Comparing Babylonian Epic Of Gilgamesh And The Modern-Day Film Hercules

The Babylonian Epic of Gilgamesh and the modern-day film Hercules are tales about heroes and their search for immortality. The heroes of these stories, Hercules and Gilgamesh, share similar character traits regarding their strength, stature, and origins. Both heroes are depicted as attempting to fulfill their respective destinies and achieve immortality.

The heroes in Epic of Gilgamesh and Hercules have similar character traits. Both Hercules and Gilgamesh are part God and part human. Gilgamesh is the son of the Goddess Ninsun and the deified King Lugalbanda; this means that Gilgamesh is two-thirds divine and one-third mortal. Similarly, Hercules is the son of the God Zeus and Goddess Hera but is stripped of his divinity by a jealous Hades.

Both heroes are described as not fully divine to provide reason behind their search for immortality and true selves. Second, Gilgamesh and Hercules are extremely strong and handsome. While Hercules was stripped of his place in Olympus and his immortality by Hades’ plot, the potion Hades gives him does not strip him of his God-like strength. He is described by the Muses at the beginning of the film: “Long ago, in the faraway land of ancient Greece, there was a golden age of powerful gods and extraordinary heroes. And the greatest and strongest of all these heroes was the mighty Hercules.” Hercules uses his strength to prove his divinity to the Gods. He defeats the enemies of Thebes to gain the favor of its citizens and display his heroism. Likewise, Gilgamesh is characterized by his strength and looks. Hand-crafted by Belit-ili, Gilgamesh is a man of great stature and beauty. Gilgamesh is detailed as, “like a wild bull he makes himself mighty, head raised. There is no rival who can raise his weapon against him.” He uses his strength to perform acts outside the realm of humans; for example, Gilgamesh fights and defeats Humbaba and the Bull of Heaven.
Hercules and Epic of Gilgamesh also share the common theme of immortality and the fulfillment of the heroes’ respective destinies. As mentioned in the discussion of character traits, Hercules is part divine and part human. Hercules does not know that he is the son of Gods in the beginning of the film as he is raised by adopted parents. Because of his God-like strength, Hercules is labeled as an outcast and does not feel like he belongs. After realizing his divine nature, Hercules sets out on a quest, “Down an unknown road to embrace my fate […] I would go most anywhere to find where I belong.” Hercules believes his place is among the Gods and in turn wishes to prove himself as a hero and earn his seat on Mt. Olympus. He goes on a quest to become a hero and curry favor with the Gods; he defeats the enemies of Thebes and performs numerous heroic acts. Later, Hercules is summoned to Mt. Olympus by his father and is granted immortality and a place among the Gods. Hercules refuses this honor, however, and chooses to stay on earth with his love interest, Meg. Hercules accepts the gift of a portrait in the stars to commemorate his valor. Gilgamesh also goes on a quest for immortality. Following the loss of his second-self, Enkidu, Gilgamesh is forced to recognize his inevitable mortality. Gilgamesh is absorbed by his fear, he states, “It was then I felt the fear of it in my belly. I roam the wilderness because of the fear. Enkidu, the companion, whom I loved is dirt, nothing but clay is Ekindu. Weeping as if I were a woman I roam the paths and shores of unknown places saying: ‘Must I die too? Must Gilgamesh be like that?” Gilgamesh responds to this fear by beginning a quest to find Utnapishtim, the only human who had ever achieved immortality, in the hopes of avoiding his death. After completing his quest and speaking to Utnapishtim, Gilgamesh realizes that true immortality and fame lies in his reputation as the King of Uruk. Both heroes act in self-interest to attain immortality and manifestations of their partial divinity. While they both retain their mortality in the end, Hercules and Gilgamesh come to similar realization; true fame and glory is not achieved solely by being a divine being, but leaving an enduring legacy. For Gilgamesh, it was changing his ruling style to promote the growth and strength of the city. For Hercules, it was abandoning his place among the Gods and focusing on the good he could do while on earth.
These interpretations by each hero are reflective of the overarching differences between the two works.

The contrast between Epic of Gilgamesh and Hercules is found in the ancient perception of heroism versus the modern understanding. Gilgamesh is a classic example of an ancient hero. His strength and power are valuable assets while his is not considered especially morally upright or noble. Typically, ancient heroes are legendary or mythical figures that are capable beyond human capacities. Gilgamesh as an ancient hero is most exemplified in the treatment of his people. He exhausts his people with ceaseless torment; he rapes the women and forces the men in to hard labor. He is characterized by his people, “Gilgamesh, noisy Gilgamesh! Arrogant Gilgamesh! All young men gone- Defeated by Gilgamesh, and no son left to his father. All young girls made women by Gilgamesh. His lusts are such, and no virgin left to her lover.” This ancient hero contrasts with the modern version. Hercules is considered morally good and acts in the interest of others. Once he discovers who he truly is, Hercules travels to Thebes to defend its people from various monsters that have attacked the city. He risks his own life to selflessly save others. Hercules realizes that it takes much more than just God-like power to be a hero; Zeus expresses this, “For a true hero is not measured by the size of his strength, but the strength of his heart.” While Gilgamesh is described as arrogant, impulsive, and cruel Hercules is said to be well-loved by the people of Thebes. It is not until the end of the myth that a change is witnessed in Gilgamesh; once he realizes that immortality is unrealistic, he begins to devote time to the city he once treated poorly. Hercules begins his quest for a place among the Gods and devotes his time towards defeating villains to show off his strength. He, however, realizes that it takes much more than just mythical strength to be considered a hero and deems his own

personal morals as more important. Both Hercules and Gilgamesh come to the same conclusion; immortality does not necessarily come with a place among the Gods but rather a legacy left behind.
Epic of Gilgamesh and the modern adaption of Hercules creates a deeper meaning of what it means to be a hero and how this definition has evolved through time. The common theme of immortality and fulfilling destiny reveal to the audience what is expected of heroes. While Hercules and Gilgamesh are similar in their origins, partial divinity, strength, and goals, they differ greatly in their usage of power. Because of the difference between Hercules and Gilgamesh as heroes for their respective time periods, there are assumptions that may be made from the cultures. First, modern cultures place an emphasis on moral high-ground and do not have to possess mythical powers; a common trait of a modern hero is an ordinary person doing extraordinary and selfless things. This is representative of modern society’s worship and praise for those who act outside of their means. Contrasted with Gilgamesh, a hero known only for being an elite warrior and his God-like powers. It may be concluded that the biggest difference between Gilgamesh and Hercules is that Gilgamesh was born to be a hero while Hercules spends his life trying to earn the title.