Essays on Epic Of Gilgamesh

The Epic of Gilgamesh is a literary work in the form of a poem traced to ancient Mesopotamia. It is believed to be one of the earliest literary pieces in the history of the world. It was authored originally in the Sumerian Cuneiform language dated between 2700BCE to 2500 BCE. The protagonist of the myth is one Gilgamesh, an ancient ruler, and warrior who ruled the city-state of Uruk. He is revered for having built the magnificent temples and massive walls of Uruk (Gardner & Maier 1984). The Old Testament, on the other hand, is widely borrowed from Torah which ...

Gilgamesh and Odysseus are well-known heroes from old epics of Mesopotamian and Greek cultures, correspondingly. The two characters have similar traits, such as courage and physical strength. However, there are also differences between the two of them. Each hero’s traits divulge fascinating information about their cultural ideals. Additionally, cross-referencing fictional individuals with real-life cultural ideals is worthwhile when examining any culture, at any point in history. Contemporary American culture, for example, appears to value physical attributes and attractiveness, more than anything. Examining Gilgamesh and Odysseus can be helpful not only in revealing details about the different cultural ideals ...

[Assignment]

The question of why a work deserves inclusion in the literary canon is especially interesting when it comes to world literature. Many of the world’s earliest texts arose out of an oral rather than a written tradition, giving them a form and tone very different than modern works considered to have literary merit. With these works, literary value is determined less by the words themselves and more by the ideas and themes that are developed and their relationship to the culture. In the case of The Epic of Gilgamesh, is inclusion in the canon is due to ...

The Epic of Gilgamesh is regarded as one of the earliest extant written works and is in many ways the foundation for every story that would come after it, from the Biblical story of Noah and the flood to today’s action-adventure superheroes. The Epic of Gilgamesh tells a tale of gods and monsters, and of two heroes—King Gilgamesh and his companion, Enkidu—whose impossible feats of strength, bravery, and cunning would fit easily alongside those of figures like Perseus and Hercules. Like the myths of other well-known heroes, Gilgamesh and Enkidu undertake quests, first killing the Humbaba, ...

The paper will look at the Analects of Confucius in comparison to the Epic of Gilgamesh in regards to the beliefs of the Chinese and Mesopotamian people. The cultures of China and Mesopotamia were made up of completely different political and religious structures and principles. This does not mean that there were not some areas with similarities. First Confucianism is a complex system of values and religious practices that were passed down by Confucius and his followers in a collection of quotes called the Analects of Confucius which were written between 551-479 BC. Confucius was a philosopher and a ...

Literature

Despite having different backgrounds on leadership skills, Gilgamesh and Enkidu grow to become more alike in the sense that Gilgamesh learns to be respectful to humankind, just like Enkidu. The two learn an important lesson after having a disagreement and fighting; but in the end, they show no enmity towards one another. There are ten ways in which these two friends got to be quite similar. Gilgamesh identifies himself as a protector. This character is revealed when he goes for an adventure with Enkidu to kill Hambaba, whom he considers too evil to protect.

Gilgamesh learns to identify with ...

Greeks and Mesopotamians are well known for their myths about gods and how they affect the human existence and can determine your fate. Shared amongst them also are epic tales of heroic demigods and mortals who with great courage, help from the gods and bravery defeat many obstacles. The aim of this study is to examine the heroic qualities of two characters of Greek and Mesopotamian mythology; Gilgamesh and Odysseus. Special attention will be taken to ascertain how alike and different they were and what these heroic exploits teaches us about the ideals and expectations of Greek and Mesopotamian ...

Alone, the word ‘epic’ denotes a number of central ideas pertaining to size, volume and length; these ideas are also central to an epic poem. Traditionally, epic poems are long in length and usually deal with an extremely involved plot: heroes, wars, battles between gods, and journeys are usually integral plot devices. They also have a number of key characteristics which help to define them as such. The purpose of this essay is to explore what defines a poem as being an epic with reference to two key examples of such poems: The Odyssey by Homer (and translated by Robert Fitzgerald) and ...

Introduction

Death is the cessation of life or the termination of biological functions sustaining a living organism. Causes of death include: malnutrition, accidents and predation. Death has for a very long period of time been a central concern of the world’s traditions both religious and philosophical. Belief in some kind of afterlife or rebirth has a central aspect of religious belief.

Themes of Death and How They Compare to a Modern Epic of Gilgamesh, the Epic of Gilgamesh is one of the earliest books which are still in use today. The influences of this book are still being seen in many modern works today. ...

The odyssey Homer translated by Robert Fitzgerald and Epic of Gilgamesh Translated by NK Sandars

The overriding issue in the two epics is the interaction between heroism and immorality. In the two epics, the protagonists are portrayed to be hard working, courageous and brave. Contrarily to their moral character traits, they are portrayed to be immoral. In the translation of Homer’s Odyssey, the protagonist has been explicitly built by Robert as a real achiever in heroism context (Hexer & Fitzgerald, p.113). However, Odysseus is immoral and has no respect for himself and women in his community. Sandars translates Gilgamesh’ ...