The Epic of Gilgamesh

Gods and goddesses reign over the entire world in The Epic of Gilgamesh. Gilgamesh, son of Lugulbanda and Ninsun, rules as king in the city of Uruk he himself built. He also constructs temples for the god Anu and his daughter Ishtar. He travels to the ends of the Earth to find Utnapishtim, the survivor of the flood that was meant to demolish all life. He returns from his travels, and he writes everything down on a tablet. This world Gilgamesh lives in has its similarities and differences of religion compared to modern day; they have people of authority that mortals seem to contest and disagree with for the most part.

When the story begins, Gilgamesh is petrifying and prevailing. The elders of Uruk complain to the gods saying a king is supposed to protect his city, not destroy it. The gods force Aruru to create a man, Enkidu, strong enough to stand up to Gilgamesh. Enkidu lives in the wilderness with the animals until a prostitute comes and brings him to the city of Uruk to challenge Gilgamesh to a brawl. In the end, the two turn from enemies to friends. Gilgamesh and Enkidu learn rather quickly that the gods are dangerous for mortals. The gods and goddesses live by the rules they make; however, they behave ridiculously and immaturely. Religiousness, or some would say spirituality, is significant to the gods. They can be beneficial, but they expect praise and compliance often. Even though one may be loyal to a god that does not mean they are out of the fire zone; for example, Gilgamesh always offered up sacrifices to the god Shamash frequently and in the end his friend still died. Making the gods angry is reckless because there are consequences. All this being said, the world of The Epic of Gilgamesh is different from the Chris...

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...s rituals in Mesopotamia involved sacrifices, festivals, sex, dream interpretation, and shamanic magic, all of which appear in the story. Enkidu’s hirsuteness symbolizes the natural, uncivilized state. The walls of Uruk symbolize the great accomplishments of which mortals are capable. In the context of the ancient king who built them, they represent the immortality he achieved through his acts. Bulls represent explosive, destructive natural power, and the ability to wrestle a bull suggests humanity’s ability to harness nature’s power. This symbolism accounts for Enkidu’s interpretation of Gilgamesh’s dream about the bull in the Cedar Forest. Enkidu says the bull is Humbaba, and that the act of wrestling the bull is Shamash’s blessing. Later in the poem, Enkidu and Gilgamesh do subdue a bull together, perhaps suggesting that humankind has the power to conquer famine.