Ancient Epic of Gilgamesh Character and Plot Study

The Epic of Gilgamesh

Tablet I

1. The Epic of Gilgamesh opens with an introduction to Gilgamesh, the 'two-thirds god and one-third human' king of Uruk. He is described as a mighty, heroic, and wise king who has seen all things and possesses knowledge of all the mysteries of life and death due to his quest for immortality. His journey takes him on dangerous adventures where he defeats monsters and confronts his own mortality. Ultimately, Gilgamesh learns that immortality is reserved for the gods, but human beings can achieve a type of immortality through enduring works and deeds.

2. Gilgamesh is depicted as a paragon of physical strength and heroic attributes. His unusual aspect comes from his demigod status – he is the son of a mortal man, Lugalbanda, and a goddess, Ninsun, making him two-thirds god and one-third human. This divine-human nature presents a central conflict within Gilgamesh – he possesses god-like strength and abilities, yet is subjected to human frailty and mortality. The central question for him is thus his struggle with his mortality and his pursuit of immortality.

3. Despite his divine status and extraordinary capabilities, Gilgamesh is initially a tyrant to his people. He is harsh, abusive, and exploitative, particularly towards young men and women. The citizens of Uruk pray to the gods for help against his tyranny. Hearing their prayers, the goddess Aruru creates Enkidu from clay and the spittle of the god Anu. Enkidu is intended to be a match for Gilgamesh's strength and, by engaging him, distract him from oppressing the people of Uruk.

4. Enkidu is depicted as a wild and uncivilized being. He lives among the beasts in the wilderness, unaware of human culture and norms. He is incredibly strong, almost on par with Gilgamesh, and embodies the untamed natural world. In a way, Enkidu represents humanity's primal, instinctual side, untamed by civilization's norms. He is the foil to Gilgamesh's divine, cultured, and yet tyrannical persona. While Gilgamesh represents civilization, kingship, and power, Enkidu embodies freedom, innocence, and naturalism. Their contrast and ensuing friendship form a central theme of the Epic.

Tablet II

1. The civilizing process of Enkidu begins when a harlot, Shamhat, is sent by Gilgamesh to find him. She teaches Enkidu the ways of humans through sexual initiation, which is the first step in distancing Enkidu from his animal companions; after this, the animals reject him. Shamhat then introduces Enkidu to human food, clothing, and social customs, teaching him how to eat cooked food, drink beer, wear clothes, and behave in human society. In this context, civilization represents the move away from a state of natural existence, embodying human culture, law, and custom. It's a process of domestication, socialization, and acculturation, where Enkidu becomes less of a wild, instinctual being and more of a societal, cultured one.

2. The Epic of Gilgamesh explores the complex relationship between civilization (humans) and nature. Initially, Enkidu lives in harmony with nature, embodying natural freedom and innocence. However, when he is civilized, he becomes estranged from the natural world, unable to return to his previous lifestyle with the animals. Civilization, in its desire to tame, control, and order, often stands in contrast to the wild, unpredictable forces of nature. Gilgamesh's tyranny also reflects this struggle. His oppressive rule is a human attempt to establish order and control but results in harm and suffering, much like how unchecked civilization can harm nature. The introduction of Enkidu presents an opportunity for a harmonious balance between these forces, where the civilized can coexist with the natural. This dynamic interplay continues throughout the epic.

Table III

1. Gilgamesh's mother, the goddess Ninsun, is initially worried about his upcoming journey to confront the demon Humbaba in the Cedar Forest. In an attempt to provide support, she adopts Enkidu as her own, thus making him Gilgamesh's brother and loyal companion. She also invokes the aid of the sun god Shamash, who is often associated with justice and morality. She prays to Shamash because he was the one who ordered the creation of Humbaba, thus holding influence over the demon. Ninsun's invocation of Shamash is a plea for safety, success, and divine protection on her son's dangerous quest.

2. Ninsun articulates her fear for Gilgamesh's future destiny by saying that she's troubled by his ambitious desire to challenge Humbaba. She is aware of the risks associated with this journey and expresses her fear that Gilgamesh is endangering his own life. Ninsun exhibits a mother's concern for her son's wellbeing, understanding the mortal part of Gilgamesh's demi-god nature, and fears that his human ambition and drive might lead him into peril.

Tablet IV

1. Dreams often symbolize the inner thoughts, desires, fears, and aspirations of a character that they may not be aware of in their conscious state.

2. Gilgamesh has several ominous dreams on the journey to the Cedar Forest, all of which are interpreted by Enkidu. The dreams usually involve terrifying natural phenomena or encounters with divine entities. They typically indicate some danger or challenge, but Enkidu reassures Gilgamesh that they are positive omens. For instance, Gilgamesh dreams of a mountain falling on them, which Enkidu interprets as them overcoming Humbaba. He also dreams of a thunderous, terrifying storm, which Enkidu reassures him is a sign of Shamash's support. The common theme in these dreams is the foreboding sense of danger and the struggle they will face, alongside the reassurance of triumph. The dreams symbolize the upcoming confrontation with Humbaba, encapsulating Gilgamesh's fears and hopes. The significance of these dreams lies in the impending battle against Humbaba. They serve as a psychological exploration of Gilgamesh's subconscious fears and hopes, revealing his anxieties and the need for reassurance. The timing of these dreams - on the eve of the confrontation with Humbaba - is a common literary device to build tension and explore the emotional state of the hero before a significant event or challenge.

Tablet V.

2. In Tablet V, Enkidu undergoes a significant transformation. Initially, he's presented as a figure more in touch with nature and the wild, showing a certain innocence and lack of guile. However, when facing Humbaba, Enkidu transforms into a more assertive and aggressive character. He encourages and even pressures Gilgamesh to kill Humbaba, despite the forest guardian's pleas for mercy. This change in Enkidu's behavior reflects his complete assimilation into the civilization represented by Gilgamesh. It's also possible that his transformation signifies the adoption of the values and behaviors of heroism as defined in this warrior culture, which often requires ruthlessness and the rejection of mercy.

3. The slaying of Humbaba is depicted with grandeur and intensity. The language and images used to describe the battle evoke a sense of epic drama and high stakes. Humbaba himself is portrayed as a fearsome and formidable adversary, with his roar being like a flood, his mouth being fire, and his breath being death. However, with the help of the sun god Shamash, Gilgamesh and Enkidu manage to overpower him.

The descriptions of the battle are vivid and intense, filled with powerful imagery. For example, the tablet describes the release of thirteen winds to bind Humbaba, and the terrifying guardian pleading for his life. Humbaba's death is violent and pitiful, and after his death, his severed head is hung in a leather bag. The dramatic and graphic language used in this section underscores the epic nature of Gilgamesh and Enkidu's quest, the danger they faced, and the brutal consequences of their victory.

Tablet VI.

1. Ishtar is the goddess of love, beauty, sex, desire, fertility, war, combat, and political power in Mesopotamian mythology. She is known for her passionate and volatile nature, and for her many love affairs with mortals, which usually end poorly for the men involved. After witnessing Gilgamesh's victory over Humbaba, she proposes marriage to him. However, Gilgamesh rejects her offer, reminding her of her past lovers' ill fates. He mentions the story of Tammuz, the shepherd, who was turned into a broken-winged bird, and the handsome yet ill-fated horse she loved, among others. Gilgamesh does not want to share the same fate and therefore declines Ishtar's advances.

2. Ishtar is enraged by Gilgamesh's scorn and rejection. She ascends to the heavens and demands that her father, Anu, the god of the sky, give her the Bull of Heaven to send against Gilgamesh, threatening to unleash the dead upon the world if he refuses. Anu reluctantly agrees and gives her the Bull of Heaven, which she sends to attack Uruk.

The Bull of Heaven in the context of this epic can represent several things. On one hand, it symbolizes the divine wrath and punishment for disrespecting the gods. On the other hand, it might represent the destructive aspect of nature that gods can unleash. The fact that the Bull is associated with the heavens also suggests a celestial or divine punishment that transcends earthly power, indicating the vulnerability of even the most potent human or semi-divine beings when they defy the gods.

Tablet VII.

1. In Tablet VII, Enkidu dreams of the gods holding a council in which they decide that one of the two heroes, either Gilgamesh or Enkidu, must die as punishment for killing Humbaba and the Bull of Heaven. They determine that Enkidu is the one who must die. The gods' decision is influenced by the need to maintain divine authority and the cosmic order which were challenged by the heroes' actions. Why Enkidu is chosen over Gilgamesh is not explicitly stated, but since Gilgamesh is two-thirds god, his divine blood might have influenced the decision.

2. In his despair and suffering, Enkidu curses three entities: the harlot Shamhat who seduced him from the wild, the trapper who first found him at the watering hole, and the door of cedar wood that he and Gilgamesh fashioned from the Cedar Forest. He curses Shamhat and the trapper for bringing him into civilization and thereby leading him to his death. He curses the cedar door because it symbolizes his and Gilgamesh's hubris in challenging the gods by slaying Humbaba. Essentially, Enkidu is cursing the process of his own civilization and the consequences of his heroic deeds which have led to his impending death. Gilgamesh rebukes him, reminding him of the benefits he enjoyed as a civilized man.

3. Enkidu's second dream in this tablet is of the underworld, which is a dark, dusty place where the inhabitants eat dust and clay. He sees the kings of the past reduced to serving as servants, and even the once-great Queen Ereshkigal sits in darkness. This vision of the underworld is somber and serves to underline the inevitability and harshness of death, emphasizing the bleak fate that awaits all mortals, regardless of their achievements in life. It foreshadows Enkidu's impending death and provides a stark contrast to the heroes' grand adventures and victories.

Tablet VIII.

1. Gilgamesh's lament for Enkidu is intense. He mourns deeply for his friend, refusing to leave his body even after death has taken hold. He orders the people of Uruk to mourn for Enkidu, commissions statues in his honor, and dedicates his own hair and clothes to the dead. Gilgamesh praises Enkidu's strength, courage, and nobility, expressing profound sorrow and loneliness. He refuses to accept Enkidu's death and hopes that the gods might bring him back to life.

With Enkidu's death, the tone of the Epic of Gilgamesh shifts dramatically. From an epic narrative filled with grand adventures and heroic deeds, the story becomes a deeply personal and tragic tale of loss and grief. This shift in tone foreshadows Gilgamesh's ensuing journey to seek answers about life, death, and the possibility of immortality.

Tablet IX.

1. Still grieving for Enkidu and terrified by the prospect of his own mortality, Gilgamesh decides to undertake a journey to find Utnapishtim, the only human who has been granted immortality by the gods. Gilgamesh hopes that Utnapishtim will reveal to him the secret of eternal life. To prepare for this journey, Gilgamesh fashions new weapons and takes on a lion's skin as his clothing.

As Gilgamesh embarks on his journey, the sun god Shamash warns him about the perils of his quest. He tells Gilgamesh that humans were not created to have everlasting life and should accept mortality as a part of their existence. However, Gilgamesh is undeterred and resolves to continue his journey despite the warning.

2. The journey that Gilgamesh undertakes is filled with strange and dangerous encounters, including a trek through a dark tunnel where the sun travels through at night. This part of the journey is fraught with danger and uncertainty.