Controlling Wild Ones: Creations of Masculinity in Ancient Mesopotamia Little did the world know before the mid-1800s that an expansive, detailed work of literature from the Third Dynasty of Ur was about to be discovered. Described as the world’s first great work of literature, The Epic of Gilgamesh is normally thought an applicable document to portray the first inklings of humanity. As history tells any careful reader, clearly this is not the case. The Epic of Gilgamesh and the characters within the epic poem are instead descriptive representations of a certain time period documented once for lore. This instance and the epic story brings forth many questions: what does it mean to be a god? A friend? Most importantly, what does it mean …show more content…
In order to lessen the fear of that power being used for crude purposes, Gilgamesh enacts a civilizing campaign of Enkidu. The prostitute sent to seduce Enkidu is done with the intent that “the wild beasts that shared his life in the hills will reject him” (Gilgamesh 64). Though meaning the literal animals of the forest Enkidu originally lived with, this line may also serve a metaphorical purpose as well. The “wild beasts” or thoughts of pure animal reason also are assumed to leave Enkidu’s mind and Enkidu realizes “wisdom was in him, and the thoughts of a man were in his heart” (Gilgamesh 65). Gilgamesh’s own creation appears to have been done with civilizing intent. After all, Gilgamesh is decidedly two-thirds god and one-third man (Gilgamesh 61). However, Gilgamesh’s motivations lead him to take actions to the detriment of his people. This is particularly true in regards to leadership. Previous to discovering Enkidu, it appears Gilgamesh’s actions are thoughtless towards his own people including enforcing the doctrine of prima nocta (Gilgamesh 68). After learning that everlasting life is not his destiny, Gilgamesh takes his own self-aggrandizing actions and reverses them. These motivations direct him to enact his great building projects. As the civilizing of Enkidu was defined in the parameters of participating in social …show more content…
Masculinity is defined in the context of defeating non-human powers. For if the creatures can’t be humans, they can’t be civilized. Humbaba is described as “an evil” whose name literally means “hugeness” and “a ferocious giant” (Gilgamesh 71). Though Enkidu can see some merit in not attacking the protector of the forest, Gilgamesh’s motivation is attacking things that are not man or of the gods. His desire to be remembered is coupled with a deep need to conquer another land. The physicality of these Gods are also decidedly non-human and non-worthy. Though Ishtar sends a Bull of Heaven to destroy Gilgamesh, the holiness of the animal does not create a qualm for Gilgamesh. He willingly asks Enkidu to “thrust [his] sword between the nape and the horns” (Gilgamesh 88). Their motivations are quite simple, the bull’s snorts alone create cracks were hundreds of people fall to their deaths (Gilgamesh 88). The landscape is quickly changed, and arguably not for the better with numerous amounts of death. Thus, the Bull of Heaven and Humbaba are vilified as wild characters. It doesn’t go unnoticed that Gilgamesh and Enkidu take up these battles together. The expectation of the two working together could easily applied to the rest of society: the city had to otherize these supernatural beings in order to maintain their civilization and defend it from
Gilgamesh thinks he has everything that he wants in life until the gods send down his true love, Enkidu. Before meeting Enkidu, Gilgamesh was having fun ruling his city in a very arrogant manner. For example, "Gilgamesh was a tyrant to his people" (15). He would push his people half to death working on building city walls and fortresses. He would go "into the marketplace to the family house to sleep with the virgins" (17). When Gilgamesh had the dre...
The Epic of Gilgamesh. Trans. Benjamin R. Foster. Text. Martin Puncher. New York: W.W and Company, 2013.Print.
In the Epic of Gilgamesh, we see a significant transition or development of the main character as the story progresses. Throughout the epic, we see Gilgamesh act as a tyrant, fearless warrior, depressed man, a man filled with fear, and a man who has finally accepted his fate. The epic begins by describing Gilgamesh as a king who tyrannizes his people. “He will couple with the wife-to-be, he first of all, the bridegroom after” (pg 15). We see that Gilgamesh abuses his power as king and terrorizes the people. The people of Uruk plead the gods to ease Gilgamesh’s burden. The gods answered the prayers created an equal to match Gilgamesh. Enkidu a wild-born chimera, part animal and part man, would
The epic yarn Gilgamesh leaves me somewhat discouraged when I finished the book. This pessimistic ending is not the happy ending I was expecting to see considering the tragedies throughout of the rest of the story. The entire last part of the book, starting with Enkidu’s death, is nothing but more sorrow for Gilgamesh. The book seems to give Gilgamesh hope and then beat him down with more tragedy. It is almost as if the more he tries, the worse it gets for him.
He doesn’t eat raw food or walk around naked and dirty like what modern society sees as uncivilized. Rather than outwardly uncivilized, Gilgamesh is uncivilized inward. He fights without true cause and rapes women on their own wedding day. If this was simply the practice of the Mesopotamian culture from the Epic of Gilgamesh, Gilgamesh wouldn’t be seen as
---. “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.
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.
Enkidu was created to be Gilgamesh’s equal and his soul mate. ‘“You made him… now create his equal; let it be as like him as his own reflection, his second self, stormy heart for stormy heart’” (14). So the goddess of creation, Aruru “dipped her hands in water and pinched off clay, she let it fall in the wilderness” and created Enkidu (14). Before Gilgamesh had met Enkidu he loved him; ‘“… I bent down, deeply drawn towards… [Enkidu]… I loved it like a woman and wore it at my side”’ (16). Enkidu had “virtue in him” (14). He was also “innocent of mankind” (14). After Enkidu was civilized the wild animals would not be near him. He felt ...
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.
Throughout time, people of all cultures have told stories of heroes and kings. The most ancient story we have on record is the tale of King Gilgamesh. This story is an account of the King's journeys and accomplishments. Although it was written over four thousand years ago, many comparisons can be made between the society in which the story was written and our own modern society. In this essay, differences and similarities between the two societies will be examined.
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.
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 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.
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...
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.