Gilgamesh

In the poem, Gilgamesh, a common motif is journeys, whether physical or internal. Travel and journeys are endlessly present, with every main course of action associating itself with a journey. Whether is it Endiku or Gilgamesh, the Priest-King of Uruk, they both take physical journeys. Endiku and Gilgamesh both take a journey together to defeat Humbaba, a monster guarding the Cedar Forest. After they succeed in his defeat, Endiku ultimately dies due to Gilgamesh's selfish actions in rejecting a bride. After the death of Endiku, Gilgamesh encounters a first look at death and the mortality it holds. He struggles with his and embarks on a journey of self, looking for the answer to immortality, he sees only "utterly lightless, black. There was nothing behind or before, nothing at all". This signifies how alone and truly lost he was in himself. The darkness that he is encountering demonstrates the struggle with finding the answers he was searching for. Gilgamesh did not return with the key to immortality, however with the overwhelming sense of being a selfless, more equipped leader. Gilgamesh, the true king said to a boatman, "'Study the brickwork, study the fortification; climb the ancient staircase to the terrace; study how it is made..". He continues to demonstrate the ideas and aspects to study to take in the little things and appreciate them, and show that he has truly transformed into the true leader that he needs to be.

Comments

  1. Tiffany CadizMarch 3, 2019 at 3:28 PM

    Ashley, it is an intriguing point that you brought up on how Gilgamesh is perceived instantly as a hero. The personal journey Gilgamesh took may have merely taught him some harsh lessons through the pain and grief he endured with the loss of his friend. Gilgamesh forcibly raped many helpless women to whom he merely showed no mercy. A man so ill of the mind no matter how much changed should go from ruthless villain to hero. The unfortunate women he has emotionally and physically abused are still affected. The personal journey Gilgamesh took may have merely taught him some harsh lessons through the pain and grief he endured with the loss of his friend. However, that cannot justify the fact the act of Gilgamesh’s actions. His journey was merely as if he had negative karma by not accomplished any one of his journeys. But is justice undoubtedly served for his actions?

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  2. World Lit ProfMarch 6, 2019 at 6:19 PM

    Good discussion here--see my response at the end of Tiffany's blog post.

    ReplyDelete

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