Essay on Choices in the Epic of Gilgamesh - 1308 Words

Choices: The Journey of Life The story of Gilgamesh expresses the idea that all of the life choices we make throughout this journey are ours and ours alone. It is through these choices that determines how we live our lives from day-to-day. It is within the beginning of this story that one is introduced to the life choices of Gilgamesh. He is the King of Uruk-a ruler full of vanity, selfishness, and materialism. His arrogance has no bounds by day or night. Every choice that he makes is based upon himself and his desires alone. Gilgamesh leaves no virgin to her lover, neither the warrior’s daughter nor the wife of the noble. He makes his choices without a conscience or care. What he wants is what he gets. For he is the perfect man,†¦show more content†¦But, as mentioned earlier, Gilgamesh does not realize this mental, spiritual opportunity. For as Enkidu meets Gilgamesh at the gate, he puts out his foot, preventing Gilgamesh from entering the bride’s house. This immediately causes an intense rage within Gilgamesh and a brutal battle between the two begins! This is a battle for Gilgamesh’s well-being†¦for his chance to â€Å"wake-up† and see that the choices, and thus, the life that he had been living was not genuine. It was not a life of humility, truth, and love. But, rather, it was a life full of clouded desires and materialism. It was a resultant life of selfish choices. These selfish choices are taken out physically during his battle with Enkidu. Each punch, each blow serves as his subconscious release. The build-up and matting of so many material desires†¦of so many selfish choices were finally given the opportunity to escape Gilgamesh’s entire being. At last, with a â€Å"bend of the knee, a foot planted on the ground and a turn, Enkidu is thrown. Then immediately Gilgamesh’s fury dies.† The death of his fury also brings about the brief death of his selfish ways. He is connected in a profound, rare way with Enkidu. Gilgamesh â€Å"embraces their friendship; it is sealed.† He tastes†¦he sees†¦he feels a sense of what it is to live with love. He makes a conscious choice to embrace Enkidu as a close friend and counselor within this world. As Gilgamesh and Enkidu grow even closer, theyShow MoreRelatedThe Epic Of Gilgamesh And Odysseus1497 Words   |  6 Pagescharacter Gilgamesh from The Epic of Gilgamesh and Odysseus from The Odyssey by Homer can be compared by their similar journeys and differing heroic qualities. PURPOSE STATEMENT Through careful research and reasoning, Odysseus and Gilgamesh can be seen as both similar and differing characters because of their choices and changes throughout their journeys. INTRODUCTION Gilgamesh, the famous hero of The Epic of Gilgamesh and Odysseus from The Odyssey are found to be similar. Some say that The Epic of GilgameshRead MoreFate Vs Fate Essay1401 Words   |  6 Pagesdestiny. Is a person’s life dominated by a plethora of choices and consequences or is it already mapped out by a greater force? This question has been discussed since the time of the first ancient civilizations in Mesopotamia. Although it is still without a clear answer ages later, the Epic of Gilgamesh and the Odyssey propose interesting insights into the role of fate and choice in the human experience. Neither the Odyssey nor The Epic of Gilgamesh gives a black or white answer to the question of humanRead MoreA Long Narrative Poem That Is About Heroic Deeds And A1631 Words   |  7 Pagesculture and person who wrote it is an epic poem. A great deal of writers use epic poems to tell the tales and quest of heroes. It played a crucial part in the Epic of Gilgamesh from Mesopotamia because it recorded the epic deeds of heroes and their culture. The epic of Gilgamesh meets the criteria of an epic poem because the plot centers on the hero of unbelievable stature, it has a wild setting, and it in involves supernatural and godly forces. The epic poem of Gilgamesh plot centers on the hero of UnbelievableRead MoreFate Vs Fate Essay1437 Words   |  6 Pagesdestiny. Is a person’s life dominated by a plethora of choices and consequences or is it already mapped out by a greater force? Humans have pondered this question since the time of the first ancient civilizations in Mesopotamia. Although it is still without a clear answer ages later, the Epic of Gilgamesh and the Odyssey propose interesting insights into the role of fate and choice in the human experience. Neither the Odyssey nor The Epic of Gilgamesh gives a black or white answer to the question of humanRead MoreExamining the Different Versions of Epic of Gilgamesh861 Words   |  3 Pages T. (Oct-Dec 2001). The development and meaning of the Epic of Gilgamesh: An interpretive essay. Journal of the American Oriental Society, 121(4), 614-622. Type of Source Source 1 is a journal article paginated by volume. Summary This journal article examines 3 versions of the Gilgamesh Epic: the Old Babylonian version; the Eleven-Tablet version; and the Twelve-Tablet version. Though all 3 versions deal with the issues and choices of human beings and also with the inescapable issue of DeathRead MoreEssay about Comparing The Epic of Gilgamesh with The Odyssey1262 Words   |  6 Pages The Epic of Gilgamesh and The Odyssey both are held in high respect by literature analysts and historians alike for the characterization of the hero and his companion, the imagery brought to mind when one of them is read, and the impressive length in relation to the time period it was written in. The similarities that these two epics share do not end with only those three; in fact, the comparability of these works extend to even the information on the author and the archetypes used. However, TheRead MoreThe Epic of Gilgamesh in Comparison to the Enuma Elish Essays769 Words   |  4 PagesThe epic of Gilgamesh makes reference t o the Enuma Elish, because both stories include gods and heroes. With expressing all details in a clear and obvious way, leaving no doubt as to the true intended meaning one can easily identify an explicit view in the Epic of Gilgamesh, when the main character, Gilagamesh tries to defeat a giant, similar to how Marduk tried to defeat Tiamat in the Enuma Elish. Both wanted to show that they have power, but more so Gilgamesh wanted show that he deserves to beRead MoreAnalysis Of The Epic Of Gilgamesh 738 Words   |  3 PagesBaily Broussard Mr. Guidry World History 4 December 2015 The Epic of Gilgamesh In The Epic of Gilgamesh, Gilgamesh terrorizes the people or Uruk. Because of this, they call out to the sky god Anu for help. Anu decides to turn to the goddess of creation, Aruru whom makes an equal for Gilgamesh. Aruru created Enkidu to be just like Gilgamesh and for them to contend together and leave Uruk in quiet. When Gilgamesh got up and went to the house of a bride waiting for the bridegroom, Enkidu stepped outRead MoreThe Epic of Gilgamesh, translated by N.K. Sandars and Braveheart, directed by Mel Gibson1248 Words   |  5 Pagesheros story. Many of these epics have the same plot structure and similar character archetypes that make these stories stand out from the rest, giving them a distinct and unique style. The story The Epic of Gilgamesh translated by N.K. Sandars and the film Mel Gibsons Braveheart are two classic sagas that are alike in many ways such as their similar plots, their general character archetypes, and finally their central theme. In comparison, both The Epic of Gilgamesh and Braveheart share the sameRead More Lessons Learned From the Epic of Gilgamesh Essay1448 Words   |  6 Pages 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 â€Å"would