In the epic, Gilgamesh had to conquer many hardships. He first had to overcome physical obstacles such as when he set out to destroy Humbaba the Terrible and killed the Bull of Heaven sent from the goddess Ishtar to punish him. In addition, he had to overcome an emotional struggle when his friend Enkidu died. Gilgameshs’ long journey to Utanapishtim also seemed to take a toll on him. We see this when Utanapishtim asks “why are your cheeks emaciated, your expression so desolate? Why is your heart so wretched, your features so haggard?” (pg 89, line 129). Even though Gilgamesh was a king and was meant to be an all powerful force, he still had some difficulties and it showed.
In the New York Times’ article “Nadal savors latest role: A player for all courts” by Christopher Clarey, we can compare Rafael Nadal‘s obstacles to Gilgameshs’. He had to overcome physical pain, caused by a knee injury, which adversely affected his ability to play tennis. He also had some emotional pain because of his parents divorced. In the end he won the U.S. Open and is the seventh man to win all four Grand Slams singles title, which is a huge highlight in his career. Nadal’s coach and uncle said “People see the victories, they don’t see the obstacles”, which is true about both Nadal and Gilgamesh.
