgamesh isn’t a good leader or a good person in general. It also shows that at this point the thinks highly of himself and doesn’t feel the same way about any other person. Arrogance is a strong word used to describe Gilgamesh. Book 2:Imagery Annotation The passage states that “Humbaba’s mouth is fire; his roar the floodwater; his breath is death. Enlil made him guardian of the …show more content…
Cedar Forest, to frighten off the mortal who would venture there. But who would venture there? Humbaba’s mouth is fire; his roar is the floodwater; he breathes and there is death. He hears the slightest sound somewhere in the Forest. Enlil made him terrifying guardian, Whose mouth is fire, whose roar the floodwater." This quote represents strong imagery that appeals to 4 of the 5 senses. This quote includes imagery that appeals to the sense of sight, touch,smell, and sound. It incorporates his ‘mouth is fire’ to indicate touch, you can feel the fire that is his mouth and his ‘roar the floodwater’ expresses sound and how loud his roar is. ‘His breath is death shows how bad his breath is to the point where they describe it as death. The repetition of this helps us see what they see in Humbaba appealing to our sight. Imagery is expressed through these words to exaggerate how horrible of a monster Humbaba is. This quote is talking about all the terrible things about Humbaba how frightening he is to the people of Uruk and Enkidu and his purpose. This helps the reader understand the feelings people of Uruk and Enkidu have towards Humbaba. Book 3:Diction Annotation “Gilgamesh called to the singing girls, 'who is The most glorious of the heroes, Who is the most eminent among men?' 'Gilgamesh is the most glorious of heroes, Gilgamesh is the most eminent among men.'(89) Gilgamesh uses the word eminent to describe himself. Eminent is a word used to describe a famous and respected person it emphasizes positive qualities that Gilgamesh doesn't possess. The fact that he uses that word to describe himself shows that he is arrogant, naïve and still thinks too highly of himself. This is show because he uses a word that is used to describe a person with positive qualities to describe himself even though he isn't a good person. He believes that everyone else feels the same way about him that he does, this is shown by him asking a rhetorical question is answered the same way it is asked. This helps the reader understand that the people of Uruk feel forced to agree with Gilgamesh and his views of himself even if they believe otherwise. Eminent is a powerful word that Gilgamesh uses to describe himself. Book 4:Imagery Annotation "The Epic of Gilgamesh" uses imagery that appeals to sight and touch.
In the passage it's States "Gilgamesh answered her 'and why should not my cheeks be starved and my face drawn? Despair is in my heart and my face is the face of one who has made a long journey, it was burned with heat and with cold. Why should I not wander over the pastors in search of the wind? The quote uses phrases like "Face burned with heat and cold" to signal touch and "cheeks be starved and my face drawn" to signal sight. We are able to see the state that Gilgamesh was in, in that moment. The phrase "face of one was made a long journey" is used to show that he is so weary and tired that it is shown on his face what he has been through. This quote shows Gilgamesh's state of being and how his journey has affected
him. Book 5, 6, 7, Characterization Annotations Characterization Annotation #1 Throughout the end of the book Gilgamesh can be characterized as fearful because he saw how Enkidu died and how painful and horrible it was, soon after he experiences that he abandons the people of Uruk in search of a way to escape death. This is communicated through the quote “ Gilgamesh said, 'what shall I do O Utnapishtim, where shall I go? Already the their in the night has hold of my limb, death inhabits my room; whenever my foot rest, there I find death.' This shows that Gilgamesh is afraid of death and is desperate for a way to escape it. The book wants us to understand that because of everything Gilgamesh has been through he went from being ok with a noble death to not wanting to be able to die at all. This shows us that Gilgamesh started to transition to becoming a more fearful character. Characterization Annotation #2 Throughout the whole book the people of Uruk didn’t like Gilgamesh this shown through how they speak about him behind his back. In the book it states “But the men of Uruk muttered in their houses,'Gilgamesh sounds the tocsin for his amusement, his arrogance has no bounds by day or night. No son is left with his father for Gilgamesh take them all, even the children; yet the Kings should be a shepherd to his people. His lust leaves no virgin to her lover, neither the warrior's daughter nor the wife of the noble; yet this is the shepherd of the city, wise, comely, and resolute.' This shows that they didn't seem to have respect for Gilgamesh and his ways. However at the end of the story they seem to be respecting him when they say "O Gilgamesh, lord of Kullab, great is thy praise" this shows that they are seeing Gilgamesh in a different way the they saw him before. They are being hypocritical because they saw him in one way before and I think of him in the opposite way now. The quotes are trying to make us understand that under different circumstances people can feel differently about a person. This reveals that the relationship between Gilgamesh and the people of Uruk wasn't as bad as we first suspected.
Gilgamesh was destined to perfection from birth. He was created as a divine mortal, two thirds divine and one third human (5). He was a man destined to live a lavish life with all the riches a man could ever want. Unfortunately his arrogance and superior strength got in the way (Foster5). Gilgamesh was created by the gods to be perfect in every regard. But what the gods couldn't prepare him for was life and human emotions, instinct etc. Gilgamesh built a wall that protected Uruk, his home (3). He was destined to live a life like a god among his people. Gods played tug a war for the lack of better words with Gilgamesh's life. They controlled every aspect. This is where all Gilgamesh journey's began and where they would all bring him back to in the end.
In The Epic of Gilgamesh, we see Gilgamesh often boasting of his physical abilities and opulent city. In The Odyssey, there are many situations in which Odysseus loses sight of his goal to return to Ithaca in order to snatch a little bit of glory for himself. Both of these stories illustrate their respective heroes arrogance and self-centeredness in the pursuit of their own personal gains. In The Epic of Gilgamesh, Gilgamesh believes he will live forever and thus does not allow himself to worry about how his actions will affect others. In The Odyssey, Odysseus has not yet abandoned the battlefield mindset bred on the battlegrounds of Troy and still craves adrenaline. Both heroes have their fair share of flaws. Nonetheless, they both also experience
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 epic begins with the men of Uruk describing Gilgamesh as an overly aggressive ruler. "'Gilgamesh leaves no son to his father; day and night his outrageousness continues unrestrained; And he is the shepherd of Uruk, the enclosure; He is their shepherd, and yet he oppresses them. Strong, handsome, and wise. . . Gilgamesh leaves no virgin to her lover.'"(p.18, Line 23-27) The citizens respect him, but they resent his sexual and physical aggression, so they plead to the gods to alleviate some of their burden. The gods resolve to create an equal for Gilgamesh to tame him and keep him in line. This equal, Enkidu, has an immediate impact on Gilgamesh. When they first meet, both having never before met a man equal in stature, they brawl. "They grappled with each other, Snorting like bulls; They shattered the doorpost, that the wall shook."(p.32, lines 15-18) In giving Gilgamesh a real battle, Enkidu instantly changes him; having this equal gives Gilgamesh a sense of respect for another man. These two men fighting each other creates a serious mess, but they both end up without animosity toward the other.
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.
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.
From the beginning of time, mythology has appeared to be one key method of understanding life’s confusions and battles. Within these myths lies a hero. From myth to myth and story to story, heroes experience what may be called a struggle or a journey, which lays down their plot line. Bearing tremendous strength, talent, and significant admiration, a hero holds what is precious to their audience, heroism. Over time however, no matter the hero, the hero’s role remains indistinguishable and identical to the position of every other hero.
---. “The Development and Meaning of the Epic of Gilgamesh: An Interpretive Essay.” Journal of the American Oriental Society 121.4 (2001): 614-622. JSTOR. Web. 28 Feb 2014.
In the epic of Gilgamesh, there are many complex characters. Every character involved in the story has their own personality and traits.
Gilgamesh is an example of someone who had many flaws and faced many struggles but, in the end, changed his attitude and became a better person. In the beginning of Gilgamesh, he is described as doing whatever he wants and being juvenile in a way. For example, in the text it says, “he was their shepherd, yet powerful, superb, knowledgeable and expert, Gilgamesh would not leave young girls alone, the daughters of warriors, the brides of young men.” With his second half, Enkidu, they entered into the first step in becoming a hero according to Campbell, the separation, by going on an adventure. At this point in the story, Gilgamesh is very arrogant. While traveling to Cedar Forest, Gilgamesh tells Enkidu, “let me go in front of you, and your voice call out: ‘Go close, don’t be afraid!’ If I should fall, I should have won fame. People will say, Gilgamesh grappled in combat with ferocious Humbaba… ensure fame that will last forever.” Next is stage two, the initiation, of the Campbell’s hero journey. Gilgamesh undergoes a trail to begin his transformation, he must fight the Bull of Heaven. Gilgamesh’s supportive side is starting to show when he tells Enkidu that they will win if they fight together. After killing the Bull of Heaven, Gilgamesh’s confident attitude is shown once again. The next trial he faces is the death of Enkidu. He starts to show emotion when he says, “for you Enkidu, I, like your mother, your father, will weep on your plains… I will lay you to rest on a bed of loving care… and I myself will neglect my appearance after your death.” At this point his character has been greedy and then he showed his fear and supportive side. The last stage in the hero’s journey is the return. Enkidu’s death sent Gilgamesh on an adventure to fight death. From this adventure he learned his biggest lesson from Utnapishtim. He learns to appreciate life, and
The king of Uruk, who lived around 2600 B.C.E, Gilgamesh, was one-third man and two-thirds god (Gilgamesh, 61). Known as present day Iraq, Mesopotamia was where the ancient sto-ry “The Epic of Gilgamesh” was originated. The story talked about Gilgamesh’s relationship be-tween his close companions. Meeting the immortal flood survivor and giving him eternal life was Gilgamesh's long journey. The Epic of Gilgamesh teaches about the Sumarian society.
We learn about ancient civilizations through literature, artifacts, and stories passed down from generation to generation. The Mesopotamian civilization is one of earth's earliest civilizations, and it's also one we know very little about. We can gather information about these people's way life, beliefs, and geographical location. The Epic of Gilgamesh, a literary work from this time period, shows us several important pieces of information that helps us understand this ancient civilization. This epic shows us the Mesopotamian peoples belief system, their views on death, and their description of the after life.
Have you ever wondered how we as a society and generation have come to know so much? We have so much knowledge not because of ourselves but by wisdom and knowledge passed down by generations. We learn very important values about life by the history of this world and by people. Values are considered a guiding principle or standard of conduct such as honesty or loyalty or responsibility for others welfare (Null). The values that have been passed down to us shape and make us into the people we are today. We learn from values such as honesty and loyalty but also learn valuable lessons such as hardships. We learn most value in life from people who have orally passed them down or they have been written out for us. There are three literary works from
The story itself reflects an image of the cultural situation in which it was conceived. One major difference between this ancient society and our own is the way in which we sustain our leaders. Gilgamesh's character, whether based on an actual person or not, is portrayed as a very powerful and proud person. He was created to be better and stronger than common man and he is favored by the gods. This portrayal of a super-human king indicates a deep respect for leadership by those who told this story. Likely, these people lived under the rule of a monarchy in which the King was the all powerful leader and lawmaker. In today's society though, it is not common for one person to have unlimited power. Our governments are designed to divide ruling power between numerous parties; in order to keep any one person from becoming all powerful. Today's society would not tolerate a king who could do as he pleases, even if he were a noble and just man. In the story, Gilgamesh's super-human strength and power are not always convenient to his subjects. "His arrogance has no bounds", and "his lust leaves no virgin to her lover," yet the people respect his authority. The supremacy of Gilgamesh in the story reflects the feelings toward leadership held by that society which created the story. The respect they had for an all powerful monarch is hard for us to understand today. Our society looks down on those who rule as dictators and labels them tyrants and enemies. It is odd to imagine living in a society where a king is to be respected.
The Epic of Gilgamesh, the Iliad, and Oedipus Rex all center on morality in terms of each character’s social behavior from the beginning to the end of the story. Gilgamesh, Achilles, and Oedipus are three central characters that embody strong qualities of strength, however carry different experiences of morality. Furthermore, all three characters hold different moral codes that are dependent on their ability to resolve the unique situations that they are in. Nevertheless, morality has ultimately impacted the character’s perception of their role in society in terms of whether or not their actions benefit someone or something. This paper will be examining the morality of the three main characters as they undergo major character transformations