Please post about the following topic to the blog by Sunday, Aug. 24, 8 PM (see the syllabus for more instructions):
Recall the clip about Joseph Campbell reading a city by its skyline, with the skyline offering some indication about what its builders care about. What's something the authors of _The Epic of Gilgamesh_ care about? Offer evidence for your view.
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I think that the author's of Gilgamesh cared about and wanted to prove was that event the biggest and strongest people can't accomplish great things without help. When Gilgamesh was by himself he was a good king, but he was not a great king and there were many complaint amongst his people. He would not leave any virgin amongst the women and he would not leave any sons for their father. However, when Enkidu was created by the gods, Gilgamesh started to become a great leader. He killed Hambabba so that his people could travel in the forest, when they were afraid to do so when he was alive. Together they also killed the bull of heaven so that it wouldn’t destroy his city or kill him. Without Enkidu he would not have been able to defeat the mythical beast and would have died. Whenever Enkidu is killed by the gods however, Gilgamesh then again shows a weaker side. He feels like he is vulnerable and becomes afraid of death, so he then tries to become an immortal. This is the only goal that Gilgamesh can never accomplish and it is whenever he is on his own. The author does not really talk about any accomplishment that Gilgamesh has without Enkidu. If the author was not trying to emphasis teamwork between Gilgamesh and Enkidu, Enkidu would not be as big a portion of the story as he was. In conclusion the author definitely is showing that he cared about a group effort over an individual accomplishment.
Many people strive for courage – the courage to be your own person. The authors of Gilgamesh were showing what it means to be courageous; whether it was to stand on your own, or to do what no mortal has ever done before. The writers of this epic hold courage in high regard, and proved this throughout the text. They showed how Gilgamesh is his own, courageous person. This is shown time and time again. When he goes to fight Humbaba, he goes without hesitation. He knows what he and Enkidu must do. Even with the threat of negative results, Gilgamesh does what he knows he has to. He turns away Ishtar, a goddess who could be his lover. Yet he declines her offer, simply because he knows what has happened to her other lover’s. Many would ignore the past, and quickly climb into her bed for self gain and greed. Telling off a goddess must be intimidating, yet once again, Gilgamesh does it without wavering. Even in daunting battles, such as killing the Bull of Heaven, Gilgamesh does not back down. He risks the wrath of the gods, but is willing to take it on. Take it on he does, infuriating Ishtar once again. After the sorrowful loss of his dearest companion, Enkidu, Gilgamesh strides bravely forward into the Unknown, in pursuit of everlasting life. The text confirms he is unsure, even frightened, but he “took courage and approached” (98). This theme is displayed throughout the prose to show what the authors cared about. They wanted a leader who, even in fear, did what he knew he must. The true colors of a leader are then shown.
Part of the Buddhist doctrine emphasizes that permanence is nonexistent. I believe that the authors are attempting to convey a similar message through Gilgamesh’s physical and mental journeys. Gilgamesh holds the highest position of power in Uruk, he can order the lives of any person in the city, kills Humbaba and the Bull of Heaven. There is nothing that Gilgamesh cannot either achieve or obtain. Save, of course, eternal life. Gilgamesh desires a permanent mark on the world; before Enkidu’s death, Gilgamesh settles with “my name in the place where the names of famous men are” (70), but afterward, he wants a permanent physical life as well. It is part of Gilgamesh’s prideful nature to desire a permanent existence, despite that his eternal life would disrupt the nature of the world the gods had created, for “when the gods created man they allotted him death, but life they retained in their own keeping” (102). Since Gilgamesh is two-thirds god, his desire is natural considering the right to which he is two-thirds entitled.
However, Gilgamesh’s physical search for immortality in the garden of Dilmun is also a mental journey of realization and acceptance that he “will never find that life for which [he] is looking,” because “from the days of old there is no permanence” (102;107). Gilgamesh then returns to Uruk enlightened, and lives out the remainder of his life, to be praised after his death. And so Gilgamesh’s lesson is a subsequent message from the authors: we should not spend all our lives attempting to reach what we cannot have, but rather we should live to the fullest with which we are given.
In The Epic of Gilgamesh the authors care about loyalty. Once Enkidu becomes friends with Gilgamesh, he no longer objects to the way Gilgamesh treats the people of Uruk, which previously enraged him. This is a great show of loyalty on Enkidu’s part, the blind acceptance of Gilgamesh’s behavior. Enkidu shows his loyalty again when he disagrees with Gilgamesh’s plans but goes along with them anyway, simply because Gilgamesh believes in the plan so strongly. Even Gilgamesh understands the importance of loyalty, for he says "'When two go together each will protect himself and shield his companion…'" (p.77) Without Enkidu Gilgamesh could not succeed in defeating Humbaba, because Enkidu knows the way of the forest and Gilgamesh does not. Enkidu is loyal enough, however, that he will not leave Gilgamesh alone to face Humbaba even when he wants to leave.
The authors also emphasize loyalty when Enkidu dies. Instead of immediately moving on with his life, Gilgamesh shows his loyalty to Enkidu’s memory by mourning him for seven days, “until the worms fastened on him.” (p.96) This show of loyalty from Gilgamesh shows how much Enkidu meant to him, and how Gilgamesh will always honor Enkidu’s memory. If loyalty had not been important to the authors, Enkidu would have left Gilgamesh before they defeated Humbaba, and Gilgamesh would not have mourned Enkidu at all, let alone for seven days. Loyalty is an integral part of The Epic of Gilgamesh, and is emphasized throughout the tale. Both Enkidu and Gilgamesh are loyal to each other in different ways, which shows that the authors care about loyalty and what it means to different people.
Along the lines of what Joel first said, I believe the authors are trying to convey the point that it takes the power of two to really, truly accomplish something bigger than you. I believe that the authors tried to make Gilgamesh and Enkidu opposites and then make them complement each other perfectly. From what I have read, I picture Gilgamesh as a leader who is power-stricken and maybe a lot of bark and no bite. On the contrary, I picture Enkidu as a warrior who, for modern day terms, is a blue collar type worker. To connect the two, Gilgamesh is the bark and Enkidu is the bite. An example of how their opposites complement each other is when they are preparing for battle with Humbaba in the cedar forest. Gilgamesh gathers the counselors of Uruk around and rallies about how he is going to cut down the cedar and leave behind an enduring name. When they were doing battle and Humbaba came out from his house in the cedar forest, it was Enkidu who rallied Gilgamesh and Gilgamesh responded greatly and the rest was history. In my opinion, if Enkidu was not there with Gilgamesh, Gilgamesh would have backed down and ruined his reputation. Thus showing the two complement each other and leads me to believe that the authors are trying to paint a picture of how two forces are stronger than one and can take down some who has breath like fire and jaws that are like death.
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