The Epic of Gilgamesh

                                                            The Epic of Gilgamesh

The Epic of Gilgamesh represents a poem about a Sumerian King known for his adventures, strength, wisdom, perseverance and courage. Importantly, Gilgamesh, the king is also described by his flaws of egocentrism and pride. He is, however, respected by society and considered a great man. As the poem begins, the poet says, “.When the gods created Gilgamesh they gave him a perfect body. Shamash the glorious sun endowed him with beauty, Adad the god of the storm endowed him with courage, the great gods made his beauty perfect, surpassing all others, terrifying like a great wild bull. Two thirds they made him god and one third man” (P.1). His superiority is determined by the respect granted to him by the community. As the poet says on page 1, “Supreme over other kings, lordly in appearance, he is the hero, born of Uruk, the goring wild bull”. The aim of this exercise is to examine the epic poem of Gilgamesh and his adventurous journey centered on his character.

Gilgamesh goes on a journey with his companion, Enkidu who at some point tells him,
“My friend, turn back! …The road …” implying Gilgamesh should quit his journey. However, the king is so determined with his quest that after surpassing all the obstacles, Enkidu dies. The death of Enkidu sets him to another quest in the search for immortality. Gilgamesh, is left heartbroken by the death of his friend which led him to a journey of enlightened truth where he is awakened by the fact that death is unavoidable and instead of wasting one’s life in the search of immortality, he can appreciate his time being on this earth by doing greater things for civilization. The quest for immortality and Gilgamesh’s mental change are the main issues discussed in this essay. The essay examines the adventures of Gilgamesh in the search for immortality having experienced his friend’s death and feeling he is too superior to die. The Gilgamesh Journey in Search for Immortality is a futile journey. Utnapishtim says, “there they established that there is life and death. The day of death is set, though not made known.”

Enkidu’s death is the main reason why Gilgamesh went in the quest for immortality. Gilgamesh is heartbroken by the death of his beloved companion. Enkidu’s death plays a major role in bringing the feeling of compassion insides Gilgamesh which is the first step towards Gilgamesh’s journey to be a better man. In the miniature epic “Gilgamesh”, the 9^th tablet 2^nd line, p.48, Gilgamesh says, “Enkidu has died. Must I die too? Must Gilgamesh be like that?”

The search for immortality is a journey no human being would love to pursue. People have resorted to the fact that immortality does not exist unless it is in the afterlife. Therefore, the pursuit of Gilgamesh on immortality is debatable as to whether it is right (Foster 34). While people argue that death is a norm for every human and therefore unavoidable, Gilgamesh is so focused to find the reasons behind this. This clearly shows that Gilgamesh is now afraid of death. The poet says, “Over his friend, Enkidu, Gilgamesh cried bitterly, roaming the wilderness. I am going to die am I not like Enkidu?” (p. 32).

He also feels compassionate for Enkidu but at the same time, he is being too self-centered. When he questions himself “Must Gilgamesh be like that?” he is clearly stating that he is too strong to get a miserable death like Enkidu. He always has seen himself as a powerful man, and with the death of Enkidu, he feels like his turn is coming too. He says, “Deep sadness penetrates my core, I fear death, and now roam the wilderness” (p. 32).  Once a powerful man now feels powerless against death.  He doesn’t want to accept the reality of human mortality yet. This fear leads him to the journey in the search of Utnapishtim, the only human to be immortal and avoid death with the help of him. He is driven by his selfish interests in which he considers himself too powerful to die. Through his adventurous search for the only immortal human he gains insight about the entire matter. His interests are argued, and he admits that there is no escape for death hence he should live his best while he is still alive.

Passing all the greater odds in the journey where no mortal has ever been successful, Gilgamesh has finally found Utnapishtim who has been granted immortality by God. When Utnapishtim ask Gilgamesh why he has undergone this journey, Gilgamesh tells him about the journey where his beloved Enkidu died and how he has been looking for the old man to find a way to avoid the same fate as Enkidu. Utnapishtim tries to put some sense of wisdom in Gilgamesh head by saying, “There they established that there is life and death. The day of death is set, though not made known”.

Gilgamesh is saddened by Enkidu’s death. He says, “Six days and seven nights I mourned over him and would not allow him to be buried until a maggot fell out of his nose” (p. 37). Utnapishtim words of wisdom to Gilgamesh is that nothing lasts forever. You’re born in this world and you die in this world, but you can’t choose the day you want to die. But Gilgamesh still insists the old man to find a way to avoid death and live eternally. In response to Gilgamesh, Utnapishtim begins to tell him the story about his journey. Utnapishtim was a chosen one, he was granted immortality by the God (Schmidt 34). He did not ask for it; he didn’t search for it. What Utnapishtim is trying to tell Gilgamesh is that the only thing that makes humans humane is that they are mortal, unlike God.  Even Gilgamesh himself agrees that Utnapishtim is the only mortal being. He says, “I have come on account of my ancestor Utnapishtim, Who joined the Assembly of the Gods, and was given eternal life. About Death and Life I must ask him “(p. 33). And only God has the power to grant immortality. Immortality is not something you can find by searching. Utnapishtim was granted immortality because of his good deeds towards God. But Gilgamesh has been eyesore of the Gods and he despises god as well. Gilgamesh is finally realizing why things are the way they are. It was Utnapishtim whose wisdom helped him open his eyes.

Gilgamesh is in dilemma about what he should do to gain immortality. His findings form Utnapishtim are that immortality is a gift from God. God can only give this gift to one who believes in him and whose life is without blemish. Nonetheless, Gilgamesh feels like he is not right for the gift. He agrees that, “Life, which you look for, you will never find. For when the gods created man, they let death be his share, and life withheld in their own hands” (p.34). He has led his life in pure ignorance and selfishness. His bad deeds indicate that he would not stand a chance to gain immortality. He also fails to understand that God being referred to in this poem is forgiving. His selfish interests are simply to gain immortality without breaking a sweat. However, there is a price to pay to be immortal, chastity and righteousness. However, Gilgamesh had been immoral for a long time and his righteousness was questionable. To the Tavern-keeper Siduri, he says, “I am Gilgamesh, I killed the Guardian” (p.36).

Utnapishtim knew he would fail because he had just undergone a journey and also because of the fact that he is mortal. That was the trick played by Utnapishtim, giving an immortality task to a mortal man (Dixon & Kevin 47). He said to Gilgamesh, “There is a plant-like a box thorn, whose thorns will prick your hand like a rose. If your hands reach that plant you will become a young man again” (p.50). He also knew that he was going to fail the task of taking back the plant back to his city which had the power of making him youthful again. The reason why Utnapishtim played this trick was to make Gilgamesh realize that what he was trying to accomplish was impossible and a waste of time. Rather than wasting his time, he could be living the time he had for a greater purpose. Gilgamesh realizes that his journey has been a failure in one way because he couldn’t find what he came for, but he is also successful in another that he has opened his eye towards the truth of human mortality and has accepted it. He has learned his mistake and hence goes back to his city to live and enjoy what he has rather than worrying about death.

Gilgamesh is shown as a powerful character who thinks he is the greatest of all and blinded by his own belief in finding immortality. While the journey, he becomes too close with Enkidu and his death causes him devastation. Enkidu’s death plays a vital role in changing Gilgamesh into a sensible and compassionate person (Mitchell 56). His death also leads him to an isolated journey searching to find a way to live forever. With Utnapishtim wisdom, he is enlightened with the truth of human mortality. He is awakened and therefore goes back to his city to live the rest of his life compassionately without the fear of death.

Gilgamesh soon realizes that he has traveled for nothing and the whole journey has been a failure. But he is enlightened by the truth and accepted that he is mortal. Utnapishtim tells Gilgamesh that he would be admitted into the company of Gods and says, “Let there be now a test of Gilgamesh. Let him but keep himself awake for a week, Six nights and seven days, to show his worth.”

Conclusion

            Conclusively, the essay is a literature review of the poem Epic of Gilgamesh. The poet takes the readers through the journey of a Sumerian King of Mesopotamia who found himself too good to die. His belief in immortality as a cold-hearted leader saw was challenged by the death of his accomplice, Enkidu. He is so full of himself that he does not want to do it. Despite the society trying to convince him that death is the fate forever human and that its day is unknown, he still pursues immortality. His focus is on the need to ensure that he does not die. He is not grieving the death of Enkidu but is interested in his fate. As he finds the only immortal being alive, he realizes that his journey was a mere wastage of time. He realizes that his immoral life cannot guarantee him immortality. Having so much loathed the gods, he learns that he would not stand a chance to be chosen as an immortal being. When Utnapishtim gives him a task that would salvage his youth and therefore the ability to be immortal, he realizes that the task is too hard. He realizes that he should live his last days as a good person and with compassion to those around him.

Works Cited

Dixon, Kent H, and Kevin H. Dixon. The Epic of Gilgamesh. New York, NY: Seven Stories Press, 2018.

Foster, Benjamin R. The Epic of Gilgamesh, 2019. Print.

Mitchell, Stephen. Gilgamesh: A New English Version. London: Profile, 2005. Internet resource.

Schmidt, Michael. Gilgamesh: The Life of a Poem, 2019. Print.