Similarities Between Brooklyn Nine-Nine And The Epic Of Gilgamesh

Although The Epic of Gilgamesh was written a long time ago, its principle values – namely in relationships – can be seen in many contemporary works, such as the American sitcom known as Brooklyn Nine-Nine. There are several main themes that can be traced throughout each of these works. The first theme can be seen in a seemingly tense, yet somehow lovingly personal, relationship between the main character and an authority figure. The second theme is that the main character seeks out a form of glory/immortality. Finally, in both works, the hero possesses a second-self that lies on the opposite end of the spectrum between order and chaos. It is in these relationships that we see the key connections between Brooklyn Nine-Nine and The Epic of Gilgamesh.
Because the relationship between the hero and the authoritative figure can

In the beginning of The Epic of Gilgamesh, Gilgamesh’s brief lineage is explained: “[s]on of Lugalbanda, Gilgamesh, perfect in strength, Son of the lofty cow, the wild cow Ninsun.” The author goes on to state that “Belet-ili designed the shape of his body.” Gilgamesh is said to be hand-crafted by the gods and is two-thirds divine. This is often his excuse to act as if he were three-thirds divine. In his killing of Humbaba and dogged pursuit of immortality, Gilgamesh is committing sacrilegious acts, even though he is said to be closely related to the gods themselves. In Brooklyn Nine-Nine, Jake is often seen as the hero and sometimes even the office clown. This causes the captain quite a bit of grief. Jake continues to disobey orders even