Why Did Gilgamesh Become A Hero

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The epic tale of Gilgamesh has been told for generations and has been translated into many languages and with that it has been reconstructed and glorified from its original story. Gilgamesh was seen by many Mesopotamians as a brave hero, that is idolized for his contributions to their society. Also many Mesopotamian citizens saw him as an inconsiderate, abusive, and greedy ruler. So why was Gilgamesh considered to be a hero for the Mesopotamians? Through his earthly journey to become an immortal God, he discovers the true meaning of mortality according to scholars. According to Mieroop, the story of Gilgamesh has been changed throughout the period of history, but generally the main ideas have stayed the same. The story had been translated from multiple languages dating back to the Sumerians, which then was translated into Akkadian. Gilgamesh was searching for a mortal that had attained eternal life, after his friend Enkidu was killed. He died because he killed the bull of heaven,. sent by Ishtar, to punish the two friends for their arrogance. Gilgamesh was disappointed over Enkidu's death . His journey continued and Gilgamesh gained wisdom. He had also realized that he couldn't obtain eternal life himself, but could gain immortality through fame, so he built the great city of Uruk and its walls.…show more content…
The scribes over time have had an immense popularity with this epic tale due to the multiple copies of cuneiform tablets discovered. "Gilgamesh emerges as an antihero in the measure of which glory eludes him, but as a hero in the deeper sense of accepting the limits: living within the city of

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