Epic of Gilgamesh

The Epic of Gilgamesh tells the story of a half human half-god individual searching for life’s answer. It highlights many facets of basic human nature, along with innate human fears, needs, and desire. The main character, Gilgamesh embodies many of these characteristics of humankind coupled with his immense strength and position of power derived from his godly background. He journeys through life attempting to find way to avoid death and become immortal. He soon learns that immortality is reserved for the god’s, and so seeks out Utnapishtam, the only mortal to be granted immortality. On this journey Gilgamesh’s perception evolves and changes bringing him closer to what it really means to be immortal and how to achieve it. In the Epic Gilgamesh, the concept of life and death is explored, and is drastically changed on Gilgamesh’s part, as he encounters the only immortal man Utnapishtam. Gilgamesh, originally fearing death, adopts a new mentality of acceptance for mortality; ultimately, highlighting the innate human fear for the unknown realm of death, and the need to preserve one’s self through a timeless legacy.
Through out the large majority of the text, Gilgamesh regards death with disdain and fear, unwilling to accept that mortality, in the literal sense, is inevitable; thus, leading to his eventual realization that there are nonconventional ways by which can achieve immortality. Gilgamesh’s fear of death becomes apparent when he and Enkidu begin their quest to kill Humbaba. Gilgamesh believes that their actions and achievements hold little wait in the world, that they are naught but a “puff of wind,” hardly consequential in nature (Gilgamesh, 93). Gilgamesh’s attitude towards mortality can be aptly characterized as one of antipathy. He sets little store in human life, and in what can be achieved whilst living; essentially, rejecting any importance in mortality as a whole. This is further exemplified in his reaction to the death of Enkidu. Enkidu, having been