Epic of Gilgamesh
...: Gilgamesh was created by the Gods and was given the perfect body. He was two thirds god and one third man and was blessed with courage and beauty. It is not certain but it is said that Gilgamesh probably ruled the ancient Sumerian city of Uruk around 2800 B.C.E. It is known that Gilgamesh was a great builder. I say this because he built walls in Uruk and he also built the temple of blessed Eanna for Anu and Ishtar. This epic poem has to do with Life after Death because after Gilgamesh’s companion, Enkidu, was killed by Ishtar, Gilgamesh went on a hunt for everlasting life. Enkidu was killed by Ishtar because he slayed Humbaba, an evil monster. In retribution Ishtar kills Enkidu. Before Gilgamesh went on his hunt he wept for days and nights, thinking that the weeping would bring back his friend. After he got no results from his weeping he then went on his hunt for Utnapishtim and the search for everlasting life. Gilgamesh wanted to obtain everlasting life so bad because he was afraid of dying. He traveled through the mountain of Mashu. This is a mountain that no mortal has ever gone through. The Man-Scorpion gave him the opportunity to travel through this mountain because he was willing and he felt that he just had to do it. He was unaware of how long this mountain was but he still wanted to travel through it anyway. Once Gilgamesh reached Utnapishtim on the other side of the mountain, he wondered why he had looked no different than Gilgamesh himself. Utnapishtim then told Gilgamesh to get the plant that was growing in the bottom of the ocean with thorns on it . This plant was suppose to restore lost youth to a man. Once Gilgamesh got this plant it was then snatched from him by a sea serpent. Gilgamesh was left with nothing , so he just sat down and began to cry. This epic also has to do with religion because the gods are the ones who created Gilgamesh. A Sumerian paradise called Dilmun, was the place that the gods took Utnapishtim to live after the deluge. Dilmun was a mythical land resembling the Garden of Eden described in the Hebrew Bible. Religion is also shown in this epic by Gilgamesh praying to the gods. He began to pray to the gods that night that he had to sleep in the mountains because he knew that their were lions out there. Life after Death is mainly what this whole epic is about. Gilgamesh goes on a long journey or search for everlasting life. Even though Gilgamesh is only one third human he is still considered to be a mortal. This is also a reason why he is in search of everlasting life because he knows that he is mortal and he is afraid of death. Gilgamesh also searches fo everlasting life...