Powerful But Not Immortal
The Epic of Gilgamesh still touches people profoundly even after many centuries because it is about issues that are common to all people throughout history – the anguish of death for all human beings. For example, Gilgamesh, the protagonist of The Epic of Gilgamesh, and King Thanh Cat Dai Tu Han (the famous King of China in early 400 B.C.) had tried many ways to find a solution for having everlasting lives; however, the fact was that they were human and would die. This is the absolute difference between gods and humans: gods live forever and humans must die. Consequently, immortality was the solution that both Gilgamesh and Thanh Cat Dai Tu Han sought in order to overcome their fear of death.
Gilgamesh, “Two third they made him god and one third man.” (Gilgamesh 13), was the mythical king of Uruk in Babylonia, on the River Euphrates in modern Iraq. He was the greatest king on earth and the strongest man that ever lived. As a young man, Gilgamesh had no compassion for the people of Uruk. He was their king, but not their shepherd; he killed their sons and raped their daughters. But when he met Enkidu, he learned many things: how to love, to have compassion, and to understand the meaning of mortality. He and Enkidu journeyed into the forest to confront the terrible Humbaba because Gilgamesh wanted to set up his name where the names of famous people were written (Gilgamesh 18). When Gilgamesh refused to marry Ishtar, she was furious. She decided to seek revenge by sending the Bull of Heaven to kill Gilgamesh. Gilgamesh and Enkidu succeeded in killing the Bull of Heaven, but Enkidu later died as a result. With the death of his best friend, Gilgamesh was distraught with grief and denial. He despaired the loss of Enkidu but also his own death, which he knew could come some day. Seeking to avoid death, he strived to learn the secret of everlasting life. He came upon the entrance to the land of gods, another world, which would show him the secret to avoiding death. Upon failing the challenges necessary to become immortal, he finally accepted that he was human, and he would have to die as normal people. Gilgamesh’s belief in immortality did not exist in human beings.
Similarly, Thanh Cat Dai Tu Han, was known as the most brilliant ruler of Mong Co (now known as Nepal). He had helped Mong Co to become the most powerful empire in early 400 B.C. He was successful in conquering many countries, such as Tao (China), Cham (Thai Lan), and Giao (Kampodia). Unlike Gilgamesh, Thanh Cat Dai Tu Han was generous to his people, encouraged them to go to school, and devoted his energies to strengthening his empire. But as he grew older, his personality changed. He became villainous because of his jealousy towards younger people. He wanted to live forever, so he asked his servers to seek a way in which to help him to remain young forever. Unfortunately, his people failed his order, and Thanh Cat Tu Han killed all of them, and even their relatives. The more people he killed, the more afraid he became of dying. He would do anything to become immortal. He asked his people to build a mountain that would touch the sky, so he could climb up to the heavens and ask the gods for a way to avoid death. As punishment for his immoral behaviors, the gods made him fall when he climbed the mountain. Thus, the search for immortality led to the terrible death of Thanh Cat Dai Tu Han.
Both Gilgamesh and Thanh Cat Dai Tu Han were looking forward to finding the way to become immortal. But the fact remains: “When the gods created man they allotted to him death, but life they retained their own keeping” (Gilgamesh 34). No matter how hard both of them tried, they were human and still faced dead. In The Epic of Gilgamesh, I really enjoyed the main character, Gilgamesh, and his fear of death served as a good example for “There is no permanence. Do we build a house to stand for ever, do we seal a contract to hold for all time? Do brothers divide an inheritance to keep for ever, does the flood-time of rivers endure?” (Gilgamesh, 36) The lives of Gilgamesh and Thanh Cat Dai Tu Han would not be last forever, so seeking immortality was just the dream of the two kings.
Другие работы по теме:
Moby Dick Essay Essay Research Paper Moby
Moby Dick Essay Essay, Research Paper Moby Dick Essay Throughout time, people have associated their problems with with something bad that happened to them. That thing became the center of their problems by causing a lot of suffering to that person. In Moby Dick, Melville has many interpretations of what the white whale symbolizes.
Buddah Essay Research Paper The
Buddah Essay, Research Paper The “Buddah” statue is a work of art that sends powerful messages of the past and present to its viewers within one glimpse. The creator definitely had one thing in mind when it was being
Clerk Typist Essay Research Paper There is
Clerk Typist Essay, Research Paper There is something mysterious and powerful about dreams. For many years, I have wondered what dreams are really made of. I came up with two possible answers. First, I think dreams can provide an escape from or evaluation of every day reality. And secondly, I believe that certain images can be translated to provide hidden answers to daily problems.
American History X Essay Research Paper This
American History X Essay, Research Paper This movie was a very intense movie. The message that it was trying to send was very powerful and it hit me fairly hard. The message that this movie was trying to send to me was that society as a whole does not have the maturity and inteligence to deal with subjects such as racism and hate.
Jem Essay Research Paper Personally I do
Jem Essay, Research Paper Personally, I do not find Jem very bad or very good but I do find him kind of powerful. I placed Jem in the Neutral Square for good or weak because he is not a perfect child. In the story he tries to contact Boo Radley by sneaking in through the back window. He then gets Arthur (Boo?s brother) upset and Arthur almost shoots Jem.
Advertisement Essay Research Paper CEMETORYCemetery is the
Advertisement Essay, Research Paper CEMETORY Cemetery is the last peaceful place for our restless souls. It is the place of our final end. It is not just a place of tombstone and grave, it is the burial ground of our love ones. When I visited the cemetery for the first time. The first thing I noticed was the tombstones and the graves.
Christians Essay Research Paper I agree with
Christians Essay, Research Paper I agree with the Uncle that the Bible should be analyzed and interpret like any other book. Just because you are a Christian does not mean you can interpret it correctly. I come from a Christian family and we all have read the Bible. But I know that I have interpret parts of the Bible in a different matter then other members of my family, they have as well.
Stealing Our Rights Essay Research Paper Stealing
Stealing Our Rights Essay, Research Paper Stealing Our Rights From the dawn of the first organized communities, to the powerful United States of America today, there have always been power hungry people who
Hawthorne Essay Research Paper There never surely
Hawthorne Essay, Research Paper There never surely was a powerful, active, continually effective mind less round, more lop-sided, than that of NATHANIEL HAWTHORNE. If there were aught of dispraise in this, it would not be said by me,–by an Englishman of an American whom I knew, by an Englishman of letters of a brother on the other side of the water, much less by me, an English novelist, of an American novelist.
Grecian Urn Essay Research Paper A Word
Grecian Urn Essay, Research Paper A Word Is Worth a Thousand Pictures? Shakespeare’s sonnet 18 (”Shall I compare thee to a summer’s day?”) and Keats’ “Ode on a Grecian Urn” were written with a common purpose in mind; to immortalize the subjects of their poems by writing them down in verses for people to read for generations to come.
Four Arguments For The Immortality Of The
Human Soul Presented By Plato In The Phaedo. Essay, Research Paper In Plato s Phaedo, he argues that the soul will continue to exist, and that it will go on to a better place. The argument begins on the day of his execution with the question of whether it is good or bad to die. In other words, he is arguing that the soul is immortal and indestructible.
The Difference Between Men
& Women Essay, Research Paper Having been a member of the female gender for almost twenty years, I?ve come to realize the differences between men and women are like night and day.
Glorious Sceptre Essay Research Paper The Immortal
Glorious Sceptre Essay, Research Paper The Immortal Sceptre Within the Iliad Homer portrays through association and symbolism the sceptre as a representation of divine power. Agamemnon is the nominal owner of this sceptre, on which much emphasis is placed in the early stages of the poem. This relic, a sceptre once owned by Zeus, has a kingly and divine past and, as a result, is a symbol of authority, power, and recognition within the kingdom of Greece.
MortalityAs Seen In Homer
’s Iliad Essay, Research Paper Zeus views mortality as the ability to pass to the domain of Hades, by which Zeus has no control over. The reader knows that even Gods are not immortal according to this definition, for Kronos long ago passed into Hades’ kingdom. Gods do not pass on as easily or as frequently as immortals, but as each immortal dies the Gods are reminded of the existence of the underworld.
Epic Of Gilgamesh Essay Research Paper Gilgamesh
Epic Of Gilgamesh Essay, Research Paper Gilgamesh is an epic that has been passed down for thousands of years. The epic narrates the legendary deeds of the main character Gilgamesh. Gilgamesh is two-thirds immortal and one-third mortal; however, he cannot accept his fate that one day he too will die. The entire epic tells the story of Gilgamesh’s life and searche for immortality.
Ides Of March Essay Research Paper Beware
Ides Of March Essay, Research Paper Beware the ides of March Your Friends Grow fearful of the They fear you have becaome to powerful And will not spare your life to fix it
Foot Ball Essay Research Paper SonnetThe player
Foot Ball Essay, Research Paper Sonnet The player was ready to kick the ball The other team waited to receive it He gave it a very powerful hit Coaches were screaming to give the right call
Poem Flowers Essay Research Paper Lynn had
Poem: Flowers Essay, Research Paper Lynn had never been serene like a glowing bright sky. Always to occupied, like a busy fly. Lynn met a powerful woman, who had some advice,
Descriptive Essay On William Wallace 1 Pg
. Essay, Research Paper A Descriptive Essay On William Wallace A man of low status and called by some an outlaw or bandit, it may have been that Wallace was being used by more powerful Scottish politicians as a cover for their rebellion so they would not break their feudal vows to the king of England.
Wolf Spiders Essay Research Paper Wolf spiders
Wolf Spiders Essay, Research Paper Wolf spiders are a group of ground-dwelling hunting spiders. There are more than 2000 types of wolf spiders. They range from 2mm to 40mm. Some wolf spiders can even walk on the water of a pond. They can walk or run while chasing after it?s prey. They use their front legs to catch their prey, and then they bite and crush the prey with their powerful jaws.
The Story Of The Flood How Utnapishtim
Tells His Story To Gilgamesh Essay, Research Paper In the Epic of Gilgamesh, Gilgamesh’s best friend Enkidu is killed and therefore causes him to be afraid of death. Gilgamesh now that he is afraid of death wants to achieve immortal life so he will not have to face death (34). Gilgamesh travels far and longs to find the man who was granted everlasting life, and ask him how he did indeed receive everlasting life.
Keat And Shelley Essay Research Paper In
Keat And Shelley Essay, Research Paper In Keat?s "Ode to a Nightingale" and Shelley?s "Ode to the West Wind" both poet?s show much inspiration within their poetry. The
Gilgamesh Essay Research Paper Gilgamesh was not
Gilgamesh Essay, Research Paper Gilgamesh was not a brave leader. Enkidu helped Gilgamesh through his journey and without him, Gilgamesh would not have survived. I would not like to be the partner of Gilgamesh because he was a coward and he is more human and vulnerable than a god and powerful.
Odyssey Essay Research Paper The Odyssey
Odyssey Essay, Research Paper The Odyssey: Odysseus, the Hero The “Odyssey” is an epic story that has been a significant piece of literature since it was first composed and will remain so for ages to come. One of the reasons it has been so is because of the hero, Odysseus.
Frankenstein Essay Research Paper In Marry Shelleys
Frankenstein Essay, Research Paper In Marry Shelley?s Frankenstein, the powerful creature represents the physical manifestation of the ugliness and selfishness of Victor?s desires as well as being the solution for his need to escape from the elements that threaten his way of life.
PhilosophySoul Is Immortal Essay Research Paper The
Philosophy:Soul Is Immortal Essay, Research Paper The Soul Is Immortal The task of this paper is to explain how the soul is immortal and lives on through people’s impressions. There is something inside of all human beings that lives on forever. Even when death is upon us, the soul of a person never dies. Thus, we arrive at the statement the soul is immortal.
Plato The Soul And The Theory Of
Forms Essay, Research Paper The Relationship Between Plato?s Theory of Forms and the Immortality of the Soul Preface In the Phaedo, Plato set out to show many things, including that the Soul is Immortal. Through the aid of the Theory of Forms Plato proved that the soul is immortal.
Persuasive Essay Essay Research Paper Persuasive Essay
Persuasive Essay Essay, Research Paper Persuasive Essay Driving is a tremendous responsibility. I believe our state should have rigorous driving tests to make the roads safe for others. However I think most teenagers aren’t ready to accept
St Augustine Essay Research Paper Augustine of
St. Augustine Essay, Research Paper Augustine of Hippo (354-430 AD) took great pains to create and project a powerful image of himself beyond the churches and towns where he wrote and taught in Roman
Existence Of God Essay Research Paper Existence
Existence Of God Essay, Research Paper Existence of God The truth behind the existence of god. As a flesh and blood we seem to aspire to be ultitmley immortal, we have created stories guidelines ways in
Immortality Essay Research Paper Immortality
Immortality Essay, Research Paper Immortality – (a) the quality or state of being immortal. (b) never ending existence. Although that is the Webster definition of immortality, what is never-ending existence?
The Judges Wife Essay Research Paper Throughout
The Judges Wife Essay, Research Paper Throughout the story ?The Judge?s Wife?, Isabel Allende presents Dona Casilda presented as a powerless woman although later she emerges as the most powerful character in the story.