Dieter Ostermann Ms. Kratochwill-Jones English 10 – B1 February 12th, 2015 Gilgamesh Gilgamesh was an ancient Babylonian king whose story is still prevalent today. He was a brave and smart warrior who tragically lost his best friend and went on a quest to find immortality. Gilgamesh also laid out the basic structure of all future archetypal heroes. While the actual Gilgamesh reigned in Uruk around the 26th century B.C., the composition of the story dates to around the 17th century B.C, placing it
The “Epic of Gilgamesh” is known to be one of the earliest literary works. The epic is generally about King Gilgamesh and his quest for immortality. Above all, the “Epic of Gilgamesh” illustrates the bond of friendship, the effect of death on the longing for immortality, and the knowledge and self-understanding that Gilgamesh demonstrates after his adventure. The story begins by describing King Gilgamesh, who is two-thirds divine and one-third human, and his superiority over all kings for his strength
they are also unaware of how similar it is to the Epic of Gilgamesh. Both the Epic of Gilgamesh and Noah and the Flood share the same theme. However, it is the differences between these two cultures that make the similarities of the story seem most interesting. The Epic of Gilgamesh was written during Mesopotamian times and focuses solely on the Babylonian culture. In this Epic, the story of Gilgamesh and his hunt for immorality is depicted. Gilgamesh was very powerful and the goddess Aruru believed
Wisdom and Character Development in the Epic of Gilgamesh What is a work of fiction without a good character development? Whether it is positive or negative, character development is one of the most fundamental aspects of a work of fiction, and one of the aspects of its similarity to the real life. The Epic of Gilgamesh is supposedly a work of fiction, and more importantly, one that is told as if it was real. Therefore, in his journey, the main character Gilgamesh goes through a major change and a positive
The Transformation of Gilgamesh into a True Hero The Epic of Gilgamesh symbolizes a hero’s transformation from youth to maturity. Throughout the epic, we join Gilgamesh in his quest for growth as he faces many difficult tests and adventures to prove he is a worthy hero. Gilgamesh’s identity is composed of a multitude of characteristics including king, human, and god. He must learn to equally balance all of these traits in order to lead his society in a righteous manner. In Van Gennep’s model, he
Gilgamesh and The Iliad are two of the greatest epics in human history. Homer’s epics are usually used to exemplify the characteristics which every epic should possess. The problem with this common belief is The Iliad was not the first epic to use these characteristics and its themes are not as original as many think. In fact, it is very possible Homer was not only influenced by the writings of Gilgamesh but also used many of the epic’s themes as well. First, it is necessary to examine how each of
Throughout The Epic of Gilgamesh and The Iliad by Homer, there are many themes that the two compositions have in common. One of the most common themes and perhaps the most central and driving theme in both epics is the theme of death and human morality. Achilles of the ancient Greek epic, The Iliad, and Gilgamesh from the ancient Sumerian epic have many similarities as heroes who both must experience the loss of a dear friend and comrade. The main character in their respective heroics shape their
Both men were kings at the time their epics took place. They both had divine blood running through their veins; Gilgamesh because he is 2/3 god and Achilles because he is the son of Zeus. Therefore both heroes superhuman strength and are closely tied to the Gods. This also means that they are still morals and not invincible. Due to this fact they both seek more out of their lives. Neither man is concerned with family life nor with romantic relationships with women. Those would just
learned by the protagonist. The Epic of Gilgamesh, a story written thousands of years ago by the ancient Sumerians, follows the same archetypes as any modern day quest story. Gilgamesh is separated from his normal life when he meets Enkidu, he then loses Enkidu and leaves on another journey in search of immortality. He succeeds in finding immortality, loses it a short amount of time later, and returns to Uruk. This story and the archetypes present in The Epic of Gilgamesh, show what Sumerian culture
Gilgamesh is the Priest-King of the city of Uruk. In tablet one, the Epic of Gilgamesh illustrates that he is suppose to be the peoples’ Shepherd; a man who tends, feeds, and guards the people of Uruk. Although Gilgamesh was meant to be the peoples’ Shepherd, he does not recognize the people as his equals. King Gilgamesh does as he pleases, rejecting the people in every possible way. Before his encounter with, Enkidu, Gilgamesh was a tyrannical king who worked his people to death and took anything