...Introduction The epic poem dubbed the Epic of Gilgamesh is perhaps the earliest surviving literature on the face of the planet. The poem came from Mesopotamia in its original cuneiform script comprising 12 tablets. The Epic of Gilgamesh is a chronicle detailing the classic adventures of Gilgamesh, a historic king of Uruk. Over the years, historians have eliminated the 12th tablet for alleged inconsistencies. The poem depicts a wide range of themes such as the inevitability of death, which is portrayed when Gilgamesh’s struggle to be young backfires. Other themes include the struggle between humanity and divine power, necessity of friendship, oppression, and the enduring struggle for power along with the conflict between the rulers and the ruled. Relationship between the Ruler and the Ruled The conflict between rulers and their subjects is perhaps the most enduring historical trend known to humanity. As Machiavelli, Hobbes, Karl Marx and other realist theorist of power politics concur, this longstanding conflict manifests itself in terms of oppression and suppression where the ruling class seeks to dominate the masses financially, socially and politically. This trend is no more today as it was then. It is a reflection of survival for the fittest as envisioned in Darwin’s evolution theory (Foster 45). Looking at the epic of Gilgamesh, which was created at around 2500 BC, oppression emerges as one of the mainstream themes. This is portrayed in the eminence of the king...
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...Epic of Gilgamesh The Epic of Gilgamesh is epic poetry from Mesopotamia and is among the earliest known works of literature. Scholars believe that it originated as a series of Sumerian legends and poems about the protagonist of the story,Gilgamesh, which were fashioned into a longer Akkadian epic much later. The most complete version existing today is preserved on 12 clay tablets from the library collection of 7th-century BC Assyrian king Ashurbanipal. It was originally titled He who Saw the Deep (Sha naqba īmuru) or Surpassing All Other Kings (Shūtur eli sharrī). The story revolves around a relationship between Gilgamesh (probably a real ruler in the late Early Dynastic II period ca. 27th century BC)[1] and his close companion, Enkidu. Enkidu is a wild man created by the gods as Gilgamesh's equal to distract him from oppressing the citizens of Uruk. Together they undertake dangerous quests that incur the displeasure of the gods. Firstly, they journey to the Cedar Mountain to defeat Humbaba, its monstrous guardian. Later they kill the Bull of Heaven that the goddess Ishtar has sent to punish Gilgamesh for spurning her advances. The latter part of the epic focuses on Gilgamesh's distressed reaction to Enkidu's death, which takes the form of a quest for immortality. Gilgamesh attempts to learn the secret of eternal life by undertaking a long and perilous journey to meet the immortal flood hero, Utnapishtim. Ultimately the poignant words addressed to Gilgamesh in the midst...
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...The theme of honor in the Iliad and “Gilgamesh” effect the characters actions and the way how they view their culture. In the Iliad, Achilles honor is very important to him because in Homeric culture it is apart of everyday life and a hero must uphold his reputation (CliffNotes: The Hero and Homeric Culture). When Achilles slain Hector he stated “We have brought magnificent Hector down, the man the Trojans glorified in their city like a god! So he triumphed and now he is bent on outrage, on shaming noble Hector [...] a thick cloud of dust rose up from the man they dragged” (Beers 66) because he had overcome his greatest enemy at the time. In Achilles culture, in order to remain a good hero, the hero must present this through combat on the battlefield (CliffNotes: The Hero and Homeric Culture). As a result of culture embracing honor, the theme of honor is...
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...The Epic of Gilgamesh and The Book of Job can be thoroughly analyzed containing many similarities and differences. These two works of literature were written in different time periods. Fiero states that The Epic of Gilgamesh is an epic poem that precedes the Hebrew bible (19), while The Book of Job is religious text that is an actual excerpt from the Hebrew bible. Both originated from the region, Mesopotamia where it was common for people to have negative views on everything and believe that the evil in the world outweighs the good. Utnapishtim in the Epic of Gilgamesh and Job in The Book of Job shows these views in both works. Utnapishtim says to Gilgamesh, “There is no permanence” (Fiero 37). This shows how Utnapishtim believes that good things won’t last forever. God blesses the main characters in both works. Gilgamesh is blessed with a perfect body, beauty, and courage. “Two thirds they made him God and one third man” (Fiero 19). Job was blessed with flocks of animals, a large family, and protected land. Job is said to be “blameless and upright” (Fiero 34). Although blessed both men were pushed to their mental and physical limits to see what they were made of. “Job and Gilgamesh are tested by superhuman forces, and both come to realize that misfortune and suffering are typical of the human condition” (Fiero 37). Gilgamesh is tested when Ishtar, the Goddess of love, takes the life of his companion Enkidu for rejecting her affections for him. “Because I am afraid of death I...
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...Lord of the Rings and Modern Day Epic? Epic adventures are one of the oldest and most celebrated works of literature. These adventures paint pictures of larger-than-life heroes, terrifying battle scenes, and heroic triumphs. Most epics served the purpose of transmitting culture and history, as well as entertaining readers. Among classical epics are the well-known Epic of Gilgamesh, The Iliad, and The Odyssey. However, is the epic adventure a dying breed of literature? Is it possible that epic stories have sustained the test of time and evolved over the centuries? The Lord of the Rings trilogy, including The Fellowship of the Ring, The Two Towers, and The Return of the King, is one of the greatest examples of a modern day epic. What do The Iliad, The Odyssey, The Epic of Gilgamesh, and The Lord of the Rings all have in common? They all share typical characteristics of epic adventures in some form or another. Though the motives and reasons may differ, the theme of journeying is common to all epic adventures. In The Epic of Gilgamesh, King Gilgamesh sets out on a perilous adventure with his closest friend Enkidu in order to find enduring fame and glory. In The Odyssey, the main character Odysseus embarks on a 10 year-long journey through trials and tests to find his way back home to his wife and son. Epic hero Achilles, of The Iliad, sets out to fight in the legendary Trojan War. Similarly, Frodo Baggins, unassuming hero of The Lord of the Rings, sets out from his home and...
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...The Analysis of Gilgamesh I believe The Epic of Gilgamesh should be considered the world’s first written epic as it reads true to all the literary elements of an epic piece. The plot contains a hero of superhuman strength, a mission which determines the fate of a nation and battles against monstrous foes. This story contains a few different themes which seem to be universally represented in many works of literature. The epic cover tales of love, strength, humility, wisdom and death. While Gilgamesh was young he lived as many young men have throughout history. He was strong, fearless, virile and foolish. As a king with no equal he lived as such. Young Gilgamesh was without any love, humility, or mature wisdom. Besides being a fearless warrior he lacked any traits or characteristics of a good king. He spent endless days in athletic contests and defeating all his competitors. Gilgamesh would lay with all the women of his land without regard to morals or ethics. If the tale was laid out as a human life from birth to death then this section would be his adolescence. He was energetic, rambunctious, and risk-taking. There was no consequences for his actions. Teens often have a need to push the limits of life to learn their physical and mental ends, coupled with the need for adventure cause dangerous actions and behavior. As with most teenagers, later in the story he began to develop mentally, emotionally and socially. As a young adult does, he gradually increased his mental and...
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...Postcolonial Analysis Postcolonial theory has many themes ranging from identity to hybridity. Many, if not all of these themes can be found in any literature reading. The theme that is the most interesting is oppression. Oppression can be displayed in many ways and forms within any literature reading and can be obvious, or very subtle. All the themes seem to flow together and are often times created from the effects of another theme. For example, oppression can be an effect of identity. Identity is how a person sees themselves and those that are not at the same class or level of knowledge as them. This starts the theme of oppression. Oppression is when someone has control or power over someone or a group of people and controls their actions and way of life. In The Epic of Gilgamesh, the city of Uruk is ruled by Gilgamesh, who is part god and part human that was created by the gods. With his power as a ruler of Uruk, he created his own set of rules for the people of Uruk to follow that may not have been a part of their everyday lives before Gilgamesh arrived in their city. In The Epic of Gilgamesh, a townsperson tells Enkidu “Gilgamesh the king is about to celebrate marriage with the Queen of Love, and he still demands to be first with the bride, the king to be first, and the husband to follow”(6). This is one example of how Gilgamesh uses his power to oppress the lives of the people of Uruk to do as he says. Gilgamesh also takes the young sons of the townspeople to use as...
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...To compare the theme of exiles into nature in Gilgamesh, the Odyssey, the Iliad, and the Mahabharata is to compare how these exiles were brought upon the heroes and the consequences when the hero returns to society. The difference between the Mahabharata and the other three epics, is that the exile of the Kuravas was imposed on them by others. Though Yudhisthira is technically the only one in the family who brought it upon himself by playing the crooked dice game. For the most part, the exile of the Kuravas is not self-imposed. This is very different to the exiles seen in the western epics. In the Iliad, Achilles exiles himself for feeling shamed by Agamemnon, he chooses not to fight and instead have hundreds of his countrymen die. In the Epic of Gilgamesh, Gilgamesh chooses to abandon his kingdom for an unplanned amount of time on a search for immortality somewhere in nature because of Enkidu’s death. Both Achilles and Gilgamesh exile themselves because of strong feelings they get. The exile of Odysseus is about brought on by himself, by making Poseidon extra mad, not leaving Calypso’s Island, among other transgressions against the gods....
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...previously stated, Campbell’s monomyth works best with the traditional form of the quest such as in folk and fairy tales, myths, legends, and other fantasies. However, it can be applied to many different genres or types of stories. A quest does not have to include swords and monsters. It can just as easily occur in the real world. The monomyth is ageless and universal, and exists anywhere and everywhere. During the first half of this semester, we have read a number of stories from our class text, which involves and relates to the hero’s journey. There were two stories and characters that particularly stood out to me and which I found the most comparisons between although they were two types of heroes. Those characters were Gilgamesh, from The Epic Of...
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...Literature has always explored the theme of love. Love cannot be defined in just one way, there are several different types of love. Three types of love that can be found often in classic readings are eros(romantic), philia(friendship), and familial, or the love of family(“The 7 Types Of Love”). Love in literature is not far different than love in modern culture. The love titled philia can be found in The Epic of Gilgamesh. Gilgamesh has a strong love for Enkidu in the epic. Their love is solely the friendship they have. Gilgamesh wanted to fight Enkidu and destroy him to begin with. They were evenly matched as they were made alike. After Enkidu comes along, Gilgamesh changes his ways of being mean. They set off on a quest together to kill Humbaba, and together they succeed. The relationship between Enkidu and Gilgamesh is the heart of the Sumerian epic. Enkidu and Gilgamesh first meet as enemies and fight each other. It is during this battle that Gilgamesh comes to understand that his thoughts about women and life in general could be wrong. He learns from Enkidu and Enkidu learns and becomes more `civilized' through his friendship with Gilgamesh. When the gods...
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...it’s a distorted image. The story Gilgamesh, edited by Stephen Mitchell, uses duality to convey how the same person reacts to being exposed to two opposite scenarios. Gilgamesh is a telling of a lonely king with god-like powers, until one day, the gods finally make him a companion named Enkidu who is equal to him. Within this epic, there are many examples of duality, but there are three main ones which are: Gilgamesh and Enkidu themselves, Gilgamesh and Enkidu's battle against Humbaba and later the Bull of Heaven, and the contrast between Gilgamesh at the beginning of the story and at the end. In the epic, Gilgamesh has no one to rival him which causes him to do whatever he wants to his people. His suffer from his tyranny, so then they pray to the gods for help. The gods hear their cry and decide...
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...The Epic of Gilgamesh depicts the relationship between humans and gods as a dependent relationship. This relationship helps us understand what it means to be human by establishing the limits of humanity and the duties of the Gods. Humanity is defined by the inevitable cycle of favors between humans and the gods. The Epic of Gilgamesh establishes a profound sense of interdependence between humans and God. Gilgamesh, king of Uruk, embarks on a journey that exemplifies the intricate connection between mortals and deities. Although he possesses immense physical strength, he is depicted as vulnerable and subject to the divine. His quest for immortality explores the dynamic between humanity and the divine realm. Gilgamesh journeys to the Cedar Forest...
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...| 2.3.1 Study: Universal Themes | Study Sheet | | | | | English IV Sem 1 (S2110801) | MADISON HACKNEY | | | | Date: ____________ | | This is a two-part study sheet for you to print out and complete. The first part will help you collect and review the information you learn in preparation for quizzes and tests. The second part will help you tie the pieces of information together in preparation for future writing assignments. In the Study What I need to know about theme: 1. In literature, theme refers to the central ideas or arguments expressed in a work of fiction. 2. Theme comes out of the interplay among setting, characters, plot, and narration. 3. A(n) fable is a brief story designed to illustrate a moral or general truth about human nature. 4. A(n) moral is a lesson or principle expressed in a fable or story. 5. A concise, wise, or witty saying is called a(n) epigram.. 6. Most of the time, theme must be inferred from evidence in the text. 7. A theme is an idea that can be expressed in a complete sentence. 8. A theme is always a generalization. That means it is stated in such a way that it applies to everyone. 9. A theme from Huckleberry Finn by Mark Twain might be a boy and a slave’s quest for freedom. 10. A(n) universal theme reflects a condition or experience that is fundamental to being human; all people can understand and relate to it. What I need to know about archetypes: 1. archetype are patterns or models that appear repeatedly...
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...Comparative analysis Gilgamesh and Odysseus Nikki Porter Hum Cultures 111 (world cultures 1) Professor Monique Baucham Strayer University Comparative Analysis: Gilgamesh and Odysseus This is a comparative analysis between two hero’s Gilgamesh and Odysseus who are two heroes from two different time periods that were both in search of the meaning of life. The epics that the two characters are featured in Gilgamesh, was developed from early Mesopotamia and the Odyssey in early Greece. Gilgamesh was a very popular and it was very valuable to the historian of Mesopotamian culture because it reveals much about the religious world, such as their attitudes toward the gods, how a hero was defined and regarded, views about death and friendship. Comparative analysis Gilgamesh and Odysseus This comparative analysis is that of Gilgamesh and Odysseus who were both historical hero’s. Gilgamesh who lived from 2700 BC-2620 BC he died in uruk. Gilgamesh compared to Odysseus Gilgamesh, the hero from the epic Gilgamesh, was the historical king of Uruk in Babylonia, on the river Euphrates in modern Iraq: he lived about 2700B.C. Odysseus, the hero from the epic the Odysseus, was the ruler of the island kingdom of Ithaca. He was one of the most prominent Greek leaders of the Trojan War. Both of these men were equipped with certain strengths, the difference in their strengths were Gilgamesh had physical, while Odysseus had mental strengths. Gilgamesh was a very self-confident and at times...
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...Hebrews. It has been said that The Torah symbolizes events and life of the Jewish people, their experiences, laws, legends and the meaning and expressions of their gods. With the Bible, there has been a rough debate of many hundreds of years about the roots of it. The Bible has been written by the beginning of the tenth century, which was by the time the Hebrews have settled in Canaan. The Jewish religion declares that The Torah represents the history of Hebrew people. But scholars tend to argue that the stories that are apparently the creation of Moses and the Hebrew language, are off by more than five hundred years from Torah. Comparing the Hebrew flood story of Noah’s Ark, of 2348 B.C, there are many similarities found with the Epic of Gilgamesh. Both of these stories start out with God getting furious at the people. They, in his mind, were becoming more and more sinful, and because of that, he regretted of ever having to create the human race. So he goes to a man he chooses, Noah, and asks him to build a boat because he wants to get rid of humans. God then gives accurate measurements to Noah for the building of the boat. He then tells Noah to get animals on the boat, two of each, so they could survive. God reminds Noah that a great flood will occur that is to destroy all living things, but save Noah’s family if they get onto the boat. After the seven days have past, it started to rain, just like God has said it would. By that time, Noah had his family and two of each...
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