Gilgamesh

Gilgamesh

Introduction

Conflict between Nature and Culture

The story about the king who ruled about 126 year after the flood of Noah is a very amazing since it has very weird characters in it. This is a conflict of the normal and natural way always known to man. The main character known as Gilgamesh is described as being two-thirds a god and one third man. Enkidu who latter come his friend is described as being animal and man. The story begins by the bad behavior of the king but latter it develops to his heroic activities. Enkidu is born to the wild, eating grass in the Hills but he is rescues by Gilgamesh (Sandars 2006).

The gods create Enkidu in reaction to the cries of the people about the evil that Gilgamesh is involved in taking way people wives and doing a lot of bad things it the village. The poem describes him as very lustful taking away wives of the people he is supposed to take care of, taking the people to wear every time and even young girls still virgins(Sandars 2006). The gods heeded to the prayers of the people and goddess Aruru decided to make Gilgamesh his match which is meant to be just like him and that they would fight in serious war. The goddess made up in her mind an image of which she created to be Enkidu. In the wilderness, Enkidu lives with animal, roaming around with them and eating grass just like the antelope. His body was very rough and had very long hair and noble. Enkidu is depicted into be against what nature or that normal culture. However a trap is set to civilize him where he meets this beautiful prostitute who entices and teaches him sex (Sandars 2006). He gets to sleep with her and when he returns to the forest; all the animals run away from him. He returns to the prostitute who refers him to Gilgamesh.

Gilgamesh is also depicted as two-thirds he was created to be to a leader. He show so much energy that he goes to warm even with monsters and traveling to vey long distanced and to very

Gilgamesh

far places (Sandars 2006).

Since Enkidu is an animal and half man, its not expected that he will be the good person considering that he was crested to confront Gilgamesh the man who was 2/3 god. Basically he is then transformed in mind and becomes very loyal friend to Gilgamesh. He is also very smart and brave helping his friend confronts the monster and bull from ten angry gods. Has a transformed being, he encourages Gilgamesh giving him support to face tougher challenges (Sandars 2006).

Gilgamesh’s Heroism

Then conflict is biased towards the heroism of Gilgamesh. Gilgamesh is the main character in the magnificent piece of literature ‘the Epic of Gilgamesh’. He is very strong and powerful considering the fact that he is 2/3 God. He shows intelligence, skills, heroism, and admiration and also respects the dead. He travels to distant land and goes to war fearlessly to take on the enemies and seek answers of what could happen to the people ion his town. He respects all the people he meets on his journeys and seeks Gods strength for his battles (Sandars 2006). He is also a loyal friend to those who show love and respect him just has he did to Enkidu.

Gilgamesh is seen to be very strong and throughout the story, he shows tremendous skill and proficiency as a leader and a leading warrior… ‘He is strong almost to perfection’ … ‘he is an overwhelming beast with unequaled strength and a chant that advances armies’. He is able to lead his tribe to the battle ground courageously and also to defeat every other enemy they come across… ‘Gilgamesh tribe is invincible and provoked even by little offense’. This is an indication of his remarkable leadership capability in that his tribe is enthusiastic to battle bearing in mind that the king cannot just let them down. He fights the mighty beast Humbaba to show his mettle. Just to indicate tackling Humbaba was not a simple task, the quote goes like… ‘The awful gigantic beast’s reputation caused Uroks kind people panic for their great king’. Gilgamesh was even warned of the beast by the elders of the town and to allow Enkidu to be the leader through the forest. Furthermore, the king himself was very much afraid of facing the beast in a battle… ‘Even such an opponent was far much of a match to Gilgamesh’s enormous power and skill’. However the king was able to defeat and kill the beast and came back home safe and sound

Gilgamesh

(Sandars 2006). His extreme fighting skill are also shown when he makes Ishtar angry and she asked Anu to let loose the bull to crush Gilgamesh and again the King was victorious

Gilgamesh climbs the double cliff on mount Mash on his journey to Utnapishtim. On reaching the top, the poisonous scorpion on guard says to him ‘no mortal human being has ever known this place, what you seek. None of you type has ever traveled this far’. Just to confirm that the cliff was not a simple one, it’s recorded in the epic that if he fell, he would fall all day and all night long. And that is why the scorpion on lookout was so astonished with the remarkable strength and skills to mount that cliff that he permitted him go through and even wished him all the best…’Godspeed’ . On the sea, the king (Gilgamesh would row faster than the boat. ’…he worn out all the oars to lesser bits’ Utnapishtim also amazed by the king, says …’I do see, but am blind. I know but I do not comprehend how he acts like this, he’s a beast everywhere’. All these characters and occasions prove the fact that he had skills a very great warrior and leadership capacity of beyond the thoughts but that was not all that was essential to be a people’s hero. He is also a very intelligent leader as indicated by his foresight and hindsight. A true hero has to be very intelligent (Sandars 2006). He also believes that his victory is for the people… He tells Enkidu, ‘all credit is ours if we triumph over this unmatched enemy and risk the anguish that terrifies others’. Being ready to die for what hew believed for the people is an outstanding characteristic of a hero.

Enkidu also shows power and might. In fact he is even more heroic that Gilgamesh. This is because he is set to free people from the immoralities of Gilgamesh of which he succeeded even though he does not kill Gilgamesh but the king learned his lesson and changed. The king’s tyrannical spirit is washed away and he becomes a good man. When Gilgamesh started experiencing very bad dreams, Enkidu was there to encourage him bad to real faith and strength so that he could face enemies with bravery. The huwatha adventure, Enkidu is not supporting the fights but Gilgamesh goes ahead and kills Huwatha. The gods however considering that someone has to pay for that mistake, they deice to take Enkidu thorough he strongly felt that it was Gilgamesh fault. After Enkidu dies his absence causes torment to Gilgamesh who seeks to be immortal because of fear however he is not able to make it. Basically Gilgamesh is favor add a hero in terms of cultural and nature description in the poem as he is bad tempered, self centered and immoral (Sandars 2006).

Conclusion

Gilgamesh

Gilgamesh is favored by the writer so much remember that it was him who slaughtered Humbaba even as it pleased for mercy. They are both cursed by the dying monster that they would die. Enkidu however dies first. Gilgamesh refuses Ishtar when she cried to Anu who sends a very fierce bull but Enkidu assist in killing it but this costs him a lot. Enkidu is a hero in a very different way but probably far much better than Gilgamesh

Gilgamesh

Gilgamesh

References

Sandars, N. K. (2006). The Epic of Gilgamesh- (Penguin Epics). Penguin books