Gilgamesh As A Hero Essay

The Epic of Gilgamesh is one of the world’s oldest existing stories that were collected in Mesopotamia. It is a story about a heroic king named Gilgamesh, who treated his people in a nasty way. He was a domineering, and cruel leader, feared by many because of his unnatural strength. He forced his people into labor in order to expand his kingdom. The people cried unto the gods and they created Gilgamesh’s equal Enkidu, who they later became friends. Gilgamesh witnessed the death of his close friend Enkidu, and this made him to search for immortality because, he was afraid to die. However, he learnt that, no human was immortal, and that he was destined to die, just like his friend Enkidu.

The story of Gilgamesh, the King of Uruk who is two thirds god and one third human, is a interesting and intriguing piece of literature. The story tells of Gilgameshs' strength, bravery, intelligence, looks, and loyalty making him a true model hero. It says that Gilgamesh was (pg.13), "given a perfect body and endowed with beauty and courage and his beauty surpassed all others." Throughout the story he is constantly going into battle and going on long adventures to find answers that will better his city. He is also respectful to those he meets along his journeys and asks God for strength during his battles. Gilgamesh is a religious character that posseses super human strength, bravery, selflessness, and intelligence making him a model

Gilgamesh is a hero. He notably did good, had a humane purpose to do good, which in the end displayed an everlasting message. In The Epic of

In the “Epic of Gilgamesh” translated by N.K. Sanders, Gilgamesh completes a series of many challenges and obstacles, fulfilling the conditions of an archetypal quest story. In order to fulfill an archetypal quest story, the hero or protagonist must complete a series of hurdles, on their way toward achieving their goal. In the “Epic of Gilgamesh”, Gilgamesh hunts for his main obsession, immortality, while he battles off monsters, with the help of some friends. Sensing Gilgamesh embraces too much power, the gods create a friend for Gilgamesh named Enkidu in the hopes of lessening Gilgamesh’s power. Enkidu and Gilgamesh turn out to be best friends after Enkidu loses a wrestling match

People have been fascinated by tales of heroism for centuries. In ancient Mesopotamia, heroes give people hope and comfort, and fill them with strength. Ancient Mesopotamia is filled with tales of heroes- mighty warriors battling monsters, men ready to risk life and limb to save their true love or to fight for their nation. Still, there is a great difficulty that lies in defining what a hero truly is. Strength alone does not make a hero; nor does intelligence. Moreover, the Epic of Gilgamesh truly defines the definition of a hero. Gilgamesh is portrayed as a true hero through his skill, intelligence, willingness to die, reverence, and his respect for death.

Gilgamesh is not a completely flawed character; he possesses, and obtains through his adventures, many positive qualities or virtues. For example, he is courageous. This virtue is evident during his battle with Humbaba. This forest giant is a fearsome adversary, aided by the gods, with a considerable size and strength advantage. Defeat of Humbaba takes the combined efforts of Gilgamesh and Enkidu. To succeed, Gilgamesh had to gain the courage to undergo this task. Enkidu rallies his friend by saying, “O Gilgamesh, remember now your boasts in Uruk. Forward, attacks, son of Uruk, there is nothing to fear.” (Sandars 20) With this, Gilgamesh’s “courage railed” (Sandars 20). He defeats and eventually kills Humbaba for which he is subsequently praised.

Heroes are extraordinary characters who carry human qualities that reassure followers of the heroes’ limitations. A hero is commonly considered a god, a being with great power that is brave enough to save whole cities. The human qualities are always their greatest fault, it comes in the image of pride, ego, selfishness, and even denial. These flaws are represented by the heroes Gilgamesh and Oedipus. Gilgamesh and Oedipus undertake journeys in search of a truth that will preserve their glory. While Gilgamesh searches for immortality, Oedipus searches for a different fate, both, fearing death. However, only one reaches their their goal.

After reading The Epic of Gilgamesh, I have come to realize that Gilgamesh is not a hero, but a failure. His journey does not follow the traditional circular hero’s journey and he does not posses the traits that an admirable hero should have.

Gilgamesh illustrates his arrogance in the beginning of the epic. Ishtar’s proposal to Gilgamesh results into him saying, “[B]ut as far as making you my wife--that I will not. How would it go with me? Your lovers found you like a brazier which smoulders

Gilgamesh is very saddened and decides to go on a long journey to find Utnapishtim in order to get immortality. Instead of immortality, he finds a plant that can make him younger. In “Hero King Gilgamesh”, three aspects of the hero’s journey that are important are The Call, Crossing the Threshold and Final

He becomes terrified of the death and ends up being obsessed by being immortal. He becomes an epic hero after Enkidu enters his life. Both traditionally and in modern society, a hero is an individual who gets admired for the courage, noble qualities and the achievements. The accomplishments are often the end results. It is true that at the end, Gilgamesh was that hero since at the end, he became the hero that his people have dreamt

When faced with mortality, in the Sumerian tale of Gilgamesh, the hero Gilgamesh displays juxtaposing side of himself between being uplifting and somber. Early in the tale, Gilgamesh appears optimistic when counseling Enkidu of Enkidu’s fleeting strength. Gilgamesh tells Enkidu that he will feel better after defeating the great giant Humbaba. It appears that Gilgamesh values the legends that will be left by such a great defeat, and hopes to spread this wisdom to Enkidu. After the death of Enkidu, Gilgamesh realizes his own impermanence and becomes quite woeful. Gilgamesh travels in search of the immortal Utanapishtim, desperate to learn the way to achieve immortality. In order to accept his fate, Gilgamesh must be subdued enough to propel

The first books of Gilgamesh establish the leader as a brave and proud warrior, highlighting his triumph over external struggles. Gilgamesh begins the epic a tyrannical leader, a man of such great strength and sexual prowess that he challenges the gods. His people are miserable, as they are forced to be subjected to Gilgamesh raping their women and dominating over them politically and through brute force in various physical exhibitions of strength he arranges. The gods create Enkidu to challenge Gilgamesh, but Gilgamesh even bests Enkidu in his most impressive physical feat to date.

Gilgamesh was a powerful king of Uruk an ancient city in Sumer now known as Iraq. Created by the gods, Gilgamesh was 2/3 god and 1/3 man he thought of himself as undefeatable, and carried himself immorally, taking advantage of his people. Being tired of this the people of Uruk began sobbing, and the goddess Aruru heard their cries and created Gilgamesh 's equal Enkidu. Together they would go on to venture into battles, one of which leads to the death of Enkidu that brings Gilgamesh to his very own journey to find immortality. This epic demonstrates the traits identified by the renown American psychologist Joseph Campbell in the story lines of the hero 's journey.

The Epic of Gilgamesh is an infamous piece of work that exhibits many themes throughout its entirety. This epic starts off with an overpowering arrogant leader known as Gilgamesh who rules the city of Uruk. A new character, Enkidu, is then introduced and challenges Gilgamesh in a battle because of their opposing personalities. The two soon become friends and embark on many quests and journeys working together as a team. Throughout these journeys, both characters change in response to one another. In the Epic of Gilgamesh, Gilgamesh proves to be a round character as the epic goes on and reveals the evident theme that friendship impacts you deeply.