—Alicia Soares
To be considered a “great work” the language use speaks on another level; meaning there must be several understandings of the different concepts that are in the book. The ambiguity of concepts expressed in literature is what makes it a potential “great work”. These concepts may not be clear but reading between the lines in “great works” and understanding the symbolism and themes they embody is a phenomenon. The Epic of Gilgamesh is a definition of what a “great work” is and many might question why that is. Why is this epic considered a “great work” in comparison to other great works? Here’s why. It is one of the earliest “great work” there is, and it serves as a pedestal for other great works because it does such a great job at explicitly defining important themes in the ancient times. It references religious language and mirrors the Bible. A major theme is the differentiation between Gods and mortals in which the main character is 2/3 divine and 1/3 human. Gilgamesh is the epitome of a cruel God because he abuses his power and doesn’t understand how to balance his complex nature of being part human, part God. The people of Uruk are terrorized of him as he fights everyone that comes in his way and belittle women, so they seek help from the Gods. In this book, we see one of the very first instances of patriarchy and how in ancient times, men were the superior gender. However, there are several Goddesses in this book that embody power and I believe that they are the driving forces for women in literature. When the people of Uruk sought help, their prayers were answered. Enkidu comes along and is a driving force in the development of Gilgamesh’s character. His death signifies a major transition of Gilgamesh as he develops sorrow and grief for his dear friend. He ventures off and seeks mortality from the Gods but as he does this, each of the Gods remind him of his composition and that death is inevitable for humankind. Gilgamesh stops at nothing for his wish to come true but in the end his selfishness cost him when the snake steals the plant that would supposedly grant him life. In the end, Gilgamesh realizes that although he isn’t immortal, humankind will continue to exist. The themes and symbolism expressed in this epic makes it a great work as the reader ponders on what the author was trying to convey.
