A significant portion in the beginning of the Epic is spent exalting Gilgamesh. He’s described as “two thirds…divine, one third …human” (Tablet I, line 50). I immediately thought of Thor the Demi-god, and wondered, why are so many heroes in stories gods or demigods? Perhaps it’s something about our humanity that leaves us wanting more, so we view it as a weakness and look to the perceived divine for strength. The writer wants to make sure we understand that he, Gilgamesh is like no other man. We are to admire him. The tone shifts abruptly when praise turns to criticism. “Gilgamesh would leave no son to his father, Day and night he would rampage fiercely, Gilgamesh would leave no daughter to her mother” (Tablet I, lines 60- 61 and 65) were among the complaints. Maybe he isn’t that perfect after all? I’m conflicted, why would someone like him need to rampage? What does he have to prove?
Gilgamesh’s ego is his motivation for most of his actions. He doesn’t care who he hurts along the way, because if he can’t live forever in flesh, then he’ll be immortalized by his memories. It’s the same motivation behind the tombs in Egypt, the ruins of Stonehenge, and the clay soldiers entombed in Xian, China. This is what makes Gilgamesh relatable. Knowing life has an expiration date, is the most impactful aspect of our lives. He goes on to say “The gods dwell forever in the sun, People’s days are numbered, whatever they attempt is a puff of air” (Tablet II, lines 176-178). He is resentful of the gods’ immortality and understandably so. Why should someone who has lived like no other man die like one? No one wants to imagine the world going on without them. Even though I found him selfish and egotistical, I was still able to pity and understand him.
He appeals to the most basic human need, the need for relationships with others. Gilgamesh says “I want a friend for my own counselor, for my own councilor do I want a friend” (Tablet I, lines 291, 292). The companionship he had longed for is realized when he becomes friends with Enkidu. He finds courage in his friendship. Whether romantic or platonic, relationships shape who we are and who we become. It is through this relationship with Enkidu, we get insight into the mind of Gilgamesh. In his own words he tells us what he hopes to accomplish by facing Humbaba. He tells Enkidu, “If I fall on the way, I’ll establish my name: ‘Gilgamesh, who joined battle with fierce Humbaba’. They’ll say” (Tablet I, lines 183,184). We sympathize with him because we all aspire to reach goals of self-actualization. It’s a common path. The plot where one wins a seemingly unwinnable fight to emerge a hero rings familiarity. We like familiar, it makes us comfortable. It’s that familiarity that makes the story of Gilgamesh transcend the boundaries of land and time. Even if we change the names and places, human nature is often the strongest subject in the stories we read. We use our own experiences to understand the world and this makes the themes we discover subjective. Despite our backgrounds, we all have friendships we foster that give us strength, and battles to fight to make a name for ourselves. We all have our own Humbaba to defeat.
- How does your opinion of Gilgamesh change as you read the Epic 99-124? Do you maintain the same attitudes towards him from beginning to end? Is how you feel about him unique to each situation he is involved with?
- While reading Gilgamesh, I came across the very common theme of women being used as tools or as a means to an end, such as when the harlot was used to seduce Enkidu. This is reminiscent of the dynamic between Adam and Eve, as well as Samson and Delilah. Why do we think women are written about in this way? Why is it that when a man gives into a woman’s charm, we are made to feel sorry for him, to pity him? Why do we not consider the woman’s point of view in these situations?
- How does your own life experience affect how you interpret Gilgamesh?
- After reading Gilgamesh, does it make you consider your own mortality? Does it make you stop and think about what you have achieved in life so far and what you want to achieve in the future?
In my opinion, Gilgamesh was raping women and that was not right. But due to the time period that this takes place in it is looked as it is more accepted. Yes, people complained to the Gods about how he acted but it also states in the Epic that since he was King, he had the right to act this way. Gilgamesh was very arrogant and he did abuse his power but it seemed like the consequences are not so severe as they would be today. I wonder why they have not overthrew Gilgamesh if they are complaining to the Gods. Enkidu did come to try and overthrow him but failed. I believe they do not attempt this because they would rather be on his side than against him. He is a very powerful force when it comes to war. He has the ability to control things and no one with common sense should go against him.
I believe that women are looked at as sex figures and it really made me think of how women are over-sexualized in the media today. They are forced to act like the women they see on the television and on the news but in reality no one is like that. Women in this time period were used for their bodies and used to relieve the stress of men. There was been a lot of progress made regarding the opression of women. There is a female candidate for President of the United States. That is a step in the right direction and we should continue to make strides for equality.
For as long as I can think back, there have been stereotypes about women and expectations/pressure that society has set upon them. They are even known as the “weaker” sex. When men succumb to the weaker sex, they become weaker and less “manly” in society’s eyes. Men are supposed to be the rational ones while women are more emotional.
The oversexualization of women has increased rapidly. Even today, companies use women in their commercials to “lure” the male consumers in. Almost every car commercial has a half-naked woman somewhere in the picture. So when men remember the commercial, they remember the woman which somehow will cause them to more likely buy the car.
I feel as if the many societal pressures lead many women today to try to fit into the mold that society has created for them by dressing more skimpily and acting a certain way. At some point, they become the stereotype and there is no longer room to feel sorry for them. However, there are those women that refuse to conform to society’s expectations and stand out, more commonly known as the feminist movement.