Gilgamesh, an Epic

I recently had the pleasure of rediscovering The Epic of Gilgamesh.  The Babylonian tale is still incomplete due to the damages of time.  It was originally carved into stone tablets in cuneiform.  To get yourself feeling like an ancient Babolonian you might want to get your monogram in cuneiform here, from the University of Pennsylvania Museum of Archaeology and Anthropology.  (mine is included above).

To get a great insight into the myth, I would recommend this video, that covers some of the themes of the epic, how they have affected people in modern times, and some of the works that have been produced from inspiration drawn from the tale of Gilgamesh.

Although this animation doesn't follow the translation I read exactly, it provides a general coverage of the story in a compact, easy to understand format:

Quick Interlude:
I had started writing this post when I had just read Gilgamesh for a course I was taking.  The instructor included so many wonderful resources with every reading assignment to help us gain a greater understanding of the culture and time in which the work was set that I wanted to try and incorporate as much of that as possible in my blog.  Being as I was in the middle of a semester of school including two very heavy reading English classes, I just didn't get around to all the reading blogs I wanted to do at the time.  Now that it's semester break, it's time to catch up!  I don't have access to my professors amazing resources, but hopefully I can share some similar things along with my thoughts on the works.  Looking back is kind of nice as well because it really tells me what aspects of the texts stuck with me.

Gilgamesh is a story about facing our mortality.  Enkidu is created as an equal for Gilgamesh, to teach him how to be not only a strong ruler, but also a wise ruler.  As the story tells us they become like brothers.  When Enkidu dies, Gilgamesh is beside himself.  It is as if he has lost a piece of himself.  He has never really had to confront death before and initially refuses to believe that his friend is gone.  This is very reflective of one of the human ways of dealing with death.  Many people fear death and try to avoid, and deny it.  Gilgamesh is overcome by fear of death after his loss and decides that he must seek another way.  Through his quest for immortality he learns that it is not only unattainable, but that we should be appreciative of what time we have.  He ultimately returns home with a different outlook on life.  He has embraced the inevitability of his death and pledges himself to living and ruling his people as wisely as possible in the mean time.

Why is this story so intriguing to people?  Clearly the age of the tale is something that draws people in.  But it is a story outside of time.  Death is something that we all must face eventually.  It is inevitable in life.  Reading the story and knowing that this is something that has been on men's minds for so very long is a way to help people cope with it themselves.  They can relate to Gilgamesh when he loses his friend in in his search for a way to escape a similar fate.  The tale teaches that to let go is necessary, and to live, is to die.  From death comes new life.  The maggots that feed on Enkidu's body flourish where there is death.  Gilgamesh only sees the death at first.  It is very easy to adopt this perspective.  But as he grows and realizes that though death is inescapable, life is also inevitable, and the reader comes to this realization as well.

The epic has inspired many to create their own works of art through the ages.  Perhaps through the adventures of the half-god people are simply inspired by his humanity.  Despite his half godliness Gilgamesh is imperfect.  He resists the conventions of adulthood, struggles with mortality, and makes mistakes along the way.  If a demi-god has these problems it makes them more acceptable to those who know the story.  It becomes okay to be fearful, and to make mistakes in life.  People are comforted by the story because of how they can relate to Gilgamesh.  His challenges are immense, and his battles larger than life, but he is accessible to the reader.  We feel the heartache when he loses his best friend, and the joy in finding his purpose after this.  The tale has endured because of human nature and the need to understand ourselves and our purpose.  Though the epic doesn't give answers to these hard questions, it helps readers to address them, and provides some greater understanding of how one ought to live their life.