Gilgamesh's journey, his path to understanding mortality
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Gilgamesh's journey, his path to understanding mortality
Jessica Martinez
Due: a while ago
Period 4
Essay #1 topic: Gilgamesh
Gilgamesh?s Journey
Through the journey that Gilgamesh experienced he learned many things about himself as well as others. He grew in touch with his inner self. He learned about the hard life and coming in touch with death. He came to terms with his own mortality and learned he should live his life to the fullest to have a fulfilled life. Through his journey Gilgamesh passes through many challenging obstacles to teach him the lessons of life.
Gilgamesh, King of Uruk, starts out on his journey being selfish and arrogant believing he is the only important being in the world. The gods are angry with how Gilgamesh is behaving and they create a creature or an animal they call Enkidu. Enkidu was made to challenge and humiliate Gilgamesh, ? His dreams had revealed the truth, for Gilgamesh knew that he had indeed met his match in Enkidu, ? ( Page 180). Enkidu and Gilgamesh end up fighting, but then after the fight they turn out to be good friends. They end up being such good friends that Gilgamesh decides to bring Enkidu along with him on the rest of his journey.
Now that they are friends they start their journey at the Cedar Forest to meet the evil giant Humbaba. They go on to meet the evil giant Humbaba to try to erase all of the evil from the land. As they reach the forest, having fear, Enkidu says, ? When I opened this gate my hands become weak, ? ( Page 184) and Gilgamesh replies, ? Do not be afraid, ?( Page 184 also ) he then tells Enkidu to touch his robe so that he will not be afraid and will then gain strength in his hands and arms. They are now in the forest and they kill the giant Humbaba.
Gilgamesh and Enkidu have now returned to Uruk, the goddess of love and fertility, named Ishtar pursues Gilgamesh and asks him to marry her. Gilgamesh refuses her proposal and begins making fun of her. Ishtar then becomes angry and goes to her father Anu...