The Epic of Gilgamesh versus The Book of Mark

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In The Epic of Gilgamesh and The Book of Mark, both written by unknown authors, Gilgamesh and Jesus are similarly unstable throughout all aspects of their lives. Gilgamesh and Jesus share the similar personality trait of arrogance. They are very full of themselves and their actions reflect this. A second similarity is Gilgamesh and Jesus face a lot of problems with impulse control. A third similarity of unstableness is Gilgamesh and Jesus are always in need of a companion to help boost their egos. Gilgamesh and Jesus share the many traits of an unstable person.

Gilgamesh and Jesus share the same personality trait of being arrogant because they are both constantly in need of an ego-boost. In The Book of Mark James and John, the sons of the Zebedee ask Jesus if they can sit to the left and right of his hand. Jesus arrogantly replied “You do not know what you are asking. Are you able to drink the cup that I drink, or be baptized with the baptism that I am baptized with?”. In other words Jesus is telling James and John that they will always be ranked under him. Jesus’s disciples have boosted Jesus’s ego so much that he truly believes no one is more superior than him. In The Epic of Gilgamesh, Gilgamesh is arrogant when he decides he is going to kill Humbaba for the sole purpose of making a name for himself. When Gilgamesh proposes the idea of going to hunt down Humbaba his elders disagree by telling Gilgamesh “You are young, Gilgamesh, your feelings carry you away/ you are ignorant of what you speak, flightiness has taken you/You do not know what you are attempting.” (II. 259-61). Gilgamesh chooses not to listen to his elders when they know what is best for him....

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... nights and
He raised the axe at his side
He drew the swords from his belt
He dropped among them like an arrow
He struck (The lions), scattered, (and killed them)
He has put on their skins, he eats their flesh. (IX 15-19)

Gilgamesh is restless, becomes fearsome of death, and stops having basic hygiene all because of Enkidu’s death . Without Enkidu Gilgamesh is nothing. When Gilgamesh and Jesus lose their followers/friend their life spirals out of control and they become more unstable than ever before.
Gilgamesh and Jesus are equally unhinged throughout all parts of their lives in The Epic of Gilgamesh and in The Book of Mark. Gilgamesh and Jesus have arrogance, lack of impulse control, and are constantly in need of people to boost their egos. Whether they are aware or not they have no control over their lives and when they do they have the tendencies to act out.

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