In today’s culture there are many different attitudes towards death and mortality. To some people, death can be viewed as a natural matter and can be accepted without fear of dying. Others might greatly fear death and dying or not understand the reason for it. In some ancient literature works including the bible there are beliefs of immortality or eternal life. The Odyssey and The Epic of Gilgamesh are two great examples of ancient epic literature that both dealt with the concept of man’s mortality and immortality and their distinction from the gods. These epics share many similarities between the ways that the main characters think about mortality and how their views change about it throughout each epic. Both of the heroes in these…show more content… In the second chapter of The Epic of Gilgamesh, Enkidu and Gilgamesh sit together and discuss a dream that Gilgamesh has. Enkidu responds and says “The father of the gods has given you kingship, such is your destiny, everlasting life is not your destiny” (Sandars 803). Gilgamesh agrees later on and says, “Where is the man who can clamber to heaven? Only the gods live forever with glorious Shamash, but as for us men, our days are numbered, our occupations are a breath of wind” (Sandars 803). Gilgamesh realizes that man has a limited life span on earth and that only the gods have the power of immortality. This is echoed in The Odyssey by Penelope when she tells Odysseus that “Our lives are much too brief” (Fagles 326). Mortality is also expressed in The Odyssey when Odysseus encounters Calypso. She tells him that man’s time is limited and it will eventually be gone. Calypso asks Odysseus to stay with her and even offers him immortality. She tells him that there is a difference between both of them and without her, he will eventually die. Calypso even asks him if his wife Penelope can be compared to her, an immortal goddess. He replies and say’s “She falls far short of you, your beauty, stature. She is mortal after all and you, you never age or die…” (Fagles 84). In both The Epic of Gilgamesh and The Odyssey, every man knows that he will eventually die, but there are ways out…show more content… Some may fear death; others might view it as a natural thing that happens to everyone and not fear it. These epics are great examples of ancient literature that dealt with the concept of man’s mortality and immortality. Both The Epic of Gilgamesh and The Odyssey are very similar in many different ways. Both heroes know that immortality is saved only for the gods. They each had opportunities to extend their life but there are exceptions to it, which make it not true immortality. In both stories there is a fear of being forgotten and to avoid this, the men go out seeking glory to make sure that their names are always remembered. These epics are trying to pass on the fact that glory isn’t as good as it is made out to
