ipl-logo

The Hero's Journey In The Epic Of Gilgamesh

1340 Words6 Pages

The Epic of Gilgamesh is an ancient tale that tells the story of a man; two thirds god, one third man who struggles with his destiny and mortality throughout his journey, finally making peace with his destiny as a mortal. Gilgamesh does not fit the model of a hero in this tale, particularly the definition set by Brian Robb, as “his arrogance has no bounds by day or night. No son is left with his father… his lust leaves no virgin to her lover” (62). While he does not fit the model of a hero, this term is irrelevant in this case as his story still follows the model of the Hero’s Journey set out by Campbell and by emitting both negative and eventual good values he becomes more approachable to reader who can be more empathic to his struggles. The concept of the Hero’s journey is arguable a popular storyline for many stories ranging from Epic of Gilgamesh to modern day Harry Potter and is frequently seen in other literature and media illustrating that the concept of hero and a hero’s journey is not a new one however is still very prominent today. According the Campbell, "The first work of the hero is to retreat from the world scene of secondary effects to those causal zones of the psyche where the difficulties really reside, and there to clarify the difficulties, eradicate them in his own case”. While Gilgamesh does not have the proper morals to be a hero, his story does follow the hero’s journey and is still being told because the values are still relatable and compelling

Show More
Related

  • Comparing Hero's Journey In The Matrix And The Epic Of Gilgamesh

    484 Words  | 2 Pages

    There are multiple things that make a  hero’s journey which every movie, book, TV show, or life may present; however, all of the aspects of the hero’s journey are because of one common thought found across all cultures and time periods, this is also known as a monomyth. In the Epic of Gilgamesh and The Matrix aspect of this monomyth are present in both pretty much to the tee. Each story also has designed characters conquering this journey, in order to show the readers the disadvantages to the constant need for power within society, not only in today’s, but also ancient times.

    Read More

  • Gilgamesh As A Hero's Journey In Beowulf

    1832 Words  | 8 Pages

    The last step of the return stage is the Belly of the Whale. This when the hero becomes spiraled into the unknown and may experience self-destruction. During this stage, the hero undergoes a change. In Gilgamesh, the Belly of the Whale occurs when Enkidu dies and Gilgamesh starts to feel lonely and isolated. As a result, he fears mortality.

    Read More

  • Comparing The Hero's Journey And The Epic Of Gilgamesh

    364 Words  | 2 Pages

    Man and God's Relationship The Epic of Gilgamesh and In the Beginning have many similarities. Both incorporate the Hero’s Journey and three archetypes: character, situational, and symbolic. Both are about man's relationship with God(s), including man’s struggle with temptation, and the serpent as a symbol.

    Read More

  • Self-Discovery And Acceptance In The Epic Of Gilgamesh

    922 Words  | 4 Pages

    The story of Gilgamesh has captivated readers for centuries with its themes of mortality, power, and the search for meaning in life. In this essay, we will examine a powerful passage from the epic that reflects on the importance of accepting one's mortality and leaving a legacy behind. The passage "Let me now praise famous men and our fathers that begat us" exemplifies the story's themes of remembering the contributions of past generations and recognizing one's place in the world. Through the character of Gilgamesh, we see the journey of self-discovery and acceptance that is necessary for finding true meaning in life. This passage is not only relevant to the ancient world but also serves as a reminder to modern readers of the importance of making the most of our time on earth and leaving a positive impact on those around us.

    Read More

  • Bravery: The Epic Of Gilgamesh

    188 Words  | 1 Pages

    One strong example of this is Bravery. Johnson had to be brave to go to the mountains and live there. He was brave enough to stand up tall when he was face to face with the Indians at the beginning when him and Bear Claw first met. Bear Claw was one of the many people that Johnson met while in the mountains. When he had to go get the horse back from the indians for Del Gue he couldn’t go there if he was a coward so that means that he had to be brave.

    Read More

  • The Christian Critical Tradition In The Epic Of Gilgamesh

    631 Words  | 3 Pages

    Gilgamesh is somewhat bitter with the fact that only gods are able to live forever. When he thinks about death he is very uncomfortable because he feels that he is a mighty warrior of a man and the only thing that will ultimately end him is death. We also see how the death of his beloved friend Enkidu drives him to the edge of the earth in attempt to prolong or completely liberate himself from the same fate. This is a valuable lesson for mankind throughout history. No matter what you may feel or become in the

    Read More

  • What Is The Hero's Journey In The Epic Of Gilgamesh

    453 Words  | 2 Pages

    The Epic of Gilgamesh shows and describe the journey of a successful hero. Throughout his quest, Gilgamesh goes through a departure, initiation, and a return stage. When Gilgamesh and Enkidu sets out to go on the heroic journey to defeat Humbaba he experiences the first departure stage. The initiation stage occurred when Enkidu died and Gilgamesh started the second heroic journey searching for immortality. Gilgamesh search for immortality was beyond the initiation stage he searched for it through every quest and journey he encountered.

    Read More

  • Gilgamesh: An Epic Hero

    394 Words  | 2 Pages

    Gilgamesh is a powerful yet emotional king. Gilgamesh shows his weak side by saying “I have wept for him day and night…” After this he remains an epic hero in my opinion. The text states he went on a great dangerous journey and survived and killed the guard of The Cedar

    Read More

  • Epic Of Gilgamesh Suffering

    1147 Words  | 5 Pages

    Human suffering is one of the major themes in The Epic of Gilgamesh. When confronting with painful circumstances in our lives, we often ask ourselves why is life so difficult and wonder if suffering is necessary. In the Epic of Gilgamesh, the two heroes, Gilgamesh and Enkidu both go through suffering either physically or mentally. There are many beliefs to the reason why suffering is inevitable. In this epic, it is portrayed that the two heroes’ sufferings are the results of their fundamental flaws, such as their hubris and their attachments of to be remembered.

    Read More

  • Epic Of Gilgamesh Analysis

    1077 Words  | 5 Pages

    Throughout the Epic of Gilgamesh, it centers the journey of Gilgamesh, the hero of the story, but I found many other supporting characters to be more interesting. With that in mind, I have chosen Shamhat, the harlot sent to seduce Enkidu, as the character I will be writing through a new perspective. As I will be writing through Shamhat’s perspective, it will go deeper into one of the many themes in the Epic of Gilgamesh, which is a misuse of power, and explores a new theme, which is the sexual exploitation of the female body, and how this aspect is overlooked. While reading the Epic of Gilgamesh, the readers often sees the privileged misusing their power over the inferior, and Shamhat is just another example of that. In the story, Shamhat is described as a harlot, which is a prostitute/promiscuous woman.

    Read More

  • The Virtue In The Epic Of Gilgamesh

    496 Words  | 2 Pages

    Someone wise once said, “patience is a virtue.” Virtue is commonly considered to be incredibly moral behavior. By this, one can see that if a character is patient, then that character has virtue. Virtue can also be found in the way the one treats the people around them. Gilgamesh, the main character from the ancient Sumerian tale “Epic of Gilgamesh”, has neither patience nor virtue.

    Read More

  • What Makes Gilgamesh An Epic Hero

    224 Words  | 1 Pages

    When I say he puts others before him self I'm describing the fact when he faced the beast Humbaba he did not turn around and run I felt as if he stayed and fought the beast to protect his people. This shows another characteristic that shows he is an epic hero. Gilgamesh was strong two thirds God

    Read More

  • Who Is Gilgamesh A Hero

    324 Words  | 2 Pages

    In my opinion Gilgamesh story was an awful story because it tell about a man who is a hero, but in reality thats a lie. Gilgamesh was a king that didn’t really appreciate the people and thing in his life; into horrible thing had to happen to made him see want he had lost. Gilgamesh as king treated people with disrespect and cruelty and no-matter-what that and that is no hero in my book. I believe that the adventure he went out with his friend, Enkidu are only benefit to himself and his selfish reason. Through is quest for trying to defeat a lion and go through mountains and other meracouse adventure he find common sense in all of it.

    Read More

  • Ideal Heroic King In Epic Of Gilgamesh

    902 Words  | 4 Pages

    The Epic of Gilgamesh gives a lot of insight to what was happening and what was expected in ancient Mesopotamia. The epic poem which revolves around a king, includes many details in to the civilization, beliefs, and values of the Mesopotamians. The king thrives to be remembered and many of his actions reflect that. The Epic of Gilgamesh show how an ideal heroic king should be in ancient Mesopotamia. The first thing it shows us is that hero kings should be strong.

    Read More

  • Epic Themes In The Epic Of Gilgamesh

    1092 Words  | 5 Pages

    Literature, art, and music have always found ways to transcend the physical barriers and borders humans put up. They influence cultures other than the ones of their origins. Similarities between religions, mythologies, and folk stories have been noted often throughout time by academics and historians. The holy texts of some major religions like The Old Testament and the Quran share many overlapping literary themes and events with older religions and folk tales, like the ancient Sumerian poem; “The Epic of Gilgamesh”. Many examples of overlapping themes is the presence and references to great floods, supernatural influences, otherworldly gardens, and battles between good and evil.

    Read More

More about The Hero's Journey In The Epic Of Gilgamesh

Open Document