Essay on Gilgamesh - 1602 Words

Gilgamesh Death in ancient Mesopotamia was something to be dreaded. Nowhere is there mentioned an afterlife condition comparable to our ideas of heaven. Their netherworld, endured by all, must have been the prototype of our idea of hell. It’s a place wherein souls â€Å"are bereft of light, clay their food† and â€Å"dirt is their drink.† They are ruled over by the harrowing figure of Ereshkigal, forever rending her clothes and clawing her flesh in mourning over her endless miscarriages. These unpleasant descriptions are a natural reaction to the experience of burial, being trapped within the earth where no light can reach and nothing can grow. In Gilgamesh, Enkidu bewails his fate â€Å"to sit with the ghosts of the dead.† This envokes†¦show more content†¦The wings are a mockery of their condition. They, who in life surely looked enviously upon the birds in the sky, have in death been given wings, and have nowhere to fly to. Today we speak of angels, up in heaven, getting their wings, but the imagery here is better suited to Dante’s Inferno. Dirt for water, clay for food. Sounds pretty dismal, but there may be reason to believe you wouldn’t want the food down there. Those who are sent on an errand to the netherworld are cautioned not to partake of any water or food offerred them. In Inanna’s Descent Enki fashions an elegist and myrmidon out of the dirt beneath his fingernails, appropriately for their task is to the netherworld. Enki warns these two that, â€Å"They will offer you the river at its high water, may you not except it. They will offer you the field when in grain, may you not except it.† Perhaps by refusing the water and grain they are mimicking death? More likely, the food and water of the netherworld are poisonous to mankind. When Inanna is subdued in Inanna’s Descent, she is transformed into a â€Å"slab of tainted meat.† Important here is the reference to butchering. In anna is not just reduced to a rotting corpse, but a slab of meat as it would have been portioned off for humanShow MoreRelatedThe Epic Of Gilgamesh : Gilgamesh1013 Words   |  5 Pages Gilgamesh in 2015 Even though the epic Gilgamesh is thousands of years old, it is still read today. Why would the era of technology read an epic this old? This is because the themes in Gilgamesh are still relevant. In addition, the themes are experiences that Gilgamesh went through in his life period, and serve as lessons for the current readers. Gilgamesh’s themes include journey, legacy, love, and death. These themes make Gilgamesh a vital reading for the 21st century citizens because peopleRead MoreGilgamesh And The Epic Of Gilgamesh988 Words   |  4 PagesThe maturation of Gilgamesh and his desire to acquire wisdom throughout his journey is quite apparent. 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In this epic poem, Gilgamesh is King of Uruk, he is one third mortal and two-thirds god; he is described as a strong, arrogant, and unruly king that does not show much consideration for his actions. Gilgamesh is a very egocentric person; he has no respect for the feelings of others and does not care about howRead MoreGilgamesh : The Epic Of Gilgamesh1400 Words   |  6 Pages The Epic of Gilgamesh Introduction The Epic of Gilgamesh is the story about Gilgamesh, the King of Uruk and Enkidu, their friendship, how Enkidu dies, how Gilgamesh mourns the death of his friend and finally he understands enlightened truth . Most of this story is narrated from Gilgamesh’s point of view. The story is set in Mesopotamia and the portrayal of Gilgamesh is ironical. He is described as a king of immense vigor and strength who is not benevolent with his subjectsRead MoreThe Epic Of Gilgamesh And Gilgamesh845 Words   |  4 Pagesnoble abilities. 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In order to get a better understanding of how the two characters complement each other we have to first break down their individual appearancesRead MoreGilgamesh : The Epic Of Gilgamesh909 Words   |  4 Pages â€Å"The Epic of Gilgamesh† is a didactic story set out to expose the inevitability of death. The true meaning of this story is sometimes overlooked because the story is told in heighten language not easily understood. The epic hero in this story is Gilgamesh; he undertakes a quest for knowledge whic h is overshadowed by his ignorance. The tragic death of Enkidu, Gilgamesh’s trusted companion forces the epic hero to change his perception of death. To overcome great obstacles one must be willing to putRead MoreGilgamesh The Epic Of Gilgamesh877 Words   |  4 PagesIn 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