Essay On The Epic Of Gilgamesh

The story of The Epic of Gilgamesh is a western civilization historical poem that is mix of mythology and literature. It is to be believed was written around the first centuries of the second millennium B.C. considering one of the oldest, if not the oldest, ancient poem. It is about a hero who is desperate to become a god and goes an on quest for immortality. Within the pages of the old tale it reveals many hints of history, human nature, and myths of an ancient culture. Though the Sumerian Empire, the Mesopotamian culture, is long forgotten it has been told and retold by many for a reason. Is it because it’s similar views and culture? Is it because of its great story telling, its rich words? Or maybe because it enlighten the people historically? Though the tablets were founded by archaeologists in Middle East, it is a tale written by people of …show more content…
Divided by different episodes, it tells a trilling tale of adventure of “meeting of friends, a forest journey, the flouting of a fickle goddess, the death of the companion and the search for ancestral wisdom and immortality” (Sandars 22). It’s similar to other ancient tales, like Odyssey, it very different all the same. In tales such as Odyssey the main character is always the hero and could do no wrong. In The Epic of Gilgamesh is instead portrays the main character in a different light, making Gilgamesh a dark character and doing that teaches the most important lesson, human nature. Though gifted, being half god and half man, the leader of his people who “knew the countries of the world” (Sandars 61) was very cruel and arrogant. Upon meeting Enkidu, who is “innocent of mankind: he knew nothing of the cultivated land” becomes Gilgamesh’s equal and it’s his death that shows him how to value life. That it’s never too late to change, or impossible and anybody can be