Ancient Epic of Gilgamesh Character and Plot Study Essay

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The Epic of GilgameshTablet I1. The Epic of Gilgamesh opens with an introduction to Gilgamesh, the \'two-thirds god and one-third human\' king of Uruk. He is described as a mighty, heroic, and wise king who has seen all things and possesses knowledge of all the mysteries of life and death due to his quest for immortality. His journey takes him on dangerous adventures where he defeats monsters and confronts his own mortality. Ultimately, Gilgamesh learns that immortality is reserved for the gods, but human beings can achieve a type of immortality through enduring works and deeds.2. Gilgamesh is depicted as a paragon of physical strength and heroic attributes. His unusual aspect comes from his demigod status – he is the son of a mortal man, Lugalbanda, and a goddess, Ninsun, making him two-thirds god and one-third human. This divine-human nature presents a central conflict within Gilgamesh – he possesses god-like strength and abilities, yet is subjected to human frailty and mortality. The central question for him is thus his struggle with his mortality and his pursuit of immortality.3. Despite his divine status and extraordinary capabilities, Gilgamesh is initially a tyrant to his people. He is harsh, abusive, and exploitative, particularly towards young men and women. The citizens of Uruk pray to the gods for help against his tyranny. Hearing their prayers, the goddess Aruru creates Enkidu from clay and the spittle of the god Anu. Enkidu is intended to be a match for Gilgamesh\'s strength and, by engaging him, distract him from oppressing the people of Uruk.4. Enkidu is depicted as a wild and uncivilized being. He lives among the beasts in the wilderness, unaware of human culture and norms.

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He is incredibly strong, almost on par with Gilgamesh, and embodies the untamed natural world. In a way, Enkidu represents humanity\'s primal, instinctual side, untamed by civilization\'s norms. He is the foil to Gilgamesh\'s divine, cultured, and yet tyrannical persona. While Gilgamesh represents civilization, kingship, and power, Enkidu…

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…to the god(s), and they\'re both granted a unique blessing (immortality for Uta-napishti and a covenant for Noah). However, there are some differences as well. In the Genesis account, the flood is a punishment for the wickedness of mankind, while in the Epic of Gilgamesh, the reasons for the flood are not as explicitly moralistic.2. The first test Uta-napishti sets for Gilgamesh is to stay awake for six days and seven nights, a test which Gilgamesh fails. This test is meant to highlight the limits of human endurance and to demonstrate the impossibility of overcoming the natural human condition, such as the need for sleep.The second challenge, Uta-napishti tells Gilgamesh about a plant at the bottom of the ocean that has the power to restore youth. Gilgamesh obtains the plant but loses it to a serpent on his journey back home. This \"test\" once again underscores the theme of the inevitable nature of aging and death in human life. Despite his heroic efforts, Gilgamesh is….....

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