Gilgamesh As A Hero Essay

Words: 470

Pages: 2

Open Document

“What is a hero?” This was the question that was posed to us at the beginning of our first class. While several various answers were given, they all boiled down to the same idea: a hero is someone who fights on the side of good. Going into the class, I also believed this to be the definition of a hero, but this understanding fell through almost immediately upon reading Gilgamesh. Upon his introduction in the poem, Gilgamesh defied almost every expectation I had of what a hero is. He was not the guy to stand up for the weak and poor or to fight for what is right and just. He was a vile human being that represented humanity at its worst, not its best. He raped, stole, and murdered. I did not want to see him succeed, I wanted the complete opposite. …show more content…
While their friendship help quell much of Gilgamesh’s repugnant behavior, he still was far from a likeable character that I could actively root for. His actions continued to agitate me throughout much of the poem, up until the moment in which Enkidu dies. Gilgamesh’s reaction to Enkidu’s death was both relatable and disheartening. It was disheartening because Gilgamesh turned the situation into his own personal problem, as he did not seem saddened by the passing of his brother more than he did by the realization that he too would have to succumb to death in the future. However, this frenzied state that Gilgamesh falls into up this realization also made him extremely relatable to me as a reader. His fear of death is something that virtually all humans experience at some point in their lives, making his actions in the latter half of the poem far more understandable and justified. While I understood his dismay of death and why he sought after the secret to eternal life, I did not want him to achieve immortality. Death is what makes life meaningful, hence if the threat of death is non-existence no longer remains, life no longer means

Essay On Gilgamesh Hero

Mrs Mashburn A-Mod English November 19th, 2016 Gilgamesh The Hero What is a hero? A hero is defined as “a person who is admired or idealized for courage, outstanding achievements, or noble qualities”, but it is so much more than that. There are three main actions that makes someone a hero. Heroes should portray many different traits, or actions such as courage, humility, and perseverance and a great example is Gilgamesh The first action a hero portrays is courage. The second is humility. The…

Words 781 - Pages 4

Epic of Gilgamesh: a Hero Essay

or to fight for their nation. Still, there is a great difficulty that lies in defining what a hero truly is. Strength alone does not make a hero; nor does intelligence. Moreover, the Epic of Gilgamesh truly defines the definition of a hero. Gilgamesh is portrayed as a true hero through his skill, intelligence, willingness to die, reverence, and his respect for death. Throughout the entire epic, Gilgamesh demonstrates outrageous skill as a…

Words 1630 - Pages 7

Epic of Gilgamesh and Enkidu Essay

The Epic of Gilgamesh In the Sumerian epic, The Epic of Gilgamesh, the author, David Ferry, depicts a heroic warrior– Enkidu. For the purpose of this essay, a heroic warrior can be defined as a man or women endowed with great gratitude and courage, that possesses many noble qualities, in addition to being selfless. Ferry illuminates Enkidu’s heroic characteristics through the telling of his creation, expression of gratitude, and courageous and nobel actions. In The Epic of Gilgamesh, Enkidu is…

Words 728 - Pages 3

Good Vs Evil In Beowulf

Beowulf, A New Telling Beowulf Is one book of adventure that I enjoyed that really sticks out from the others in a way you’ll only know if you read this essay. Beowulf is a book about a man named Beowulf who goes to the land of the danes to defeat the monster Grendel who is attacking Hall Heorot, and eating people. Beowulf has a distinct theme of good vs evil as it is brought up quite a bit in the story. When Beowulf defeats Grendel he says “Light holds you, Grendel. Light has you in his power.…

Words 480 - Pages 2

The Epic Of Gilgamesh Analysis

Recording of History through Literature: Analysis of Benjamin R. Foster's translation of The Epic of Gilgamesh INTRODUCTION The hero in the Epic of Gilgamesh, unlike heroes of Greek mythology, is based on a real king of Sumerian history who ruled over the city-state of Uruk, located in the Mesopotamian area. The epic of Gilgamesh is one of the earliest works of literature from early civilizations. There are many versions of the Epic that have surfaced but, the most common is the eleven tablet version…

Words 2316 - Pages 10

Gilgamesh Analysis

Gilgamesh is an epic fanfiction that depicts a powerful, yet destructive relationship. The text portrays the relationship between Gilgamesh and Enkidu, two Sumerian demi-Gods who develop a strong bond while confronting dangerous creatures. The Sumerian and Babylonian versions of Gilgamesh depict two different perspectives of their relationship. The Sumerian portrays Gilgamesh and Enkidu as devoted servants of the Gods, in contrast, the Standard Babylonian version illustrates Gilgamesh and Enkidu’s…

Words 1588 - Pages 7

Stereotypes In 'The Gods Are Dangerous'

leading role in some kind of tale? What will happen with the audience perception and the global meaning of the specific work of literature? The 1500-year-old Sumerian tablet tale, Gilgamesh, tampered and translated by David Ferry, which displays an idea of threatening theocracy in a story about the expedition of a valiant hero. The text-conveyed theme, The Gods are Dangerous, develops the theme quickly while implementing an idea of a slow build-up of important scenes to create suspense; and focusing…

Words 1004 - Pages 5

Greek heroes notes Essay

“With great power, comes great responsibility”. This quote was used in the modern film Spiderman to summarize the characteristics of a fictional hero. In modern society a “hero” might be characterized and molded by current morals and values. As a result, today’s society sees “heroes” as morally guided individuals that would make sacrifices for the greater good. However, in ancient Greece heroes had a different set of moral values and characteristics. In ancient times, the nature of heroes was determined…

Words 1160 - Pages 5