Gilgamesh Essay Topics

Epic of Gilgamesh Essay
The Epic of Gilgamesh is one of earliest known pieces of literature. Through years of storytelling
and translation, The Epic of Gilgamesh became a timeless classic. This story is believed to have
originated from Sumerian poems and legends about the king of Uruk, Gilgamesh. Throughout the
epic, many themes arose about women, love, and journeys and the one I would like to discuss is the
theme of death. Also, I will discuss if Gilgamesh accepts morality at the end of the story and the
development of Gilgamesh's character throughout the story. The story mainly focuses on the
character Gilgamesh and this wild man created by the gods, Enkidu in which Gilgamesh and Enkidu
later become good friends. Together they go upon quests to defeat...show more content...
But when Enkidu dies while fighting Humbaba, one can tell a change in Gilgamesh's character.
Since Enkidu was his close and only friend, it makes it more visible that everyone is mortal. One
may say that, by going into the forest and facing Humbaba, Gilgamesh makes a name for himself
and changes the views of the people in his city. The great accomplishment of killing Humbaba
makes him a better person because he protects his city and for his love of Enkidu and his people.
This is a considerable amount of change from the beginning of the story. There are no major
changes in the character of Gilgamesh until Enkidu enters the picture. Enkidu is the primary
reason for the ultimate changes in the personality and maturity of Gilgamesh. The main factor
contributing to the changes in Gilgamesh the love that develops with Enkidu. Enkidu is made to
make Gilgamesh more human. In the first paragraph of the book the gods are angry with
Gilgamesh and send down an equal of himself, they send down Enkidu. After becoming friends,
Gilgamesh changes because he has an equal to be with. From Cedar Forest, Gilgamesh is met by
Shamash, the Sun God, who tells him, "You will never find the life for which you are searching."
This upsets Gilgamesh because he has traveled so far for someone to tell him he cannot have what
he wants and is looking for. For there, Gilgamesh travels to see Siduri by the sea. Siduri will not let
Gilgamesh pass to through to see Utnapishtim, the only man with eternal
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Essay On Gilgamesh
There is debate to whether or not the 12th tablet of the Epic of Gilgamesh belongs to the original
story. Gilgamesh showcases many tropes that we see in classic epics and novels of heros. He was
a man without fear, without a challenge, and at the beginning of the story he is painted out to be
more of a villain than a hero. This was do to his unrest, he need someone who could challenge him;
this would allow him to go down the path path of a hero. Enkidu was created by the gods to challenge
Gilgamesh and push him. I feel after he meets Enkidu, he starts to consider his fame more and
channels his gifts towards accomplishing feats instead terrorizing his people. Although, this
development happens later in his life I feel Gilgamesh holds higher...show more content...
In Tablet 7 (60–62) they talk about the underworld as Enkidu is passing into the afterlife. Despite
that the text doesn't really strike fear into the reader about the underworld. He is turned into a
dove and is taken to a house where the gods of the the underworld and afterlife reside. Fame is
glorified more in the first 11 tablets. So if it was presented the way it was in the 12th tablet it
would take away from that aspect. If I tell you what I saw of the ways of the Netherworld, O sit
you down and weep!' (194). This line alone depicts the differences in viewpoints in the first 11
tablets when compared to the 12th tablet. Its depicting the netherworld as a hellish place and
brings to question is fame worth it. Enkidu tells Gilgamesh of the people he saw; the man who
battle, the one who is left to rot in the fields. Enkidu states that the first man his love ones weep and
the second man has found no rest in the netherworld (195). This tablet tackles what happens to these
men of honor and fame and shows that regardless of what you do in the the human world, the
netherworld is ruthless to all. I begs the question is eternal glory and fame worth it in

The Human Experience In The Epic Of Gilgamesh
The Epic of Gilgamesh epitomizes the human experience. Despite being two–thirds divine, perfect in
strength and ideally handsome Gilgamesh was still a bit naГЇve. He was overbearing on his citizens,
and he was afraid of dying. The priest–king of Uruk's life seems incomplete until the creation of
Enkidu. Ironically enough Enkidu who was created to be an enemy to Gilgamesh, became his best
friend. Gilgamesh leaves the comfort of civilization and journeys into the wilderness with his friend
to undergo their first adventure. The duo appears to be an unstoppable pair slaying both the giant
Humbaba and then the Bull of Heaven. It is only through divine intervention that the pair is broken
up when Enkidu dies through severe illness. Gilgamesh is hit

The Epic of Gilgamesh Essays
True love and immortality in life would be a dream come true to many people. To spend time with
a special someone; the person one feels closest to; the so–called soul mate and to never have that
high feeling of emotion end mentally and physically would greatly appeal to most people. But when
death steps into the picture, even with all the pain and devastation, one starts to re–evaluate
themselves and realizes the important things in life and puts it all into perspective. In The Epic of
Gilgamesh, the main character, Gilgamesh, is a powerful, arrogant king and part god. Enkidu,
Gilgamesh's partner, is animal–like but later takes on more humanistic traits such as his
contemplation's of death. The friendship between Gilgamesh and Enkidu is a...show more content...
"In the silence of people they began to laugh and clutched each other in their breathless
exaltation" (24). From there is when Gilgamesh knew what true love and happiness was, which
would later allow him to contemplate death.
With having Enkidu in his life, Gilgamesh realizes the importance of caring for others. For this
Gilgamesh wanted to change his cities perception of him. He did not want to be looked at as an
evil king. He wanted to be someone who would go down in history, never dying. So to make his
city happy and to show good fortune he went forth to kill Humbaba, an evil guardian of the forest.
"And then he raised his ax up higher and swung it in a perfect arc into Humbaba's neck"
(40), ultimately killing Humbaba. During this journey and small battle Enkidu had been wounded.
Enkidu eventually dies from his wounds and Gilgamesh nearly goes insane from losing his best
friend and lover. Gilgamesh then acknowledges death and despises it.
Although at first Gilgamesh is distraught, depressed, and very desperate to go find eternal life he
realizes that what he had with Enkidu was special and should enjoy the rest of his life, care for
others and acknowledge death as a part of life. When Gilgamesh is in his panic stage going to look
for the eternal life he thinks irrationally. He

Gilgamesh Conflicts
In the articles of The Epic of Gilgamesh there are various times when humans and the gods have
conflict with one another. Conflicts about life and how to live their life and what and what not to
do in the times of the articles. Gilgamesh is the son of the goddess Ninsun as stated in the glossary
and is also the king of Uruk after the flood happened. It explains in the prologue that Gilgamesh was
created with a perfect body by the gods themselves. Utnapishtim was the king and priest of
Shurrupak and was just a normal human being until he became the protГ©gГ© of the god Ea and
then taken by the gods to live forever at 'the mouth of rivers' as stated in the glossary. One of the
conflicts that happened in "The Story of the Flood" was that the

Reflection Of The Epic Of Gilgamesh
Upon all the readings discussed this semester, I have made several intricate connections based on the
morals, universal themes, human behavior, and challenges faced in these stories. Epic of Gilgamesh,
Oedipus the King, and Jataka Tales exhibit many broad and diverse themes; however, the three most
important themes I took away was the theme of friendship, power, and how greed numbs intelligence.
I found these themes important because each one connects to my life in some sort of way.
The epic of Gilgamesh was about a hubris king named Gilgamesh and his journey with his best friend
Enkidu. Along their journey, Gilgamesh learns things about himself through the trial and tribulations
he encounters along the way. One of the lessons that he learned was friendship. However, it was
Enkidu who benefited from the lesson of friendship the most. For instance, Enkidu's desire for a
friend is important in his transition from the wild–man life to ordinary human life. This desire is
what brought him and Gilgamesh closer. In the beginning of the poem, Gilgamesh is self–absorbed
with himself. The way he treats his people is an act to stay superior and fill a void. The goddess
Aruru created a creature that would be able to humble Gilgamesh's ego – his name was Enkidu.
Through Enkidu and Gilgamesh's' s friendship Gilgamesh realized that the world doesn't revolve
around him and that it's ok to have someone else in your world.
Oedipus the king was an intriguing tale about a king who dedicates

Epic Of Gilgamesh Essay
I.Introduction.
Gilgamesh epic which was written in cuneiform and found in 1845 is an earliest recorded work of
literature. Gilgamesh was the king of the great ancient walled city of Uruk. This paper will present
Gilgamesh epic myth analysis starting with the historical context which will be followed by world
view. The psychological context then will discuss the main psychological elements of the epic.
Finally, the contemporary themes will relate the epic themes to the current situation and events.
II.Historical View
The significance of the great flood, Gilgamesh as a bad king, and Utanapishtim (the survivor of the
great flood) will be discussed to show their significance to the historical content of this great ancient
epic.
A.The Great...show more content...
The great grief and sorrow of Enkidu's death makes Gilgamesh to start to think how he can be
immortal. In search of an eternal life, Gilgamesh started his journey to find Utanapishtim whom he
knows got an eternal life after the great flood.
B.Belly of the wolf
Gilgamesh faces difficulties on his adventure to find Utanapishtim. He fought wild beasts and
crossed the waters of deaths. However, the tunnel of Mount Mashu which extends 36 mile totally
dark was the main abyss of Gilgamesh. According to the World Mythology book of Rosenberg, the
darkness was so thick that Gilgamesh could not see anything behind or in front of him. After
Gilgamesh crossed the tunnel his cheeks was so pale and his face was so gaunt which clearly shows
how difficult was the journey.
C.Atonement with the Father
After crossing the death of waters with Urshanabi, Gilgamesh was able to find the Faraway–
Utanapishitm. Utanapishtim challenged Gilgamesh not to go sleep for a week to test and make
him believe he is mortal. Gilgamesh failed the test and accepted his fate as mortal. Though,
Gilgamesh was not able to get the immortality but he was able to learn the wisdom of living from
the wise

Response Paper : The Epic Of Gilgamesh
The Epic of Gilgamesh Response Paper
The Epic of Gilgamesh is a Sumerian mythic narrative, the oldest surviving work of its kind in the
world. The story focuses on the conduct of the gods "to explain the origin of some feature of the
natural or social world." The principal characters of the epic were "deities, demons, and demigods."
It was originally composed in Ancient Mesopotamia, but the basic themes were passed on. Even
though this text pertains to the life in Mesopotamia, it kept being translated and influenced other
groups that came after them.
This mythic narrative illustrates the life in ancient Mesopotamia. According the story, the men lived
in cities and cultivated the land. The countryside was considered as rough and "the empty country
was prowled by hunters, outlaws and bandits." Furthermore, the epic illustrates the Mesopotamian
idea of a king. In the epic, Uta–Napishti states that "the duty of the kings [is] to help those who
could not help themselves." He also states that the king's duty is to "...[look] after the gods, his
masters, and the people, his subjects." Although these two statements were said by a mythological
being, it depicts the Mesopotamians ideology of a king. With that said, a political lesson that the
story teaches is that a king should be righteous and just to secure his legacy, known as Kingship.
The Epic demonstrates how the life of the Mesopotamians is intertwined with religious beliefs.
According to the text, "the gods took personal

Analysis of the Epic of Gilgamesh Essay
Analysis of the Epic of Gilgamesh The epic of Gilgamesh is the earliest primary document
discovered in human history dating back to approximately 2,000 B.C.E. This document tells a
story of an ancient King Gilgamesh, ruler of Sumer in 2,700 B.C.E. who is created gloriously by
gods as one third man and two third god. In this epic, Gilgamesh begins his kingship as an
audacious and immature ruler. Exhausted from complaints, the gods send a wild man named Enkidu
to become civilized and assist Gilgamesh to mature into a righteous leader. However, Enkidus death
causes Gilgamesh to realize his fear of immortality and search for an escape from death. On his
journey, Gilgamesh learns that the gods will not grant his wish and that he must...show more
content...
The author is praising Gilgamesh's leadership by communicating his intellectual capabilities deserve
respect. This, shows that ancient Mesopotamians believed that part of a great ruler's value was
revealed in their advanced intellectual capacities. The epic reveals that ancient Mesopotamia
understood that the basis of a monarch's legitimacy relied on the respect he carried for not only the
beings whom he rules and those who rule over him, but also his knowledge. The epic gives insight
to the ways in which ancient Mesopotamians valued life. This becomes most obvious when Enkidu
reveals to Gilgamesh his nightmare of the dark and enslaving afterlife as he is dying (The Epic of
Gilgamesh, 2). This leaves Gilgamesh with extreme terror of death which provokes his desperate
attempts to escape it. Giving death fearful and dark characteristics communicates that the afterlife
is a harrowing experience and life is the individual's harmonious experience. This serves to
establish that ancient Mesopotamians sensed that life was something to be cherished and conceived
of in a positive light. In addition, Mesopotamian life views are also illustrated when Gilgamesh
must accept that he will not receive his requests for immortality from the gods (The Epic of
Gilgamesh, 2). This suggests Mesopotamian society believed wise men should be grateful for their
destiny and that he or she should not reach beyond what they are given. In doing so, this

Gilgamesh Research Paper
The strongest super human that ever existed was Gilgamesh. With his half human and half god self,
trying to keep people safe from the outside but not from himself. His government is oppressive and
a dictatorship. At the time he was a historical king from Uruk in Babylonia about 2000 B.C
Enkidu a man sent by the gods to fight Gilgamesh. Was part of the animals and lived with them, in
the meadows. Contrarily, Gilgamesh wanted to have all women as part of his bride chamber. And
that's where Enkidu catches him. But after they meet, Gilgamesh suddenly changes his way. After
Enkidu dies by a supposed illness induced by gods. Gilgamesh's heart is shattered.
After all what happened Gilgamesh wanted to seek immortality. He went to a mountain

Epic Of Gilgamesh Literary Analysis
From the eyes of mere mortals, gods have a clear sense of superiority and power. While that
remains as a constant throughout the story, how and why they choose to enforce this power seems
to be constantly changing. The story begins with a brief excerpt about how Mesopotamians have a
pessimistic view on their relationships with the gods, only hoping for "limited earthly joys of
family, food, and security within the strong walls of the city Gilgamesh built." Despite their obvious
difference in lifestyles, they seem to be very intertwined. The gods act in a childish manor and seem
to make impulsive and sometimes radical decisions that affect humanity in both helpful and harmful
ways. When the gods created Gilgamesh, he was almost perfect. They...show more content...
While Enkidu and Gilgamesh had obvious resentments towards each other in the beginning, they
soon recognized their strengths and embraced in friendship. While this was an example of the
gods acting in a helpful way towards mankind, the story also shows they can be very harmful. For
example, when the noise of mankind became too loud and intolerable for the gods, they decided to
cease the babel by using a flood to dispatch mankind. For seven days they watched as the mankind
they had created turned to clay. While I believe that humans recognized the authority of gods they
also recognized their failure to use it in a mature notion. The gods were reckless, making haste
decisions and trying to control all aspects of mankind by interfering in human life. They saw their
irresponsibility and impulsiveness and knew not to anger them or mess with them. A major theme
displayed in the story is mortality. Gilgamesh starts the story extremely arrogant, only caring about
himself and his rise to power. After befriending his natural enemy and creating a brother like
relationship with him, Gilgamesh begins to show a side of

Gilgamesh: a Hero's Journey Essay
2/29/12 Gilgamesh the Hero Gilgamesh, written by David Ferry, illustrates a story about a man
who knows everything, but continues to try and learn more. Although Gilgamesh may be arrogant,
he still remains a great ruler and commander of Uruk. Throughout the book, the adventures of
Gilgamesh fit Joseph Campbell's idea of the hero's journey. After analyzing the pieces to the hero's
journey, Gilgamesh is proven to be a true hero because his journey parallels that of the hero's
journey described by Campbell. The latter part of this paper will prove Gilgamesh is a hero using
Campbell's model, by analyzing the pieces of the hero's journey: separation or departure, the
initiation, and the return. The first element of the hero's...show more content...
Crossing the threshold is the last component of separation or departure. Campbell explains this as
leaving a world you know and entering a world that is unknown. In the book, Gilgamesh and Enkidu
leave Uruk after visiting Rimat–Ninsun. "Then from the Seven–Bolt Gate the two departed,/hearing
the warnings and blessings of the city" (Ferry 20). As the two companions leave the city they
know so well and begin their journey into the land they are unfamiliar with, they cross their
threshold. Since all of the elements of separation or departure are met in the beginning of the story,
Gilgamesh continues to meet the criteria to be a hero. The second piece needed for a hero's
journey is initiation, which includes the roads of trials, the belly of the whale, meetings, attonement
with the father, and the ultimate boon. Gilgamesh's fight against Huwawa was one of many
challenges he had during his journey. "Then Gilgamesh was afraid, and Enkidu/was afraid, and
they entered into the Forest, afraid" (Ferry 26). Just as a hero would act, Gilgamesh didn't let his
fears get the best of him, but instead he entered the Forest to fight Huwawa. Another challenge
Gilgamesh faces later in the story is fighting the Twin Dragon Scorpion Beings. When he came to
the mountain and saw the monster, fear spread through his body, but he didn't let it stop him from
his goal. "Terror in the body of Gilgamesh/seized hold of him

Epic Of Gilgamesh Essay
In The Epic of Gilgamesh the lines that are repeated at the beginning and end of the epic show that
only immortality a human can gain lies in creating things that last beyond a person's lifetime. While
at the beginning of the epic Gilgamesh is seeking eternal life, when he concludes his journey he
realizes that he has created an enduring legend through the foundation of his city, Uruk. Through this
legend, Gilgamesh can live on in the memory of his people, long after he has passed away. The
epic is able to convey this message multiple ways. The opening lines immediately introduce and
impress upon the audience the importance of Gilgamesh, and the significance of his kingship. The
epic continues on to describe the city of Uruk, with special consideration given to the walls
surrounding Uruk. 3. Finally, the ending repetition of the lines shows that Gilgamesh has become
aware of the legacy he has created in Uruk, and and accepts that in lieu of immortality. okay so
these are the three? points you are talking about in your paper? make sure they match up with your
paragraphs proving them and are not so vague The very first lines of the epic focus on Gilgamesh
and the impressiveness of his accomplishments. They stress the wisdom he attained, drawing
attention to it right away with the repetition of what he learned;
"He who saw the Deep, the country's foundation,
[who] knew..., was wise in all matters!
[Gilgamesh, who] saw the Deep, the country's foundation,
[who] knew...was wise

Gilgamesh Essay
Topical Essay 1
The story of "Gilgamesh" depicts all of the heroic triumphs and heart–breaking pitfalls a heroic
narrative should depict to be able to relate to today's audience. However, "Gilgamesh" was once
considered a lost and forgotten piece of literature for thousands of years, so there is a tremendous
gap between the time it was created and the time it was translated into language that today's audience
can understand. That gap in history makes several aspects of the story of "Gilgamesh" strange and
unfamiliar because what we now know about ancient Middle Eastern cultures and languages is a lot
less than what we know about the cultures that prospered after ancient Middle Eastern cultures.
Much of the content in the story of...show more content...
However, the prostitute was depicted as a nurturer and a symbol of pleasure. The prostitute seduced
Enkidu and taught him how to function properly in human society. The prostitute also played a
major role in Enkidu and Gilgamesh becoming friends because she led Enkidu to Uruk, which
was the place Gilgamesh ruled. The way the story of "Gilgamesh" ended was a bit strange to me
as well because typical heroic narratives end in heroism and triumph. In the story of "Gilgamesh"
Gilgamesh doesn't reach his goal of attaining eternal life at the end, instead he fails miserably and
meets the inevitable fate of death. I expected him to overcome the tremendous odds that were
stacked against him and victoriously become immortal. Today's audience is used to the hero
overcoming what most consider impossible at the end of a story. Although I found the story of
"Gilgamesh" to be somewhat strange it contained several familiar elements that are prevalent in
many heroic tales from the past and present. One familiar element was what some people refer to as
the "under–dog" factor. Gilgamesh and Enkidu embarked upon the most grueling and epic journey of
their lives just to find the vicious giant named Humbaba. The way that Humbaba was described in
the story made you feel like there is no way possible he can be defeated. This makes the audience
want to side with the lesser opponents because you can relate

Epic Of Gilgamesh Research Paper
Literature widely varies on the basis of culture, society, period that they live in and so on. One of
the famous tales from the 1200 BC is the Epic of Gilgamesh. It provided the reader with various
ideas such as the ideas of living in early culture, the government and this pressure on the people,
spirituality, humanity and above all it had a tale of friendship. The literature during those times were
quite pretty straight forward and emphasised on certain aspects and domains of nature and culture.
But, on the other hand, when we take a look at the literature at the present generation, it shows signs
of variations and distinctions from the earlier tales and epics. We can literature being evolved on the
basis of the times people live in. DUring the time, when the greek lived, they focused...show more
content...
LAter than, during the renaissance period, the literature commonly emphasised on Humanism,
where they wanted their times to be better than the Dark ages where they used to live in. The
commonly emphasised on living a wonderful life with no fear and tensions. Soon after that period
came the Enlightenment period where they focused more on freedom and liberty. And then came
Romanticism, where during the periods of Shakespeare, he commonly wrote poems and stories
commonly centred in love and passion. One common example that almost all of us know is the
famous story of Romeo and Juliet. AS time passed on literature got evolved into various constituents
such as naturalism, realism and modernism. People really believed in what they stood for and began
bending literature based on their free will. What they found was right, was written down and
published. People in the present generation has their desire towards

Epic of Gilgamesh Essay examples
Good King, Bad Kind
Gilgamesh existed as one of the oldest known Sumerian rulers of all time and is accredited to many
accomplishments. Legend has it that he created the first Sumerian civilization, constructing a city
with many elaborate temples and immense walls. However, he has also been characterized as one of
the cruelest and most self–centered rulers of all. Throughout the course of Gilgamesh's life he goes
from being a womanizing, slave driving ruler to a negligent and stubborn king, who not even
god–sent Enkidu could help transform into a better king.
At first, Gilgamesh is a controlling and arrogant king, who thinks only of himself. He constantly
works the men, building enormous walls surrounding the...show more content...
The two immediately become companions because Gilgamesh finally finds his match. They set off
on an adventure to destroy the cedar forest and its guardian, Humbaba, all to be forever
remembered. Gilgamesh appears to be improving his ways and not exasperating his people.
However, Gilgamesh then takes his journey to be remembered one step too far and kills the bull
of heaven. This infuriates the gods so greatly that they decide that one out of Gilgamesh and
Enkidu must pay for their actions. The gods therefore bestow a deadly illness upon Enkidu, which
brings about his death. Enkidu's death devastates Gilgamesh, for he not only loses his best friend,
but also comes to the realization that he soon too will die. Not only does Gilgamesh lose his best
friend, but he also comes to the realization that he will also die some day. Thus, Gilgamesh decides
to seek out immortality so he will not have to endure death.
Gilgamesh sets out on his journey for immortality, leaving his kingdom and people behind to fend
for themselves. He starts to become self–seeking just as he had before. He spends every waking
moment searching for immortality only to benefit himself. The whole purpose of the journey itself
is so that Gilgamesh can gain immortality for himself and be remembered forever. He doesn't realize
that his people are off on there own with no king to control the empire. Even when

Gilgamesh Research Paper
The Epic of Gilgamesh inspires you to ponder who is this "Gilgamesh," and why is he so called
"Epic?" The first few pages allows you to recap on how Gilgamesh is a remarkable person, "two
thirds of him god, one third human" (tablet I, page 1). This powerful statement allows the reader to
understand that you reading about a person who wants to be represented as being more god than
being a human. Initially you think Gilgamesh as a great leader with powerful moves that no other
can overcome. While you read longer and strengthen your impression about Gilgamesh you often
notice his opposite side reveal his inner beast. "His companions are kept on their feet by his contests,
the young men of Uruk he harries without warrant. Gilgamesh lets

Lessons Learned From the Epic of Gilgamesh Essay
The Epic of Gilgamesh, a Mesopotamian epic poem with no known author, is the story of the brute
King of Uruk, Gilgamesh, who was two–thirds divine and one–third human, which teaches readers
the unstoppable force of death, the wrath of the gods, and also the power of friendship, which are
illustrated to readers through the characters journeys, and those encountered along the way. The
poem, which is divided into twelve tablets, starts off with Gilgamesh being a vicious tyrant, one
who "would leave no son to his father... no girl to her mother"(Gilgamesh 101), and as for newly
married couples "was to join with the girl that night"(Gilgamesh 109) transitions to by the end of the
story an entirely new man.
One of the main...show more content...
Gilgamesh then goes on a fifty–five line long rant, just absolutely trashing Ishtar for her advances.
Ishtar then runs to her father, who just so happens to be Anu, to request the Bull of Heaven to
kill Gilgamesh. At first, Anu says that she provoked the king to say such things, but when Ishtar
says she will raise the dead, the god agrees to her request. Yet again, Anu must show his wrath.
The Bull of Heaven is released onto Uruk, but together, Gilgamesh and Enkidu are able to defeat
it and save the city. Enkidu throws part of the bull's body at Ishtar, and Gilgamesh hangs its
massive horns in his bedroom, which of course only further angered Ishtar. After a night of
celebration, Enkidu has a dream in which the gods say that he must die. Another example of the
wrath of the gods, Enkidu falls ill and dies after twelve days. Hoping to discover how he himself
can avoid the fate of his comrade, Gilgamesh goes on a journey to find Utnapishtim, a man who
survived a great flood and was granted eternal life by the gods. When Gilgamesh finds him,
Utnapishtim tells him the story of the flood he experienced, which was sent from the gods for no
other reason than they were angry. In The Epic of Gilgamesh, the wrath of the gods is provoked for
many reasons, whether it is to teach a lesson, or the gods are simply angry. Either way, the wrath of
the gods is present in this poem.
Another theme that is also present in The Epic of Gilgamesh is the

Epic Of Gilgamesh Research Paper
Throughout the years, the majority of stories have been written or dictated to the public. It was not
until the 2700s when The Epic of Gilgamesh became the first written story in the history of english
language. During the Anglo–Saxon era, the method of song was utilized to transfer the stories to the
people. Since the prevalence of the population was illiterate at the time, songs helped people audibly
comprehend the stories. Songs galvanized the audiences to remain aware throughout the story by
keeping the crowd enthusiastic of the forthcoming actions of epic heroes. The utilization of song
also influences the acculturation of the Anglo–Saxon culture to Christianity. A plethora of Christian
Traditions were encompassed within the songs. These

Gilgamesh Themes
At first glance the Epic of Gilgamesh, edited by Stephen Mitchell, seems cartoony and random at
times with sentences being repeated and characters having sex for much longer than 24 hours. But
once you start to analyze the story a bit more you start to realize that there are a lot more serious
and interesting themes in the tale. One of the most prominent themes is that Gilgamesh throughout
the epic is afraid of death and is obsessed with leaving a legacy for the world are crucial to the story.
The first theme in the story of Gilgamesh is being remembered. During the eipic this theme is
conveyed frequently.The next example of Gilgamesh being consumed by the thought of always
wanting to be remembered is when he tries to convince Enkidu join him to fight the monster evil
monster Humbaba. He tells Enkidu that "If I die in the forest on this great adventure, won't you be
ashamed when people say, 'Gilgamesh met a hero's death battling the monster Humbaba. And
where was Enkidu? He was safe at home! (93)" This means that Gilgamesh cares what people
think of him and shows the true reason he wants to fight the monster, so he can be famous and
liked by all! This matters because it is a perfect example of what his adventures are about and why
he does them.
The next example of Gilgamesh being consumed by the thought of always wanting to be
remembered is when Gilgamesh exclaims to Enkidu that "I will cut down the tree, I will kill
Humbaba, I will make a lasting name for myself, I will

Gilgamesh Essay Topics

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