The Epic of Gilgamesh, the first recorded story, follows Gilgamesh as he struggles to deal with mortality, loss, and his limitations as a human. As these ideas develop through the death of Gilgamesh’s friend Enkidu, a central theme around mortality emerges, refines, and develops. During Gilgamesh, readers are shown that one’s acceptance of mortality is important for recovering from a loss, and for accepting the limitations you have as a human.
At the beginning of Gilgamesh, the theme of acceptance of mortality emerges. Gilgamesh introduces the idea of mortality when he states, “Why are you worried about death? Only the gods are immortal anyway, Signed Gilgamesh. What men do is nothing, so fear is never justified.”(pg. 29) Here, Gilgamesh
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seems to accept mortality. The problem with that is that he has only heard and thought about it, but he hasn’t experienced it. Furthermore, Gilgamesh’s tyrannical ways stopped him from gaining any true friends so he really couldn’t experience mortality. He could only logically analyze it, but emotions play a huge role in the acceptance of mortality, and that explains that disconnect between Gilgamesh now and later in the book. Gilgamesh experiences the idea of mortality ass the author writes, “Gilgamesh sat and hushed as his friend’s eyes stilled. In silence, he reached out to touch the friend he lost.”(pg. 50) Gilgamesh is silent as the idea of mortality, which comes as Enkidu dies, is forced on him. Additionally, the disconnect we see as Gilgamesh “reached out to the friend he lost” shows he now doesn’t accept the idea of mortality. He is still trying to physically connect to Enkidu, as if he is still there, even when he knows he lost him. Gilgamesh “in silence” is alone, not with acceptance, but only with the idea of mortality now affected by his emotions, which leads to his eventual grief. Thus, near the beginning of Gilgamesh, the theme of mortality emerges through Gilgamesh’s quest to kill Hubaba, and Enkidu’s death. During Gilgamesh’s journey to Utnapishtim, the theme of acceptance of mortality is refined through his 5 stages of grief.
Gilgamesh’s bargaining during his stages of grief shows a refinement of acceptance of mortality when the author writes, “He yearned to talk to Utnapishtim, the one who had survived the flood and death itself, the one who knew the secret.”(pg. 55) Gilgamesh, still unwilling to accept mortality kind of sees that as a human there is nothing he can do, and tries to get an unworldly being like Utnapishtim to help him. Likewise, Gilgamesh still doesn’t understand that nothing he does will change what has happened. He still believes that while he can’t bring back Enkidu himself directly, that if he goes on this journey he can bring his friend back through Utnapishtim’s eternal life. For instance, through Gilgamesh’s bargaining you can see that Enkidu’s death has brought grief to Gilgamesh because of his unwillingness to accept mortality, but has also had further pushed Gilgamesh’s hubris and stopped him from understanding his limitations as a human. Gilgamesh’s anger during his stages of grief shows the refinement of the acceptance of mortality when the author writes, “He struck at everything in sight. He hurried with his ax drawn from his belt down to the shore to find this Urshanabi. Coming upon some stones that stood in his way he smashed them into a thousand pieces.” (pg. 66) Gilgamesh’s anger shows that he is starting to see his limitations. He starts to …show more content…
see that his journey can’t bring back Enkidu, but he isn’t going to accept that. Furthermore, Gilgamesh feels anger towards both Enkidu, for dying and leaving him alone with grief, and towards himself, because deep down he knows that mortality is a reality and there is nothing humans can do about it. Similarly, it shows the frustration Gilgamesh is feeling as he moves closer to acceptance of morality, the death of Enkidu, and his limitations as a human. Therefore, during Gilgamesh’s journey, the theme of mortality is refined through Gilgamesh’s five stages of grief, specifically anger and bargaining. Near the end of Gilgamesh, the theme of acceptance of mortality is developed through Gilgamesh’s actual acceptance of mortality.
Gilgamesh’s acceptance of mortality develops the theme of acceptance of mortality when the author writes, “Gilgamesh was alone again, but not with loneliness or the memory of death.(pg. 86) “Gilgamesh is now alone in the sense that he has accepted Enkidu’s death through his trials, and now no longer feels loneliness, death, or grief. Gilgamesh, who a moment ago was in grief, now sees that mortality and subsequent death is evitable and that in order to move on from it we must face and accept it. In addition to his acceptance of Enkidu’s death, Gilgamesh now sees his limitations as a human; he has moved on from his hubris at the beginning of the book and now accepts that he has limits as a human, and can’t go against that. Unlike the battle with Hubaba, which showed that Gilgamesh had excessive pride and confidence, Gilgamesh sees that he is human, and will always have human limitations. He understands that when faced with something like mortality, he cannot change or find a solution to it, he must understand it, face it, and recover from it just like everyone else. Thus, near the end of Gilgamesh, the theme of mortality is developed through Gilgamesh actual acceptance of mortality, and the subsequent understanding and acceptance of loss and
limitations. Gilgamesh’s journey to bring Enkidu back to life showed us that the acceptance of mortality is important for various reasons. Through his thoughts, emotions, and actions Gilgamesh showed us that acceptance of mortality is shown both physically and mentally, and it allows us to understand, face, and live with our limitations as humans and recover from the death/loss of a loved one.
The philosophy that comes across in Gilgamesh’s story is that he life is something to be enjoyed because once you die you will life your afterlife in eternal anguish.
After the death of Enkidu, Gilgamesh grieves deeply and is horrified by the prospect of his own death. “Bitterly Gilgamesh wept for his friend Enkidu; he wandered over the wilderness as a hunter, he roamed over the plains; in his bitterness he cried, ‘How can I rest, how can I be at peace? Despair is in my heart” (Gil.
The quest for immortality after the death of Enkidu is the first sign that Gilgamesh has changed. Gilgamesh becomes frightened when he realizes that he isn’t immortal. After the death of Enkidu, Gilgamesh tries to find immortality by trying to cross the ocean to find it. He sounds pathetic as he rambles of his reason for trying to find everlasting life. His state of being at this part in the book, which is the end, is completely different from his arrogant beginning of this epic. Gilgamesh has gone from arrogant to scared.
The whole reason Gilgamesh takes this journey to search for eternal life is due to the death of Enkidu, with whom he was close with. Before all of the events occurred, Gilgamesh had never thought about the topic of death. It’s as if it never crossed his mind; as though he would live forever. He went through phases along his journey. The first was not accepting reality, the second was fighting for eternal life, and the last was accepting reality. Now, his aspirations for immortality are no longer apparent as he enters the last stage.
In many literary works we see significant transitions in the hero's character as the story is developed. This is also true in the Epic of Gilgamesh with its hero, Gilgamesh. In this narrative poem, we get glimpses of who Gilgamesh is and what his purposes and goals are. We see Gilgamesh act in many different ways -- as an overbearing ruler resented by his people, a courageous and strong fighter, a deflated, depressed man, and finally as a man who seems content with what he's accomplished. Through all of these transitions, we see Gilgamesh's attitude toward life change. The goals he has for his own life alter dramatically, and it is in these goals that we see Gilgamesh's transition from being a shallow, ruthless ruler to being an introspective, content man.
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 second significant change in Gilgamesh was caused by the loss of his brotherly companion, Enkidu. Gilgamesh couln't bear the loss of a love so powerful. Despite his astonishing power and leadership, something in his life was missing. Moreover, he wept for seven days and nights, thinking his friend would come back because of his weeping. It is in this stage of the epic that one can see the truly sympathetic and compassionate side of Gilgamesh. The grief in his heart had far surpassed the magnificent pride that he had previously displayed so boldly. Enkidu's death left Gilgamesh frightened and confused. However, the despair in his heart was so great that he could not rest; would he ever be at peace? Thus, he became terrified of his own death.
Epic poetry describes the journey of a worthy hero from his home, into a dangerous setting in order to embark on an accepted mission, with the goal of conquering or completing something great for an even greater prize. Although The Epic of Gilgamesh is meant to emphasize the power of true, loving friendships as the most significant reward in life, Gilgamesh is given multiple journeys to solve an personal, psychological issue that he had never acknowledged. Although the authors use Gilgamesh’s final journey to reveal that he is simply afraid of not being immortal, along with creating Enkidu, I believe that the true psychological reasoning for sending Gilgamesh to meet Utnapishtim, a man who defied mortal life, was to help him finally reach an appropriate level of maturity, which he lacked from the very beginning of the poem, and to force him to accept that his life is no greater than any other mortals.
This story teaches that death is an unavoidable and inevitable circumstance of mortal life, which is the most significant precept Gilgamesh learns. Gilgamesh is resentful that only the gods can exist eternally. Gilgamesh is frightened by the idea of his own destiny. Mesopotamian divinity proposes a perception of an afterlife; the deceased spend their period being dead in a netherworld. Death is inevitably entwined within the structure of creation. Life is also entwined, although mortals die, humanity maintains to live. The message that Gilgamesh returns with from his adventure is not primarily about death, but about life. Fragment of a tablet of The Epic of Gilgamesh is figure C down
Death and Immortality in The Epic of Gilgamesh The search for immortality has been a major concern for many men and women all throughout history. True love and immortality in life would be a dream come true to many. To spend time with a special someone, the person one feels closest to, and never have to say good-bye would greatly appeal to most people. But when death steps into the picture, even with all the pain and devastation, one starts to re-evaluate themselves. In The Epic of Gilgamesh, Gilgamesh explores the possibility of immortality following the saddening death of his friend and brother, Enkidu.
1. The Mesopotamians viewed the afterlife as a place of darkness where there was no return when entered. It was ruled by the Queen of the Underworld, Ereshkigal, who was accompanied by her recorder, Belit-Sheri. From reading the poem, it was thought of as a baron place where the dead wandered and little else existed. Those who were kings and high priests were now servants for the gods. It’s definitely portrayed as a place one wouldn’t look forward to, and that’s the dilemma that Gilgamesh contemplates.
As Enkidu obviously becomes an important part of Gilgamesh’s life, in the beginning, he is represented as Gilgamesh’s total opposite; his other half in fact. Once Enkidu dies, Gilgamesh cannot go about life the same. “Gilgamesh cannot comprehend that his friend, his soul-mate, is now dead. He is confronted by the absurd nature of this loss, while at the same time he realizes that the universe is indifferent to his suffering; there are no answers, no solace. He begins to question the meaning of life or its meaninglessness. Suddenly, death becomes an undeniable reality to him, there is no going back.” (Sadigh 83) Gilgamesh makes the fate of all mortals, death, his final eminent task to conquer. He begins with an immediate attemp...
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.
As he and Enkidu are preparing for the fight, Enkidu speaks of his concerns in which Gilgamesh responds with “Here you are, even you, afraid of death. If I fall on the way, I’ll establish my name: ‘Gilgamesh, who joined battle with fierce Humbaba’”(26). This gives the idea that Gilgamesh is accepting to death at this point.... ... middle of paper ...
One of the main themes in the epic is that death is inevitable, which is shown through Enkidu's death. When Enkidu dies, Gilgamesh becomes very worried, because he realizes for the first time that everyone is going to die at some point in time. The fact that Enkidu is a close friend makes it even more visible to Gilgamesh that everyone is mortal. Then, along with this realization, comes the theme of denial. Gilgamesh does not want to accept the fact that he will die. He denies the truth, because he does not want to think about the truth or cope with the tragedy that has struck him. "And he-he does not lift his head. 'I touched his heart, it does not beat'" (Tablet VIII, Column II, 15-16). "'Me! Will I too not die like Enkidu? Sorrow was come into my belly. I fear death; I roam over the hills. I will seize the road; quickly I will go to the house of Utnapishtim, offspring of Ubaratutu. I approach the entrance of the mountain at night. Lions I see, and I am terrified. I lift my head to pray to the mood god Sin: For...a dream I go to the gods in prayer: ...preserve me!'" (Tablet IX, Column I, 3-12).