Gilgamesh Essay, Research Paper

Gilgamesh

The story of Gilamesh seems to relate to stories of the bible in some instances, but in others it seems like some great writers were at work when they created this story. For instance when I read the book The line “Gilgamesh, two-thirds god and one-third human, is the great-est king on earth and the strongest super-human that ever existed”, sound similar to Jesus Christ. It makes me wander which one of these stories is true the bible or Gilgamesh. I have summarized the book to point out which part to me is biblically related.

Gilgamesh, two-thirds god and one-third human, is the great-est king on earth and the

Strongest super-human that ever existed; however, he is young and oppresses his people harshly. The people call out to the sky-god Anu, the chief god of the city, to help them. Inresponse, Anu creates a wild man, Enkidu, out in the harsh and wild forests surrounding Gilgamesh’s lands. This brute, Enkidu, has the strength of dozens of wild animals; he is to serve as the subhuman rival to the superhuman Gilgamesh.

A trapper’s son, while checking on traps in the forest, discovers Enkidu running

Naked with the wild animals; he rushes to his father with the news. The father advises him to go into the city and take one of the temple harlots, Shamhat, with him to the forest; 1 when she sees Enkidu, she is to offer herself sexually to the wild man. If he submits to her, the trapper says, he will lose his strength and his wildness. Shamhat meets Enkidu at the watering-hole where all the wild animals gather; she Offers herself to him and he submits, instantly losing his strength and wildness, but he gains understanding and knowledge. He laments for his lost state, but the har-lot offers to take him into the city where all the joys of civilization shine in their re-splendence; she offers to show him Gilgamesh, the only man worthy of Enkidu’s friendship.

Gilgamesh meanwhile has two dreams; in the first a meteorite falls to earth which is so great that Gilgamesh can neither lift it nor turn it. The people gather and celebrate around the meteorite, and Gilgamesh embraces it as he would a wife, but his mother, the goddess Rimat-Ninsun, forces him to compete with the meteorite. In the second, Gilgamesh dreams that an axe appears at his door, so great that he can neither do not lift it nor turn it. The people gather and celebrate around the axe, and Gilgamesh embraces it as he would a wife, but his mother, again, forces him to compete with the axe. Gilgamesh asks his mother what these dreams might mean; she tells him a man of great force and strength will come into Uruk. Gilgamesh will embrace this man as he would a wife, and this man will help Gilgamesh perform great deeds.

Enkidu is gradually introduced to civilization by living for a time with a group of

Shepherds, who teach him how to tend flocks, how to eat, how to speak properly and how to wear clothes. Enkidu then enters the city of Uruk during a great celebration. Gilgamesh, as the king, claims the right to have sexual intercourse first with every new bride on the day of her wedding, as Enkidu enters the city, Gilgamesh is about to claim that right. Infuriated at this abuse, Enkidu stands in Front of the door of the marital chamber and blocks Gilgamesh’s way. They fight furiously until Gilgamesh wins the upper hand; Enkidu concedes Gilgamesh’s superiority and the two embrace and become devoted friends.

Though this story is very impressive, and I especially like the way the characters fall into place. For example when the people of Uruk did not like what Gilgamesh was doing they ask the gods foe help and Enkidu was created to counter Gilgamesh, but instead they became friends.

On a whole I like the story I found it to be very eye opening.