Category: Epic of Gilgamesh

The Epic of Gilgamesh is recited through the literacy mechanisms of poems that survived from Sumerian Literature, as further enlightening how ancient times contended and how ancient people lived reflected on moments that revolved around key components: death, life, and what is life beyond death, relying on how someone conjured these stages of life, whiles evolving as an individual in ways that can be seen positive or negative character development growth. Simply say that this story as an adventure of two males striving on a journey of strengths, or a coming-of-age story of a man named Gilgamesh striving to reach the ultimate power, then that is leaving out themes and concepts that can help illustrate a better overview of what makes this story, much more than that, more epic.

This review does not want to dwell on giving a reader that has never given this story a chance, all the spoilers and tales that would derail them from giving this story a chance. Everyone can learn and appreciate the struggle of survival of wanting to be the best, and fearing the ultimate failure of not being the best, because of the failure of trying. One can see that Gilgamesh was blinded by this narcissistic struggle within himself to be the ultimate warrior amongst the common people and the gods. The tale of Gilgamesh focuses on a king of ancient Mesopotamia who, to some was a cruel and unfair ruler. To that defense was the cry of people within, asking for justice from their gods, as the second character of the story is created immortal Enkidu. These individuals will continue adventures that will attest to their strengths as individuals, but also together, forming a friendship, even though at the beginning were seen as rivals. One might go further into interpreting that it was along these adventures that Gilgamesh found that this obsession of being greater than the gods, as less important as living in the now. Gilgamesh is facing life struggles that can be compared to what any person in today’s time fears, fear of failure, self-entitlement, and even death. In death, most life experiences and moments so far give a preview to what the ultimate plan is once death is near or is happening, that no one can truly escape his or her own death. Gilgamesh witnesses death closer to home, and finds that even though someone might have been an ordinary and guiltless citizen, death is the ultimate equalizer in a sense because whoever was once good or bad, everyone dies.

Gilgamesh goes through personal growth and this acceptance of his mortality, which hold central themes to this story. Gilgamesh understands that fighting powerful beings and gods, and witnessing death, resulting in this rude awakening of self is much greater than living forever. This portrayal of Gilgamesh from the beginning of the story as an arrogant king from Uruk, to someone that has finally absorbed through ‘actual’ life-changing moments how to be a good subject to his subjects, drastically changes his views of just the simplest life pleasures. Gilgamesh established himself as being the best of the best because of fights with Humbaba and having the goddess of desire Ishtar feels as if he was the ultimate husband prize. This story alone has many elements that stories through history could have taken pieces to construct their own, of a man’s existential crisis about life and death, but also this search of immortality. Yet, those are not the only elements that can be picked put alone, this value of friendship, this bond that Gilgamesh and Enkidu established not so much as a need for some kind of friendship, but falls into, maybe circumstantial of the events that took place or despite where they would be, everyone always needs someone to be there for them. Human beings have the need to be needed by someone, whether they are liked by someone or not, but to have someone to speak to, or to rely on. This human connection that is established between Gilgamesh and Enkidu, gives this underline understanding that each may not like the other, but at these moments in time, we are all we have. Gilgamesh gains this understanding from this friendship from Enkidu that someone need not fear you, to want the best for you. Gilgamesh’s growth happens because after everything is said and done, lives surrounded around people that actually want to be there unlike those that live in fear, and are not really living life to the fullness.

Gilgamesh goes through his trials and tribulations, Gilgamesh’s progression of being seen as privileged, futile, and conceited, that believed that the world revolved around him, to meet his match with Enkidu, he absorbed and flourish alongside him. There are moments that shape our consciousness because of our experiences and what we witness, but along the way, Gilgamesh, for instance, learns that everything does come to end and that you cannot run from life forever, immortality. But, what Gilgamesh does not see right away is that just because we die, does not mean that our lives are forgotten, that what we did in life be for nothing. That the whole point in life is to live it, not to live in fear of what might be or never be. Gilgamesh is the person most individuals that walk this earth, living in the fear of never acquiring their goals, failure, striving to reach their ultimate potential, but never enjoying what is now. If all were as forgotten as Gilgamesh thought to be, would anyone today know the story of the Epic of Gilgamesh? These poems have been translated across languages and through generations for a reason, not simply the obvious for the currency, but because Gilgamesh holds relevance in today’s society. Maybe Gilgamesh’s journey to acquire immortality could have been reached or not, but immortality can be seen as a testament in the writings of these poems, as these poems are still talked about today.

The Epic of Gilgamesh is a story that is older than three thousand years old and has survived because of the relevance themes that are seen throughout the writings. Themes of personal growth through trials and experiences, the value of life, and the value of friendship, are themes that are seen in the stories of today and even movie plots, giving significance that maybe people that lived during these ancient times were truly ahead of their time. Throughout history, there are themes and concepts that can be seen and repeated with different characters to fit certain situations, but nonetheless, there are moments that are greater than the perception that one might think. Maybe, Gilgamesh simply never realized that striving for the greatest over the will of others is not everything. There has to be a point as to why after so much time anyone is still reading this, there much be some empathy felt for King Gilgamesh as someone goes as far as the ends of the earth to escape their own mortality while wanting to be remembered by others. On recommend these poem passages to anyone for the simplest truth as a peek in the past and maybe, somewhere foreign as how society was in the past, yet familiar. In Gilgamesh’s life, he might have believed that becoming greater than the gods and having everyone under his rule as having the perfect fit for the great life, but contrary to his belief, he lived in fear of not being the best, and that is not what actually matters, being yourself despite the tribulations that one is faced with, makes the journey to finding oneself, the actual bliss to life. That could be the moral of the story, that life is precious and should not be feared as all life is trying to do is have individuals inspire all elements of their own lives into something that makes it worth life living for.

The Epic of Gilgamesh invitations us to think about the relationship between the way of life and nature. In this essay, I`ll discuss strategies in which Enkidu moves from animal to human. What precisely he loses, and what did he good points? I`ll be speakme about his journey as a human and what it tells us about existence in a city-state. Enkidu used to be created with the aid of the gods to have an effect on Gilgamesh for the proper and be his companion. Enkidu is a daring and robust man who used to be as soon as made via the use of the gods to equal Gilgamesh in strength. Enkidu used to be created so as for Uruk to have peace.

In this paragraph, I`ll be explaining how Enkidu lost his innocence and why he thinks he misplaced his innocence. it all starts offevolved with Shamhat who acquired right here into Enkidu`s existence and changed the whole lot. Shamhat has a sure variety of electricity as she is requested to entice Enkidu away from his herd of gazelles with the aid way of seducing him. Her intercourse attraction is portrayed as a type of magic. Shamhat did her work as part of a presentation to the goddess Ishtar. Being related to the temple of Ishtar would furnish her with a greater feature in society, as her work would be considered sacred. Shamhat used to be no longer acts out of her very own desire for Enkidu, she used to be despatched to do so. The epic focuses on his feelings instead than hers. Her energy used to be used to benefit her and Gilgamesh. Rather than her personal pleasure.

When Shamhat and Enkidu meet. Shamhat used to be taking section in a caring role. She was once massaging him with oils and dressing him in her very own clothes. She then takes him to the Shepherds and introduces him to human meals. Having relaxed and clothed him Enkidu leads him like an infant to human foods and drinks. So she is mate .mother partner to Enkidu on the other hand she is in no way his pal. After he lies with Shamhat his herd associates him with human beings who hunt them. He had ceased up the one-of-a-kind in their eyes. Enkidu additionally feels special. He finds he is no longer more acceptable and rapid enough to run with the gazelles and they go away him behind.

When he had ample of her delights he acquired up to return to his beasts .but when the gazelles noticed him they commenced to run away he tried to follow however he truly determined his knees weak and his physique limp. He may want to no longer preserve up with the animals as he has usually completed before. He regrets the hunter and Shamhat for having let him away from his herd he rages at Shamhat and blames her for taking away his innocence. Because you weakened me when I used to be pure, you took away my innocence (49)

Enkidu has performed really wicked things and betrayed his people. Enkidu first lived in the wild with a herd of gazelles. He lived with prey animals when the hunters set snares and tropes for animals, Enkidu undoes them all and units the creatures free. The hunter complains that Enkidu stops him from doing his work. As a man, the hunter does the work of the wild. Enkidu doesn`t work he is wild. The epic of Gilgamesh tells us about the time when the two buddies went to kill Humbaba. Humbaba says to Enkiduâ why have you come proper right here in my place, as for you Enkidu you are the hatch of a title you who knew no father you are the hatching of a turtle you who sucked no mother`s milk (19). This indicates that humbaba knew Enkidu because he used to be youthful he was once there for Enkidu’s time he used to nonetheless reside in the wildness. Enkidu’s

Enkidu`s trip to information and humanity is tinged with loss. he beneficial properties awareness, however focal point brings him affliction. After the first meeting with Shamhat, he can in no way go once more .he has to no longer return to his beast .his herd associated him with human beings who hunt them. Shamhat ensures Enkidu of a distinct shape of existence Before you came down from the highlands, Gilgamesh dreamed of you (14) His first project used to be to kill wolves and chase lions (42) now we see that he used to be on the aspect of humans battle towards nature. Enkidu has to examine what it capacity to be human and tame the wildness internally .together these pals slay monsters and bring glory to their town of Uruk. They tame the wildness and convey again riches and undertaking the gods. But each and every conquest comes at a price. Enkidu and his friends go to methods with the resource of killing the guardian of the forest, hum baby. the killing of Humbaba represents an assault of Inkidu upon his personal kind, in quick he has been coerced into attacking the creature of his personal deep. Wild animal being .it is right here that the separation from Inkidu from wild animal nature has begun to come full circle and practice grisly, self-inflicted wounds.

It is no wonder Enkidu suffers bodily paralysis and intellectual soreness .as a result of madness or love for Gilgamesh attacking the core of his personal essence. ( Patrick Barrow 390) the slaying of humbaba, for instance, makes a step into the future for the people of Uruk. When the heroes come bracing cedar trees, they are beating artwork refuge and progress. But the story makes it clear that there is a high rate to it. When the bull of heaven was unleashed Canada and his buddy kill the bull. Here once extra they kill a living creature and use it as a useful resource and to glorify themselves .enlada even went to the extent to tore off the haunch of the bull and throwing it at Ishtar asserting if I may additionally choose to lay my palms on you I would deal with you the same (26). This indent is the closing straw for the god. Enkidu is struck down through an illness as a punishment for helping to ruin what to them. During the illness. Enceladus confronts who he is and what he has become. Kaggen, in his feature as protector of precise animals, used to be ever present in Xam’s daily life. Rituals had to be carried out to make certain success do his hunt in the face of Kaggen`s opposition. Kaggen would do his best to guard sure antelope, he might, for instance, assume the structure of a snake in order to startle hunters and alert the prey animals to their presence. He may additionally take the structure of a hare so that the hunters would pay interest in taking pictures of him and leave out the presence of other animals nearby. So to examine the two we recognize that kappa cares about the animals he would do his super to make high quality that the animals are invulnerable and healthy, and taken care of. Unlike Enkidu who modified his humans (family) the people of Uruk. He even went to an extent of killing the guardian of the forest, Humbaba whom he knew up within the wildness and the Bull of heaven. Out of hate. So the two tales are about love and hate. Love that Kaggen has for his humans and the hate that Enkidu possessed when he grew to be friends with Gilgamesh.

Being considered the cradle of civilization, Mesopotamia has always been an interest for many historians due to it being the focal point for many historical figures and advancements. Written language, in the form of ancient cuneiform, was first developed in Mesopotamia and was used by scribes to write on tablets for various things such as transactions and even stories that give us some kind of idea of what Mesopotamian culture was like. The Epic of Gilgamesh from when it was rediscovered and reconstructed around the late nineteenth century, has been recognized by scholars and historians as one of the first comprehensive works of literature in the world. As the title implies, the epic focuses on the titular demigod king Gilgamesh, who is regarded as the first “hero” in fiction, and his encounters with outlandish creatures and gods throughout his adventures with his companion Enkidu. The relationship between Gilgamesh and Enkidu adds an interesting dynamic to the epic which is lacking in overall character development (understandable considering the time period it was written). At first, it may seem like a typical master-and-servant relationship, however, it is much deeper than that and reveals a lot about how masculinity and the ideal man were perceived in Mesopotamian culture. Since the epic presents not the reality but the ideals of the culture from which it comes, Gilgamesh and Enkidu are the embodiment of the values that this culture holds dear. A closer examination of the actions of Gilgamesh and Enkidu along with the latter’s death reveals that the bonds between men are equal, more akin to being brothers and that men should be strong and not be swayed by emotion.

Unlike today, strength meant a lot in ancient Mesopotamia since it was how men could place themselves on the social ladder. The prologue of the epic describes a great hero who cares for and protects his people, a warrior who “a man all could trust when he brought up the rear” (Tablet I, 3), however, this description is of a more mature Gilgamesh after the story when he has gone through his ordeals and is the exact opposite of what we see at the beginning of the epic. Instead of caring for and protecting his people, he abuses them and “harries all of the young men in Uruk… leaves no daughter at home with her mother… leaves no bride to her bridegroom” (Tablet I, 5). At first, Gilgamesh is a tyrannical ruler and much of this arrogant attitude stems from him being so “tall, magnificent, terrifying” (Tablet I, 4) with no man equal to his power. It was not until the people of Uruk complained to the gods that they decided to create Enkidu, who would act as Gilgamesh’s equal. Enkidu begins his life as a wild man in nature and his life was the opposite of Gilgamesh, who lived very lavishly. Though Enkidu is very powerful, he doesn’t abuse his power the way Gilgamesh does but instead fights to protect others due to his chivalrous nature and takes up arms to fight for the oppressed people by traveling to Uruk where he loses to Gilgamesh. Their anger subsides and Enkidu pledges himself to Gilgamesh’s service and then “they kissed each other, sealing their friendship” (Tablet II, 14). Both of them are extremely strong, almost peerless; no match for anyone, but for the other. This brief conflict was meant to be a display of strength and both are in it for victory. This seems to imply that Mesopotamian men often used these encounters as a way to show off certain male attributes and to defend their honor. Gilgamesh’s power was being challenged and he showed his worth to everyone around him through violence. It’s satisfying to feel powerful and losing that feeling could’ve had social repercussions for Mesopotamian men. After so much time being unchallenged, Gilgamesh becomes overjoyed and even praises Enkidu by proclaiming “he is the strongest man in the country, like a rock from the sky” (Tablet II, 14). This praise demonstrates that Mesopotamian men respected each other through feats of strength and bonded over battles, which were common since city-states were constantly at war with each other and men could distinguish themselves in the battle to please their various war gods and earn the respect and admiration of others, however, this wasn’t always achieved alone.

For the first time in his life, Gilgamesh found someone that he can call his equal in every regard and this is why he values Enkidu so much. Gilgamesh never had someone to connect or bond with due to his divinity and supposed flawlessness. Loneliness is a terrible feeling for everyone and for Gilgamesh to deal with this, he indulged in his lust and greed, it isn’t until Enkidu comes into his life that Gilgamesh has someone that he can care for. Before Gilgamesh can understand how to treat his people, he must learn how to relate to an individual. When Enkidu realized that he has no family and begins crying, “the two men held each other… Gilgamesh thought, and then said to Enkidu: ‘I know what we can do, Enkidu. Humbaba… Let’s kill him’” (Tablet II, 15). By offering to kill Humbaba and embracing him, Gilgamesh is trying to cheer up Enkidu by pursuing glory, which can be seen as an example of brotherly affection, and gets his mother, the goddess Ninsun, to adopt him into their family. The two often demonstrate their intimacy by kissing, embracing, and holding hands. Gilgamesh, being divine, has his feet kissed by his people out of respect, but he doesn’t do anything like that for others until he befriends Enkidu, and the latter returning the same affection really demonstrates how equally they value and care for one another, even if they come from opposite backgrounds. The way that Gilgamesh and Enkidu alternately lose heart and encourage each other suggests that Mesopotamians believed that friendship is essential to a man’s success and it isn’t shameful to get help from your companions as shown when the pair managed to kill Humbaba together, which was a feat Gilgamesh would not have been able to accomplish by himself.

At first, Enkidu is pretty much just Gilgamesh’s sidekick, but through their journey to kill Humbaba, he becomes Gilgamesh’s soul mate, equal, and even his conscience. He advises Gilgamesh on his actions and helps him with the affairs of Uruk to slowly point him in the direction of being the perfect leader. Gilgamesh, in turn, valued and loved Enkidu so much to the point that when the latter passed away he “unsealed his treasury… These he provided for his friend, along with many minas of gold… ivory” (Tablet VII, 52). To make sure that Enkidu would not be lonely in his journey to the underworld, Gilgamesh made many offerings to various deities and requested “may he/she welcome my friend and walk at his side” (Tablet VIII, 52). His love and adoration for Enkidu were so intense that he wanted his corpse to be laid in his same bed as a “place of honor” (Tablet VIII, 52). Clearly, the focus of Gilgamesh’s mourning for Enkidu demonstrates how much respect and care Mesopotamians had for their family in death. As a Mesopotamian ritual, deceased family members were buried near the home as a way to stay close and to demonstrate the strong bond they shared.

How do you think Gilgamesh is a changed man or king by the end of the epic? What experiences does he have and what life lessons does he learn that bring about this change? Gilgamesh experiences and learns a lot throughout the epic. However, I believe the most valuable experience and life lesson he has is due to his arrogance

At the beginning of the epic Gilgamesh meets his one and only friend Enkidu, an animal-like being, created by the gods, who learn to show love and affection by learning from a woman. Enkidu is there to not only guide Gilgamesh through his journey to try and find immortality but to show him and teach him love and affection, show Gilgamesh that even with how powerful he is his fate is declared for him and shows Gilgamesh you don’t realize how much you have until it’s all gone. One lesson Gilgamesh learns is when he wants immortality, Enkidu who is created by the gods tells him that immortality is not his destiny and that the gods declared his destiny since the day he was born (Sanders). However Gilgamesh is in denial and believes he will find immortality and then have his name “written in stone (Sanders),” or in other words, he will become famous and his name will live on. However, at the end of the epic we find out that Gilgamesh does not achieve his goal of finding immortality and he dies. I believe this to teach Gilgamesh you can’t get everything you want and you never know if you’ll live to see tomorrow, so live every day like your last.

The main reason I think Gilgamesh has changed as a man and king by the end of the epic is when Enkidu dies he’s upset and he grieves. In the epic Gilgamesh says “I weep for my brother. Oh Enkidu, my brother, you were the axe at my side, my hand’s strength, the sword in my belt, the shield before me (Sanders).” Gilgamesh for once doesn’t feel arrogant, but he feels he’s losing the only thing he has, his best friend. At that moment Gilgamesh touches Enkidu’s heart, but he didn’t feel it beating, Enkidu had died. In the epic, it says “he began to rage like a lion, like a lioness robbed of her whelps (Sanders).” Gilgamesh is so upset that Enkidu is dead that his grief and sadness soon turn into rage. Gilgamesh says “how can I rest? How can I be at peace? Despair is in my heart (Sanders).” At this moment Gilgamesh learns the concept of love and affection toward his friend. He also realizes you don’t realize how much you have until it’s all gone.

Hence this is how I believe Gilgamesh has changed as a man and a king by the end of the epic. Also, I think the most valuable life lesson he learns is about love and affection and how you don’t know how much you have until it’s all gone. The experience that teaches him this lesson is the death of his best friend Enkidu. He also learns he can’t get everything he wants and you never know if you’ll live to see tomorrow, so live your life to the fullest. Even when Enkidu tells Gilgamesh his fate is declared for him by the gods, Gilgamesh decides to remain in denial and thinks that one day he will find immortality. Gilgamesh learns his lesson the hard way, by dying without making the most of his life and not living in denial.

Throughout history, there have been many men and women who have been influential in keeping records so that their customs and traditions may be passed on and made known to modern people and cultures. Some ancient historians were able to observe other civilizations and how they differed from their own. Herodotus studying the Persians, Tacitus studying the Germanics, and Sima Qian studying the Xiongnu are all examples of such men studying their neighboring civilizations. Through their writings on different civilizations, readers are able to infer information about the historian’s cultures due to the bias of the writing. In analyzing how these historians viewed differing cultures, one can see how these three different historians would have viewed the culture of Ancient Mesopotamia as portrayed in The Epic of Gilgamesh. There are multiple ways in which these historians would be similar in their view of ancient Mesopotamia such as their religious practices and forms of government. Despite their similarities, these historians would still differ in their views on their methods of worshipping and feasting.

One of the most famous historians from the Ancient Greece period was Herodotus. Herodotus was born into a very wealthy family in Greece in 485 BCE. Because of this great wealth, he was able to travel around Eurasia and spent much time studying Persia. He wrote his impressions of the countries he visited in “The Histories.” Using what he has written about the Persians, it can be assumed that there are some cultural ways in which he could relate to the Mesopotamians, but also several ways in which their cultures would be very different. One similarity between the Greeks and the Mesopotamians is that they both worshipped more than one God. In The Epic of Gilgamesh, there are at least five different Gods mentioned: Anu, Enlil, Ninurta, Shamash, and Ishtar. The Greeks also worshipped multiple Gods such as Zeus, Athena, Ares, and Dionysus. In Herodotus’s writing about the Persians, he mentions the Gods that they worship, which happen to be the same as some of the Greek Gods. Herodotus would have enjoyed the fact that the Mesopotamians worshipped multiple Gods, even if they were not the same deities. One thing that Herodotus points out in his writing on Persians is that they did not use temples to worship their Gods but instead traveled to the top of mountains to offer sacrifices. Through his disdainful tone, readers can assume that his culture uses temples as their primary source of contact with the Gods. One of the biggest attractions in Greece was originally a tribute to the Goddess Athena: the well-known Athena Parthenon. Herodotus would have related to the Mesopotamians in the fact that they both used temples as their main form of worship. The Epic of Gilgamesh talks about the temples of Eanna, Ishtar, Anu, Egalmah, and Shamash. Had Herodotus studied the Ancient Mesopotamians, he would have found that they had many of the same religious practices as the Greeks such as temple worship and the occasional sacrifice. Something that Herodotus found distasteful among the Persians was their love to have extravagant parties and more specifically, their love to drink. From his aloof tone, one can assume that Greek culture did not include a lot of drinking. Like the Persians and unlike the Greeks, The Epic of Gilgamesh mentions multiple times that beer was a staple in the Mesopotamian diet. In the story, the Harlot gave Enkidu beer telling him he should drink it because it was “the custom of the land.” The harlot made it apparent that he would need to drink beer in order to fit in with the other citizens of Uruk. It seemed that the Persians and the Mesopotamians drank beer and were often drunk. Herodotus would have found it irresponsible to drink beer often, as described in The Epic of Gilgamesh because that left them incapacitated. The Greeks would drink mostly wine in moderation and only the upper class would have access to it. Another way that the Greeks differed from the Mesopotamians was in their form of government. While Herodotus wrote about the Persians having a king, the Greeks functioned under an Athenian democracy. Like the Persians, the Mesopotamians also had a single king. Herodotus probably would have thought that the rule of the king was oppressive and didn’t give men the right to have input on official matters. Coming from a wealthy family in Greece, his family probably was very involved in the Government and deciding large matters; wealthy families often had the most influence in the Greek government.

Coming from the neighboring state of Greece, the Roman historian Tacitus is also one of the best-remembered writers of his time. He wrote about other civilizations in Europe that did not operate in single nations, but rather in tribes and chiefdoms. He spent a great deal of time studying the Germanics, although he never actually went to see the Germanic tribes. When not spending his time writing about other civilizations, he was a Roman official who helped to control the quickly growing civilization. Tacitus was very judgmental of the Germanic way of life as it was very different from the way Rome operated. Tacitus starts his papers by addressing the fact that the Germanics could not endure heat and thirst, two things that both the Romans and Mesopotamians dealt with. Due to their geographical locations, Rome and Mesopotamia were very dry and hot places. As described in The Epic of Gilgamesh, there were palm gardens that thrived because of the warm temperatures the people of Uruk experienced. The people in both places had to acclimate to the extreme heat and the limited access to water. Tacitus also talks about how the Germanic people were not built for “long, arduous work.” He is appalled at the very limited work the people actually do. The Romans and the Mesopotamians all had specific jobs in their societies. Everyone was responsible for some form of work that would benefit society. In The Epic of Gilgamesh, after Ishtar has killed Enkidu, in his speech to mourn his death, Gilgamesh lists many of the professions that reflected the majority of the people in Uruk. He talks about farmers, herders, and even harlots that would be distraught by the death of Enkidu. This showed how the people of Uruk needed to work hard in order to survive, unlike most of the Germanic people. Later in his writings, Tacitus shows aggravation towards the simplicity of the Germanic buildings. Because they are only made of wood, Tacitus says that they are “without ornament or attractiveness…” Similarly, the walls that protect Uruk in The Epic of Gilgamesh were made only of “kiln-fired brick”; these stones were considered rather boring and monotonous despite their reliability. In contrast to the city of Uruk’s simplicity, the Romans were known for their extravagant buildings and lifestyle. At the peak of their empire, they wanted the rest of the world to know how wealthy there were. Although Tacitus typically looked down on their simplicity and barbaric way of life, one thing that Tacitus was able to respect about the “barbaric” Germanic people was their strict policy on adultery. They believed that when a woman slept with someone else, the husband had complete control over what happened to her; the outcome of the wife cheating was normally that her hair would be cut, she would be stripped of her clothing, she would be expelled from the house, and then be flogged through the entire village. While the Romans were not as harsh in punishing adulterous acts and the husbands often slept with concubines and harlots, they also believed that the wife needed to be completely loyal to her husband. In The Epic of Gilgamesh, Gilgamesh, the king, reveals that the Gods have told him that he must sleep with every bride before she is married to her then fiancé. Although the people were vehemently opposed to this, they had to comply because they had been told it was a commandment of the Lord. Tacitus would have grown up in an environment where his father would never have let another man sleep with his mother. He would be appalled at the tradition that Gilgamesh enforced.

Like Tacitus, Sima Qian was both a famous historian as well as a political official. With the strict qualifications to become a public official, it can be assumed that Sima Qian probably came from a very wealthy family in the midst of the Han dynasty. His main focus of the study was the “barbaric” people in the north of China. Like the Germanics, the Xiongnu were mostly nomadic and the Chinese saw them as “uncivilized.” Because they were nomadic, they did not have one place where they were able to settle and call their own. Sian Qian expresses his contempt for these people because they were never able to maintain a steady relationship with the Chinese empire. In contrast, the Chinese empire was very successful and grounded in China. In order to protect themselves as well as assert their dominance in China, they built the Great Wall of China, which still stands today. The people of Uruk also had large walls that helped them to appear strong to people approaching the city. When returning from his great quest for eternal life, Gilgamesh remembers the great walls that surround his city. Although he failed in his quest to become immortal, he was reminded that his legacy would continue. Another aspect of Gilgamesh’s rule that would continue after his death was the emphasis on agriculture. The Mesopotamians had to be clever about how they farmed because of the difficult land and infrequent flooding from the Euphrates. Contrarily, the Xiongnu people never set up farming land and based their food supply on trade agreements with countries like China. Sima Qian thought that this method of obtaining food was very irresponsible and would result in their people starving. The majority of the Han dynasty was made up of peasants whose only responsibility was to farm and provide the rest of the empire with the supplies needed to survive. Because the Xiongnu people relied on the Chinese people to provide tradable items, Tacitus found them to be lazy and greedy. This is mainly a result of a lack of proper and organized government. The Xiongnu people operated under many chiefs who ruled their specific people. Those chiefs often had no knowledge of “proper behavior or justice.” In a similar fashion, Gilgamesh was the only ruler of the city of Uruk, and he was not known for being the most merciful ruler. The people under his rule said that he was arrogant and made them anxious. Contrarily, the Chinese government was a bureaucracy from very early on. This meant that many people were able to participate in government, but only if they could qualify through the civil service exams. This ensured that there would be minimal corruption and that all of the Chinese people would be treated fairly. As an official himself, Sima Qian would have thought very highly of the Confucian way of thinking and the right for all citizens to have justice. Sima Qian thought that it was strange that the men who were in their prime ate the fattiest and best foods while the elderly ate the scraps of them. China followed the theory of filial piety, which was based on respecting the elders in the community. Sima Qian would not have eaten good food unless he had made sure that his father and grandfather had also been able to eat. In Mesopotamia, the king, Gilgamesh, would have eaten the best food before anyone else. Because he was a majority God, he was viewed as supreme. Because China operated under an emperor, Sima Qian would have related to the people of Uruk who had Gilgamesh as their king. However, he would never have neglected the elderly and poor in the same way that Gilgamesh did.

The three historians, Herodotus, Tacitus, and Sima Qian, all influenced their studies of other cultures. Through their works, current historians are able to learn about their own cultures from the way the ancient historians viewed other civilizations such as Ancient Mesopotamia mostly through the book, The Epic of Gilgamesh. For example, Herodotus would have found that he worshipped his Gods the same way that Gilgamesh worshipped his. Tacitus would have found that the Romans wanted to show their extreme wealth through extravagant architecture while the Uruk people liked things more simply. Sima Qian would realize that not all cultures gave citizens a fair chance at participating in government. These realizations would lead Herodotus, Tacitus, and Sima Qian to the knowledge that every civilization is different but their similarities help to show how they were able to coexist.

Everyone loves a happy ending, and it can be argued that the average reader or viewer of work expects everything to work out fine by the end of a story. When an author of a work of literature chooses to leave the reader with an unhappy ending, it leaves an immense impact on the unexpecting reader. For instance, after a sad movie, people are often quiet and reserved in their thoughts rather than laughing and talking like they would after a movie that ends happily. Literature with sad endings promotes deep thinking and contemplation while happier endings for the most part just bring the reader enjoyment. Considering the infrequency of completely somber or tragic endings in literature, an ending like this is something for the reader to take note of as there is likely a message the author is trying to convey. The example of pieces of literature with unhappy endings that I plan to discuss is the ancient Sumerian epic, The Epic of Gilgamesh.

I believe unhappy endings are so common in the greatest works of literature because they spark a greater debate and promote contemplation from the reader more than works that leave the reader feeling content typically do. Often times with a sad ending, there is an important lesson for the reader to learn, and, if he or she is still alive, the protagonist can learn from the disheartening finish of the story as well. This allows the protagonist to grow from his or her experiences and helps the reader to gain wisdom from those experiences. Tragic endings often have deep-rooted meanings and leave the reader pondering the underlying significance of the final scenes of the story and the message the author is trying to reveal through them.

In The Epic of Gilgamesh, Gilgamesh, an incredibly strong and warrior-like demigod, must come to terms with his impending death after his close companion and sidekick Enkidu falls sick and passes away. Gilgamesh possesses god-like strength and, in life, he and Enkidu had an immense love for battle. Gilgamesh is distraught by the idea of him one day having a similar fate as his close friend Enkidu, as he feels it would be more honorable to die in battle than to succumb to sickness or disease. Because of his fear, Gilgamesh seeks eternal life and goes on a long journey to find it, but once he gains a plant that grants him immortality, it is stolen from him by a serpent. Gilgamesh is left to return to his kingship back home in Uruk and face the reality that he is a mortal and will one day pass away.

I believe the epic poem ends with Gigamesh back at home without the magic plant as a final and complete humbling of Gilgamesh, who throughout the epic, and especially before Enkidu came along, was a bit of a prideful tyrant. In fact, Enkidu was sent by the gods to calm Gilgamesh’s pretension, and Enkidu is made sick by the gods because he and Gilgamesh are too strong of a pair. Gilgamesh must be broken down completely and left hopeless in order for him to gain humility. He is forced to accept his fate as a human with limited time on Earth, and he must make the most of his limited life and try to be the best possible ruler of Uruk he can be. The ending of The Epic of Gilgamesh leaves the reader sorrowful that Gilgamesh came so close to his dream and then had everything he worked for snatched away from his grasp yet hopeful that he will go on to make the most of his numbered days and choose to live a humble life as a just ruler of his domain.

The Epic of Gilgamesh ends with the reader likely feeling saddened or at least a bit discontent by the tragic outcomes. However, the ending of these two works seems to serve a justice of sorts to the characters. Gilgamesh’s greatest flaw seems to come to ease as he is constrained to the lifespan of any other human. Due to the sad ending of this work, the reader is able to take away the value of humility from The Epic of Gilgamesh. If this work had ended happily, there would not be a lesson to take away from them, and no justice would be served to the characters for their faults.

How might the character be portrayed in different versions of the story? Select a story about a fiction or prose character, and compare and contrast how the person is depicted in two or more different forms or media. For instance, you might decide on a press piece about a brave individual and a fictionalized version of the person’s history in the film: the poem about a Revolutionary War character and the painting of that person: an animated television series based on a mythical hero and a text version of the same tale. How are these depictions of this character similar and different? Tell what each version conveys about the idea of heroism.

Several writers have also used it to relate to different mythical and allegorical elements found in the book, such as the history of the monster. This period has been used for myths and fables from these dark ages, e.g., the history of God George and the Dragon, the tales of King Arthur and his Knights of the Round Table, and the fables of this Parsival. Multiple observers have separated John Milton’s epic poem Paradise Lost as the study of religious mythology. This term has also been used in contemporary narratives revolving around religious Ideas and themes, e.g., the writings of C. S. Lewis, J. R. R. Tolkien, Madeleine L ‘Engle, and George MacDonald.

The biblical story is most synonymous with the style ‘ ‘ of hero narrative. “Hero narratives are built in the time and exploits of the character or hero. They break from one of the most fundamental literary impuissance “this tendency to embody the values and typical struggles of the country in the life of a typical and worthy figure. The primary benefit of hero stories is the character’s qualities and circumstances. The hero narratives of the book start at Genesis (‘ ‘ this book of beginnings ‘). Noah is the character of morality in the evil era. He Is God’s representative of recovery and the founder of the new earth (Gen. 6-9). One of the longest character stories in the book is the history• of the father Ibrahim (Gen. 12-25). Abraham is both a national character and a religious character of belief in God. His national courage is seen in his search for a boy and in his normal roles (spouse, uncle, father, head of the family, and person of possessions). His religious courage is apparent in his respect for God’s request to leave his country to turn into a traveler, in his belief in God’s hope to give him the son, and in his willingness to sacrifice his son Isaac.

I’m starting to compare and contrast sculptures of the biblical character seen in the Old Testament; the king. King was one of the most anointed people of God discovered in this Bible. Maybe he’s one of the reasons why there are so many other versions of the king, that a bunch of artists from different periods depict some other history of David’s life. David turn into the queen of Israel after Paul stepped down. His family grows well known as the queen of Israel. Let alone, he was first acknowledged when he win against Giant monster with just one pin and a couple of shades on his hands.

Robert M. Price is both a biblical student and one judge of popular society, and he is easily qualified to consider two super-powered heroes who fell to land from another area, Jesus and Superman. In his book oddball podcast for 5/181201, I compare these two superheroes and encounter more similarities than you might have. There are Superman comics, radio shows, television shows and cartoons, films, and even novels and television games at the 75-year structure, and these tales weren’t always consistent. Think the future scholar is trying to make sense of this and decides to choose only those uncontested facts.

The truly literary approach to the bible can go both ways. One is to refer the word to the writing experience in which it was created. This is the realm of the biblical scholars and experts in comparative literature of the old world, and it is the matter of the companion writing to the figure in the existing volume. The above definition of character and courage seeks to evaluate three known epic roles portrayed in arguably the three greatest writing epics known to humankind, Achilles of Ancient Greece, Sundiata Keita of Ancient Mali, and Rama of Ayodhya at what constitutes present human Bharat. With mentions to Stanley Lombardo’s version of homer’s Iliad, D.T. Niane’s Sundiata, and R.K. Narayan’s version of Valmiki’s Ramayana, the writer attempts to analyze and contrast the properties of these fighters, those motivations related with their heroism and their reasons for engaging in battle.

Innovation, Flood, and the character of Gilgamesh and the book the Epic of Gilgamesh equate to the book in many other ways. This poem has a different view than the book does. This article is the distinction and comparison between these two books. The three main points of the essay would be the existence, Flood, and the character. The way these two volumes go out is in existence. That is the first similarity that we will say. God made someone out of the world, “at the beginning God created…

An example of a mythic element in the book could be the flood story. In the Epic of Gilgamesh, the 11th tablet makes the explanation of the flowing from the Mesopotamian viewpoint. In this story, this plan matches the plan that we take in Genesis 6-9 where the flood character is warned of the decision that the gods do to wipe out the earth by a flood. The flood character is said to make the boat and to place his home on it and animals on it and protect it with pitch. This flood does: it ruins all facets of life except for those people on the boat.

On occasion, these heroes of religion lack the role we have. Other times, just like the Israelites on the side of the Red ocean, they only face the limits of their power or conditions. In either case, every epic tale in the book draws attention to our demand for the highest and real character: God himself. The book says of myriad choices that God gets dramatically and heroically rescued his people— from the splitting of the ocean to the liberation of the saint from the hero’s situation (Acts 12:7). Time and time again, every one of these tales reminds us of our necessity for heavenly recovery. Yet it is this truth that showcases God in his epic best.

The history of this Flood gets short affinities with Babylonian traditions of apocalyptic floods at which Utnapishtim plays this role corresponding to that of Noah. These mythologies represent the origin of many characteristics of this biblical flowing history as the structure and provisioning of the ark, its flotation, and the subsidence of these waters, as well as the part played by the human protagonist. Tablet XI of the Gilgamesh poem presents Utnapishtim, who, like Noah, endured cosmic death by heeding divine command to create the ark.

Noah has frequently been equated to Deucalion, the boy of Titan and Pronoia in Greek mythology. Like Noah, Deucalion is discouraged by this overflow (by Zeus and Poseidon ); he constructs the ark and staffs it with animals – and when he finishes his journey, Makes thanks and gets advice from the gods on how to repopulate this world. Deucalion also sends the pigeon to discover the condition of the earth and the meat returns with the olive branch. Deucalion, in some versions of this story. Also turns into the creator of alcohol, like Noah.

These doublets make reading the Old Testament the writing equivalent of the room of mirrors. Get the Genesis news of Noah and this flood. In Genesis 6, God says Noah to create the ark and fill it with creatures, and “Noah did everything but as God commanded him.” So. In generation 7, God again tells Noah to load the ark with animals, and ‘ Noah did all that this God commanded him.” Under this opening set of codes, Noah was to take two of every sort of animal onto the ark. But these ways changed the second time, with Noah said to take seven of every sort of clean animal and two of every sort of filthy creature.

Gilgamesh is a king of Uruk, a born demigod between his mother Ninsun god, and his human father Lugalbanda king. Gilgamesh was a king who have strength, ability, property, and rights which enraged him even the male citizens of Uruk. However, Gilgamesh used all his rights to harass the Uruk citizen and molest the women. He was neither afraid nor afraid of anything in this world to him. So, Aruru and Anu god make Enkidu and send him to lower the power of Gilgamesh. However, Gilgamesh wins the fight with Enkidu, and both become best friends. After they become best friends, they have many adventures. They kill the monster Humbaba in the cedar forest and kill Ishtar’s heavenly bull. The gods are angry at the actions of Gilgamesh and Enkidu, and leave Enkidu for life. Gilgamesh sees Enkidu’s death and sees him as no exception to death. He is afraid of death and leaves the adventure to find the only human being who does not die to hear the secrets of eternal life. But all his adventures go back to failure. Gilgamesh was not afraid of anyone as a demigod or anything that does not make him afraid of. However, he realizes that he is a weak human through his appearance of fear of death.

In our society today, many powerful people act like Gilgamesh. In particular, Korea is using the power, rights, and possessions they have for those who are in a lower position. A typical example is that from 2011 to 2018, Korean Airline which is the most prominent company in Korea. The president and his wife used their rights over their employees. They assaulted the remodeling worker, fired the employee at the Hyatt Hotel in Incheon, slaughtered the Korean aviation security worker, and assaulted guards. On January 7, 2015, when a VIP family stopped in a space where two cars could be parked, the employee demanded that the vehicle be moved to another location. However, they used their power to rant and assault department store staff. They grabbed the employee’s collar and swore at him. Further, in a Korean fast food restaurant, a guest threw a hamburger at the employee’s face. The reason is that the coffee ordered by the guest came out late. Thus, in many societies today, we can see examples of abuses of their rights and power such as Gigamesh.

Sources:

1. http://news.chosun.com/site/data/html_dir/2018/12/06/2018120601454.html
2. http://mbn.mk.co.kr/pages/news/newsView.php?news_seq_no=2157404&page=6
3. https://ko.wikipedia.org/wiki/%EC%9D%B4%EB%AA%85%ED%9D%AC_(1949%EB%85%84)

One of the earliest pieces of literature which have lived on into the modern era is the Epic of Gilgamesh from ancient Mesopotamia. It was written as a poem on 12 tablets in the Akkadian language in 2750 B.C.E. after years of being conveyed through storytelling by the Sumerian people. Storytelling was used by Sumerians in the early times to orally convey historical stories. The poem has no known author, but it is possible that it was conveyed through storytelling as a means of entertainment, and a way to teach important cultural values and history through Gilgamesh’s quest for eternality. The poem conveys the life story of Gilgamesh who was part divine and part human king of Uruk as he struggled to accept the concept of immortality.[footnoteRef:1] [1: John P. Mckay, A History of Western Society: From Antiquity to Enlightenment, Volume 1, Ed. 12 (Boston: Bedford/St. Martin’s, 2017), 16-17.]

The beginning of the poem portrays Gilgamesh as a ruler who abuses his power. Death did not concern him. He lived as though he was immortal. He would draft the sons of the community for his army and exploit young women. This led to the inhabitants of Uruk asking the gods to intervene. The goddess Arura creates Enkidu – “panther of wilderness”– to balance out the power of Gilgamesh. They become the best of friends after a battle between them called by the people of Uruk as they wanted to be defended from Enkidu. As Enkidu and Gilgamesh go through adventures of fighting different battles, the gods decide that Enkidu must die.[footnoteRef:2] The loss of his closest friend made Gilgamesh realize that he was just like Enkidu and would die a similar, meaningless death. This is shown by Gilgamesh stating, “Am I not like him? Will I lie down, never to get up again?”[footnoteRef:3] As Enkidu dies, he states that his “afterlife will be a place of sorrow.”[footnoteRef:4] This conveys that Enkidu was not proud of the way he led his life and that might have been what prompted Gilgamesh to think of the fact that he was mortal. But the bigger question is: Does he even deserve immortality after raping young women whenever he pleased and treating his people as he did? This question might have been what led him to search for eternal youth. [2: John P. Mckay, A History of Western Society: From Antiquity to Enlightenment, Volume 1, Ed. 12 (Boston: Bedford/St. Martin’s, 2017), 18; John P. Mckay, Sources for Western Society: From Antiquity to Enlightenment, Volume 1, Ed. 3 (Boston: Bedford/St. Martin’s, 2014, 2011, 2010), 4.] [3: Mckay, “Epic of Gilgamesh,” 7.] [4: Mckay, “Epic of Gilgamesh,” 6.]

As Gilgamesh realizes that he could die, he decided to conquer immortality. He meets Siduri – a tavern keeper – who sends him to find Utnapishtim. Utnapishtim had been granted immortality by the gods but Gilgamesh will have to go through several obstacles to reach him. After a harsh journey, Gilgamesh finally finds Utnapishtim who tells him that no human can be immortal. But there is a plant that restores youth. After finding the plant, Gilgamesh decides to “have an old man eat the plant to test it”.[footnoteRef:5] This statement shows Gilgamesh’s fear of death as well as his true personality in having an old man test it. He could test it himself because it was never known if the plant worked. It could have been poisonous, but Gilgamesh only cared about his eternal youth. The plant is later taken by a snake while Gilgamesh is taking a bath. Therefore, it is not confirmed if the plant worked or not. This shows us that while Gilgamesh could easily battle visible forces like Humbaba and the Bull of Heaven, he did not have the power to battle immortality which is the unknown. It does not have a physical form like Humbaba and the Bull of Heaven. Gilgamesh finally realizes that he is mortal and lacks any good deeds to show for himself, which brings back Enkidu’s final statement: “Afterlife will be a place of sorrow.”[footnoteRef:6] This statement could also be a foreshadowing of how Gilgamesh feels when he lost his last chance at immortality and “sat down, weeping.”[footnoteRef:7] This gives the audience the lesson that they should focus on being a good being instead of being remembered. The serpent taking the plant freed Gilgamesh from his obsession with immortality. [5: Mckay, “Epic of Gilgamesh,” 7.] [6: Mckay, “Epic of Gilgamesh,” 6.] [7: Mckay, “Epic of Gilgamesh,” 7.]

The Epic of Gilgamesh is a poem that speaks to the human impulse to dread death through Gilgamesh’s journey. When Gilgamesh got back to Uruk, he asked Urshanabi to walk around and “examine the foundation” of the walls of Uruk.[footnoteRef:8] This conveys the notion that Gilgamesh finally saw a way that he could leave a legacy behind to be remembered and that was through ensuring Uruk always had a solid and strong foundation. This poem leaves the lesson behind that no human is immortal, but there are ways to be remembered, just like Gilgamesh is still remembered today as a great king. [8: Mckay, “Epic of Gilgamesh,” 8.]

To Be Human is to Be Flawed

Are humans inherently flawed? Is there something fundamentally imperfect with human nature? These questions have been asked by philosophers from as early as 2000 BCE when the first book was ever written, Gilgamesh, was transcribed. Gilgamesh is an epic poem written by the Sumerians and eventually translated into other languages in the 1900s. The epic tells the story of Gilgamesh, a man who is ⅔ god and ⅓ human. He rules as the King of Uruk, and the hero of the epic.

The poem delves into the transformative journeys he experiences, through love, death, and grief. Gilgamesh, as a character, while powerful and strong, struggles with some of history’s greatest tragic human flaws; he is arrogant, selfish, and greedy. This type of character holds a mirror to the imperfections of humanity. According to Gilgamesh, the human condition is defined by our flaws. This poem conveys the flawed nature of humanity through Gilgamesh’s excessive pride, taking his friend for granted, and his desire for immortality. Pride in Gilgamesh is displayed as a fatal flaw and one that causes Gilgamesh to make harmful decisions which leads to his downfall. The concept of excessive hubris can be identified, when Gilgamesh believes he can kill Humbaba, a powerful protector of the gods, without any repercussions.

Gilgamesh is a godlike man who is never fazed by death. His unwavering pride is apparent when he sets out to kill Humbaba, a clearly formidable foe, described as the “Evil one” (Mason 27), a dangerous giant and nature divinity, who is known to kill all who enter his forest. This attack is completely unprovoked, as Gilgamesh decides to do this simply because he can. Though many know of the peril Humbaba will bring upon Gilgamesh, Gilgamesh declares, “I will fight Humbaba, / I will cut down his cedars…. I am impatient and cannot wait long” (Mason 30). Gilgamesh says this in defiance of those who tell him he will fail, which highlights his casual mindset surrounding danger. He even goes against the warnings of his friend, Enkidu, who once lived in the forest and is intimately familiar with Humbaba’s danger.

Gilgamesh’s childlike desire to prove his power and assert dominance over the gods blinds him from the truth of the dangerous situation he is creating for not only himself but also Enkidu. As Gilgamesh and Enkidu attack Humbaba, Enkidu gets a bad injury which eventually leads to his death. Gilgamesh decision to attack Humbaba, and the ultimate consequences, analogize a fundamental flaw that resides in humanity: dangerous and exorbitant pride. Another flaw humanity exhibits is a tendency to take others for granted. It is the mistake of many to not appreciate our loved ones while they are among us. This concept is presented in Gilgamesh as Gilgamesh’s best friend, Enkidu, dies from an injury caused by a powerful giant. His passing leaves Gilgamesh to spiral into grief and sadness. The narrator expresses how Gilgamesh feels as they write, “Hovering about one’s lips/ Or arguing back to haunt/ The memory with what one failed to say,/ Until one learns the acceptance of the silence…” (Mason 54). This quote highlights the feelings Gilgamesh experiences during his time of grief for his friend. The narrator demonstrates the human feeling of universal regret in facing the loss of a loved one.

Regret is equated to the things Gilgamesh will never get to tell Enkidu while he was alive, and the appreciation he has for Enkidu will never be expressed. This under-appreciation of loved ones is highlighted through Gilgamesh’s experience of grief and regret. Gilgamesh’s desire for immortality highlights the third flaw of Gilgamesh; greed. After the death of Enkidu, Gilgamesh’s feelings of remorse and grief overwhelm him to the extent that he believes he can successfully pursue immortality for himself and Enkidu. The consequential impact of greed on Gilgamesh can be seen through the decision to embark on a long and arduous journey to find everlasting life. He displays his blind yearning to achieve immortality as he proclaims, “Which is the way to Utnapishtim? I must know!/ Is this the sea? the mountains? I will go there!” (Mason 69).

Utnapishtim is a god who knows the secret to everlasting life. Gilgamesh’s desire for immortality is so immensely powerful that it restricts him from thinking clearly. He abandons his kingdom and attempts to pursue Utnapishtim while leaving his home and family behind. Gilgamesh’s search for immortality was futile, illustrating that greed doesn’t always lead to the desired outcome. In the end, Gilgamesh eventually learns to accept the death of his best friend and is able to move on from his terrible grief. Gilgamesh ultimately realizes his faults and learns from them, by returning to his kingdom. The epic poem of Gilgamesh uses the flaws of Gilgamesh to identify the human condition. The arrogance, greed, and self-centered traits of Gilgamesh highlight some of the main flaws of humanity. Yet, is humanity doomed for good? Are humans destined to be flawed? Or can humanity recognize its flaws, like Gilgamesh, and better ourselves?