Gilgamesh And Death - 821 Words

Death is a very large theme in the The Epic of Gilgamesh. Being that this epic largely represented the Sumerian and Mesopotamians idea I believe the feeling of Gilgamesh himself on death and it s aftermath would be very much the same for most of the society in the time that it was written. Gilgamesh was largely afraid of dying and did everything he could to avoid this inevitable fate. The first major sign we have of Gilgamesh s fear of dying comes when his friend Enkidu dies. At first Gilgamesh cannot even accept his death, he does not even bury the body until maggots start to appear in Enkidu. Eventually, he realizes that he too must face death one day. This fear is clearly indicated when Gilgamesh states I am afraid of death†¦show more content†¦Gilgamesh attained this plant only to have it stolen by a serpent while Gilgamesh rested and bathed in a Welcoming Pool. Gilgamesh then gave up on his work to try to defeat death and despite his long hard journey, returns to Uruk no closer to immortality than he left. His fear of ending up dead like his friend Enkidu has finally become an inevitable reality and he has the ferrymenShow MoreRelatedGilgamesh s Death Of Gilgamesh822 Words   |  4 Pagesover Enkidu’s death exhibits Gilgamesh’s discontent and anger towards his weakness and frailty as a human, but he discovers another route to acquire immortality at the end. Gilgamesh travels to seek the answer to immortality from Utanapishtim, but Gilgamesh is too weak to withstand the test of becoming immortal. Gilgamesh is an arrogant king, and worshiping gods was prevalent during his lifetime. Although Gilgamesh is two-thirds god, the one-third god of him will result in Gilgamesh dying from humanRead MoreGilgamesh s Death Of The Epic Of Gilgamesh1536 Words   |  7 PagesMesopotamia. As seen in the Epic of Gilgamesh, the main character G ilgamesh wants to become more godlike as to escape death. Already two-thirds god, Gilgamesh wishes to eliminate the part of him that forces him to face death. Death becomes a large issue for Gilgamesh, one that cannot be overcome or avoided due to the fact that while he is part god he is also human, and as part human he must succumb to the fatal flaw of all humans, death. However Gilgamesh s fear of death does not surface until he witnessesRead MoreThe Death Of The Epic Of Gilgamesh889 Words   |  4 PagesThe idea of death is prominent in all cultures. Everyone who has ever lived has died; it is a fact of life and nature. Though death is a natural assurance people, still have an uneasy relationship with the idea. Many people question what happens after death and from this people fear the unknown qualities behind it. This leads them to search for a way to change the inevitability of death. The story of Gilgamesh is a classic example of how far people will go for their fear of dea th. The first halfRead MoreEssay On Gilgamesh And Fear Of Death1115 Words   |  5 Pagesmake a name for themselves. Gilgamesh does not question the value of â€Å"making a name for himself† in a world where all great heroes are forgotten-it is enough to use his allotted years to achieve fame and glory. In this case, Gilgamesh believes that the value of life is to be remembered after death. Gilgamesh’s mortality and fear of death reflect on his human side and is consistent with the human condition of fearing death. However, Enkidu views death differently. Gilgamesh rouses Enkidu with a speechRead More Death and Immortality in The Epic of Gilgamesh Essay1366 Words   |  6 PagesDeath and Immortality in The Epic of Gilgamesh The search for immortality has been a major concern for many men and women all throughout history. True love and immortality in life would be a dream come true to many. To spend time with a special someone, the person one feels closest to, and never have to say good-bye would greatly appeal to most people. But when death steps into the picture, even with all the pain and devastation, one starts to re-evaluate themselvesRead More Struggling with Death in The Epic of Gilgamesh Essay561 Words   |  3 PagesStruggling with Death in The Epic of Gilgamesh In the ?Epic of Gilgamesh,? Gilgamesh deals with an issue that nearly destroyed him. He sought after immortality so much that he put his own life on the edge. Centuries later, this quest unites our high tech, fast paced culture with the remote and different culture of Gilgamesh. Humanity has yet to find the secret of letting go of the idea of everlasting life. Many people today hold on to the topic of immortality because they find itRead More Immortal Life vs. Immortal Name: Gilgamesh and Beowulf Essay1433 Words   |  6 PagesImmortal Life vs. Immortal Name: Gilgamesh and Beowulf Death. Fate. Immortality. Destiny. All are subjects that we tend to avoid. While most of us hope for life after death, we tend not to dwell on this subject because we are uncomfortable with the unknown. On those rare occasions when we allow ourselves to think about the fact that our days are numbered, we wonder if death can be cheated and immortality gained. Some have suggested that being remembered is just as enduring as living forever. ThoughtsRead MoreThe Epic of Gilgamesh Poem1357 Words   |  6 PagesThe Epic of Gilgamesh, Gilgamesh was a king who ruled over the Sumerian city of Uruk around 2600 B.C. Gilgamesh was a very powerful and strong king, but he realized that he must use his power to help the people of Uruk. He is two-thirds god and one third human, which makes him realize that he must reconcile with the fact that he will eventually face death. He realizes that he will not reach full immortality and needs to be satisfied with his responsibilities over his people. Gi lgamesh is able toRead MoreThe Epic Of Gilgamesh : Gilgamesh1013 Words   |  5 Pages Gilgamesh in 2015 Even though the epic Gilgamesh is thousands of years old, it is still read today. Why would the era of technology read an epic this old? This is because the themes in Gilgamesh are still relevant. In addition, the themes are experiences that Gilgamesh went through in his life period, and serve as lessons for the current readers. Gilgamesh’s themes include journey, legacy, love, and death. These themes make Gilgamesh a vital reading for the 21st century citizens because peopleRead More The Friendship of Gilgamesh and Enkidu Essay778 Words   |  4 PagesThe Epic of Gilgamesh is a historic story of the king of Uruk, Gilgamesh. The story depicts the short lived friendship of Gilgamesh and Enkidu. The story begins as Shamat the harlot seduces Enkidu and convinces him to go to the city of Uruk and meet Gilgamesh. From that moment on, the two were very close. They planned a trip to the forest of cedars to defeat the monster known as Humbaba so that Gilgamesh could show his power to the citizens of Uruk. However, Enkidu tried â€Å"vainly to dissuade† (18)