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Gilgamesh the King
Gilgamesh is properly the oldest written and most widely read ancient stories. The man, his desires and achievements have been discussed several times by several different authors, thereby immortalizing the king. Interestingly this was what the king had always dreamed of- to become immortal and his quest for a life devoid of death turned him into a more considerate, compassionate and just ruler. In this paper we shall therefore discuss Gilgamesh's quest for immortality and whether or not he finally managed achieve it.
Background of Gilgamesh's quest
Gilgamesh was not born with a desire to live forever but one major event turned his life upside down generating in him an intense fear of death. Being a god-like figure, Gilgamesh was widely feared because of his despotic and rather ruthless style of governing the country. He was king of Uruk and was born to a mortal and a goddess, which accounted for him being half-human, half-god. Gilgamesh was a tyrant who would sleep with any woman he desired, kill children on whim and undertake all kinds of ruthless tasks to stomp his authority on his country. However certain events change the course and purpose of his life and the change comes with the entry of Enkidu in his life.
Enkidu was a wild man himself who enters Gilgamesh's life to soften his heart and teach him the noble values of care and compassion. Gilgamesh lacks those feelings...
Enkidu himself is wild man who is chosen because of his temper because it was felt that only he could enter Gilgamesh's heart, as he was strong and courageous. But before he is sent in the life of Gilgamesh, he is tamed by the love-priestess who makes him eat human food and has sex with him for six days and seven nights.
Gilgamesh then meets Enkidu as the latter tries to stop him from raping a woman. The two fight with each other and later embrace as friends and this serves as the beginning of world's oldest love story. They two become greatest friends and lovers and it is because of his love for Enkidu that Gilgamesh becomes more humane and compassionate. The two begin a long series of adventures but when Gilgamesh refuses to marry Ishtar, the goddess of love, the latter takes revenge for this humiliation, which leads to Enkidu's death. Gilgamesh was left heartbroken as Enkindu's death would haunt him endlessly and this makes him averse to the idea of dying. For this reason, he decides to seek immortality and the journey begins.
The quest for immorality
After Enkindu's death, Gilgamesh remains in a state of shock and bewilderment for some time, as he cannot come to terms with the reality. However as days pass, he realizes that the best way…
Once he accepts the truth about life and death, Gilgamesh give sup his old ways and instead starts ruling with compassion and kindness. We must understand that one part of Gilgamesh's was not human and thus while his human side had to die, his god-like side was indeed immortal. But one person cannot be expected to die as well as live forever. Therefore we notice that while the physical side of Gilgamesh was meant to die, his spiritual side was destined to remain immortal. Gilgamesh attains this kind of immorality through his virtues and compassion. It is because of Gilgamesh's spiritual immortality that he is still one of the most widely talked and written about figures in the world.
REFERENCE
Kirk, G.S. Myth: Its Meaning and Functions in Ancient and Other Cultures. Cambridge U.P. And California U.P., 1970
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