Change in the Character of Gilgamesh Essay - 631 Words

There once lived a king, the great king of Uruk in Mesopotamia. This great leader was Gilgamesh. His preserved epic is of great significance to modern day culture. Through Gilgamesh, the fate of mankind is revealed, and the inevitable factor of change is expressed. In the Epic of Gilgamesh, it is a great love, followed by a lingering grief that cause a significant change in the character of Gilgamesh. Before the coming of Enkidu, Gilgamesh was a man of pure power. A being of which there was no equal match, Gilgamesh boasted upon his overwhelming glory and power. This arrogance was accompanied with an extensive abuse of power, which led the city of Uruk into a state of injustice and rage. His arrogance has no bounds by day or†¦show more content†¦Upon the seal of this great friendship, Gilgamesh began to change his selfish ways. He shared with Enkidu the luxuries of kingship. Shamash, speaking to Enkidu, said, He (Gilgamesh) has made the princes of the earth kiss your feet, and now all the people of Uruk lament and wail over you(91). Setting aside his great pride and power, Gilgamesh had opened a place in his heart, and in his sumptuous life, for his beloved brother. The second significant change in Gilgamesh was caused by the loss of his brotherly companion, Enkidu. Gilgamesh couldnt bear the loss of a love so powerful. Despite his astonishing power and leadership, something in his life was missing. He wept for seven days and seven nights, in hope of bringing Enkidu back to him. Gilgamesh said, I thought my friend would come back because of my weeping. Since he went, my life is nothing. It is in this stage of the epic that we see the truly sympathetic and compassionate side of Gilgamesh. The grief in his heart had far surpassed the magnificent pride that he had previously displayed so boldly. Enkidus death left Gilgamesh frightened and confused. The despair in his heart was so great that he could not rest; would he ever be at peace? He became terrified of his own death. Puzzled and searching for answers, Gilgamesh set out on a quest for Utnapishtim. It is on this great journey that Gilgamesh learns of aShow MoreRelatedExamples Of Character Development In The Epic Of Gilgamesh1541 Words   |  7 PagesCharacters that are in stories or poems, usually the protagonist or even the antagonist, show some kind of change and characteristics throughout a story. This can include the rising or the falling of a character. You can see these changes during series of events going on in the poem; such as battles or Mofits. Character analysis shows us a timeline on where and how the character has evolved. An example of this is the ancient Mesopotamia epic poem â€Å" The Epic of Gilgamesh†. There is no known authorRead MoreEpic of Gilgamesh Essay915 Words   |  4 PagesT he Epic of Gilgamesh is one of earliest known pieces of literature. 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The Odyssey and the Epic of Gilgamesh can be compared as expressions of searches for the meaning of life through knowledge. The two stories are somewhat mirrors in this manner. Throughout each story, the characters Odysseus and Gilgamesh show growth and change. The Odyssey can be summed up by stating how the greatRead MoreGilgamesh Character Analysis759 Words   |  4 Pagesto retrieve it? This is an attribute that perfectly describes the character of Gilgamesh. Gilgamesh is the main character of the ancient Uruk epic that is known as the epic of Gilgamesh. He experiences a lot of hardship and tribulations throughout the story. Some of the things are the loss of his â€Å"brother† Enkidu, which makes him want to become Immortal, the death of Humbaba This changes him in many different ways, like how he changes the way he acts from acting like a god to a noble and fair king