Power In The Epic Of Gilgamesh

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The Theme of Power Conveyed in Two Tales
When comparing “The Epic of Gilgamesh and “The Tempest”, the most relevant theme depicted in these two timeless pieces of literature is the theme of power. Both tales accentuate power in different forms. The use and abuse of power, the power of love, and the power derived from civilization and knowledge is conveyed throughout both stories.
In The Epic of Gilgamesh, the main character, Gilgamesh is shown as an unbearable king who shows little concern for his people. His arrogance, perhaps due to being two-third God and one-third man, is so grand that he believes he can do whatever he pleases. He forces the young men in his kingdom to work vigorously in constructing the walls of Uruk. ”No son is left …show more content…
Prospero, the main character, being a scholar of magic, exploits his magical powers. At the beginning of the story, Prospero uses magic to conjure up a tempest, which causes his brother, his nephew, and their servants to become shipwrecked on the same island that he inhabits. Miranda provides us with a visual of the storm her father creates when she asks to her father about it, “If by your art, my dearest father, you have put the wild waters in this roar, allay them. The sky, it seems, would pour down stinking pitch, but that the sea, counting to the welkin’s cheek dashes the fire out…” (85-89)The power of his magic is so great it makes him capable of performing God like events such as creating a tempest. A character enslaved by Prospero’s magical powers is Caliban, the rightful ruler of the island. Prospero takes over Caliban’s island and makes him his servant. Prospero’s magical powers are no match for any of the characters. Yet another character who is a victim to Prospero is Ariel, a spirit in the story. Ariel is obligated to serve Prospero, in return for having been rescued by him from a tree in which he was imprisoned by a witch named Sycorax, who ruled the island prior to Prospero’s arrival. During the course of the story all the characters want to be free and achieve complete power. The craving for power is what leads the characters into plots of betrayals of killing one another. The …show more content…
Patriarchal love is seen from Prospero toward his beloved daughter Miranda. "O, a cherubin thou wast that did preserve me." (152–153). He sees her as his salvation and reason for being. Another patriarchal love example is that perceived in Alonzo, who doesn’t want to live without his son, he would rather “lie mudded” with him at the bottom of the ocean than carry on without him. The love at first sight between Miranda and Ferdinand is what eventually launches a reconciliation between families and forgiveness in wrongdoing between friends. He is so intrigued by her that he instantly falls in love with her, he even goes as far as asking Prospero if she is a Goddess. “The goddess that hath severed us…and brought us together…” (190-191) Love proves to be a very powerful force in the
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