—Anonymous
What is great work? We define literature as great work, by looking at three approaches. Existence and immortality, meaningful themes of the story, and well-written work. “The Epic of Gilgamesh” has lasted for thousands of years since the Mesopotamian times. A story that was written in 2000 BC, translated and taught still in 2020, definitely exists in our literature and will. Through the reading of the five tablets of the Epic of Gilgamesh, we find that the events of the story happen in chronological order where each scene is leading to the next event. Also, each character and event carries and signifies messages that touch our everyday life. Gilgamesh is a greedy and authoritarian king that represents a man with power, possessing traits that define the human experience. A powerful man, sickened with acquiring possessions. His throne and the benefits of this privilege was not enough. He went looking for immortality, something that only God possesses. The events of the story didn’t stop Gilgamesh from his gratitude or deny him of searching for immortality, but it put him in a series of events where each was a meaningful lesson. I always believe that life has many lessons that mankind learns through time. Therefore, I believe we all have the right to learn. As much, the “The Epic Of Gilgamesh,” through the development of its characters, reconfirms my belief that no matter how wrong we can be, we still deserve a second chance and the ability to learn. The Epic of Gilgamesh is a controversial story, full of meaning and the life journey that its characters experience could apply to all of us. It explains why Great Works are defined by these meaningful themes, allowing the reader to make connections between the events of the story and the reader’s own day to day journey. The Epic of Gilgamesh also proves itself as a Great work of literature by using words in interesting and unusual ways, which allows the reader to imagine, vividly, the picture or the scene the author is drawing. Great work in literature makes the reader feel after finishing reading, like dining with a friend and a fine meal. And reading the Epic of Gilgamesh for me was as good as watching a good show while eating a crispy caramelized popcorn.
