Notes on THE EPIC OF GILGAMESH
OVERVIEW
• Date & Origin: Written in Mesopotamia around 2100–1200 BCE. Preserved in Akkadian on clay tablets.
• Genre: Epic poetry; one of the earliest surviving works of world literature.
• Themes: Mortality, friendship, the search for meaning, the role of civilization, and humanity’s relationship with the divine.
MAIN CHARACTERS
• Gilgamesh: King of Uruk; two-thirds divine and one-third human. Brave, arrogant, and powerful, but deeply human in his struggle with mortality.
• Enkidu: A wild man created by the gods to challenge Gilgamesh. Becomes his closest friend and moral counterpart.
• Shamhat: Temple prostitute who civilizes Enkidu by teaching him human customs.
• Ninsun: Gilgamesh’s wise, divine mother.
• Humbaba: Guardian of the Cedar Forest, slain by Gilgamesh and Enkidu.
• Ishtar: Goddess of love and war, who proposes marriage to Gilgamesh and curses him when he rejects her.
• Utnapishtim: Survivor of a great flood, granted immortality by the gods. Serves as a guide in Gilgamesh’s quest for eternal life.
• Siduri: Tavern keeper who advises Gilgamesh to accept the joys of mortal life.
PLOT SUMMARY
1. Gilgamesh the King: Gilgamesh, a tyrannical ruler, abuses his power. The gods create Enkidu to humble him.
2. The Civilizing of Enkidu: Enkidu lives with animals until Shamhat introduces him to human society.
3. Friendship and Adventure: Gilgamesh and Enkidu bond through combat and embark on heroic quests, including slaying Humbaba.
4. Confrontation with Ishtar: After Gilgamesh rejects her, Ishtar sends the Bull of Heaven. Gilgamesh and Enkidu kill it, angering the gods.
5. Enkidu’s Death: The gods decree Enkidu must die. His death devastates Gilgamesh and sparks his fear of mortality.
6. The Quest for Immortality: Gilgamesh journeys to find Utnapishtim and learn the secret of eternal life. He discovers the story of the great flood.
7. Failure and Acceptance: Gilgamesh attempts to gain immortality but fails when he loses a magical plant. He returns to Uruk, accepting that his legacy lies in human achievement and the city’s enduring walls.
KEY THEMES & ANALYSIS
1. Mortality and the Human Condition
• Central theme: Gilgamesh’s quest reflects the universal human struggle to find meaning in the face of death.
• Resolution: Immortality is impossible for mortals; legacy and civilization provide continuity.
2. Friendship and Transformation
• Enkidu balances Gilgamesh’s arrogance, teaching him compassion and humanity.
• Their bond humanizes both men and drives the narrative forward.
3. Civilization vs. Nature
• Enkidu symbolizes the natural world; Shamhat and Gilgamesh represent civilization.
• The epic portrays civilization as both a gift (order, culture) and a loss (innocence, freedom).
4. The Role of the Gods
• The gods are powerful but capricious, enforcing balance and punishing hubris.
• Mortals must accept divine limits.
5. Legacy and Cultural Memory
• The epic itself is a monument to Gilgamesh’s name, mirroring the city walls of Uruk.
• Writing and storytelling become the true form of immortality.
SUGGESTED FINAL ESSAY TOPICS
1. How does Enkidu’s role as Gilgamesh’s companion shape the king’s transformation?
2. In what ways does the flood story parallel later biblical accounts?
3. What does the epic suggest about the limits of human ambition?
4. How does the portrayal of the gods reflect Mesopotamian culture and worldview?