The Epic Cycle of Gilgamesh

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Gilgamesh was a leader massive and handsome like no other. But he was a proud man who cared little for the happiness of those he ruled. This led to those he ruled resenting him, even as they admired him. He was a restless man who was determined not to be forgotten, and to prove that he was the greatest man who ever lived. He was not a benevolent ruler, he treated his subjects as if they didn't matter as individuals, he was greedy, and he was vain. However, while he did not treat his individual subjects well, he made his city great, and he protected it well in battle. This shows interesting insight into the values of his culture, and is why he was considered a great leader by the people of his time

"Surpassing all kings, powerful and tall beyond all others, violent, splendid, a wild bull of a man, unvanquished leader... two-thirds divine and one-third human"

Gilgamesh's main quest was to find immortality and thus overcome the horrors of death which all humans face. These horrors are made greater by the fact that people at the time believed everyone went to the same underworld, with dust for food and clay for drink, and sprouted useless wings. Hence his motivation. The main obstacles on his quest were living with his grief over the death of Enkidu, arriving at the place where the sun goes through the earth, traveling through the tunnel, crossing the sea without help from the stone men, and getting the gods to bestow immortality upon him. This final obstacle proved insurmountable, as he could not force the gods, and knew of no means of earning the gift. In the end, he found an alternate solution in a plant that grew deep underwater and was said to reverse the effects of aging, but had this and any hope of immortality stolen from him by a snake. In the end, he failed in his quest, but learned to accept his lot in life, and went back to his city to live as a mortal.

Gilgamesh King of Uruk

The J o u r n e y

The Hero:

The Supernatural

Beings

Supernatural beings played an important role in Gilgamesh. Many were helpful, such as the sun god Shamat, who protected and watched over Gilgamesh, or the scorpion people who advised Gilgamesh on how to survive the sun tunnel, and did not block his path. Others, however, were much more sinister and proved to be obstacles on Gilgamesh's path. These included Humbaba, the great monster that Gilgamesh fought in the cedr forest, and Ishtar, the jealous and vindictive goddess who set the Bull of Heaven (another being) on Gilgamesh and Enkidu, and who was ultimately responsible to Enkidu's death. Other beings were more passive, and usually played less of a role in the story.

Gilgamesh

photo (cc) Malte Sörensen @ flickr

The Epic Cycle

The

Fall

The death of Enkidu was Gilgamesh's low point. He was beside himself with grief, and took to wandering the wilderness unkempt and without the comfort of civilization. His only driving motivation now is to become immortal, and thus escape his friends horrible fate. He was described "cheeks so hollow... face so ravaged, frost-chilled, and burnt by the desert sun... much grief in [his] heart... worn out and ready to collapse"

The Resurrection

His resurrection comes when he gives up on finding immortality, accepts his grief for enkidu and decides to carry on with his life as a mortal. He goes back to his city, Uruk, with the boatman, and describes its wonders to him, showing that he cares again for all of the wonderful

aspects of the city, and is relatively happy with his mortal lot.