A Wise King Or Essay, Research Paper
A Wise King Or A Foolish Hero?
Gilgamesh is a character that evolves throughout the heroic poem of Gilgamesh. Throughout the first half of the heroic poem, Gilgamesh is depicted as brave and heroic on a pursuit of panic with his great comrade Enkidu. In the terminal after accepting that he excessively will hold to decease and be capable to destine, Gilgamesh settles back into his metropolis scene, merely this clip to be a wise king instead than the foolish hero he one time was.
Gilgamesh? s character is something a reader might oppugn after reading the first half of the heroic poem, because Gilgamesh is forceful and acts every bit if he answers to no 1. Another feature of Gilgamesh? s personality is his dependence on company from Enkidu.
Early on in the heroic poem it is shown how autonomous the people think Gilgamesh? s regulation is: ? There was no defying the aura or power of the Wild Ox Gilgamesh. Neither the male parent? s boy nor the married woman of the baronial ; neither the female parent? s girl nor the warrior? s bride was safe. ? ( I ii 31-34 ) This transition proves the people know he is a strong adult male. It besides shows us that the people do non happen it surprising if Gilgamesh starts to go involved with another adult male? s married woman. Another clip, we find Gilgamesh is traveling to take the bride of a adult male if Enkidu does non step in and halt him ( II & A ; III iii 60-70 ) . These are merely a few of the times Gilgamesh? s character loses its position among the readers. Actions similar to these besides made the seniors question his leading: ? Is this the shepherd of the people? Is this the wise shepherd, defender of the people? ? ( I ii 35-36 ) They evidently thought he was non up to par in his responsibilities as a male monarch.
It is surprising that with a individual as dictating and forceful as Gilgamesh, he still longs for and demands human company. We see he will hold a comrade that will non abandon him when Gilgamesh? s dream is interpreted by his ma. ( I iv 166-179 ) Even though we know this toward the beginning, the importance of his company is non evident until Enkidu is deceasing and Gilgamesh says, ? Must I now sit outside the door of the house of the dead? While Enkidu sits in the house of the dead among the shadow comrades? ? ( VII ii 21-24 ) The sudden decease of Enkidu causes Gilgamesh to chew over something he hasn? T been forced to believe about earlier: His exposure to decease. Gilgamesh treasures this friend so much he does non cognize what to make without him. Looking to make full this whole he has after Enkidu? s company is gone, Gilgamesh turns to a pursuit seeking immortality to suppress decease: something Enkidu had non been able to make.
We find Gilgamesh? s pursuit to allow nil overmaster him a reoccurring subject throughout the heroic poem. Gilgamesh shows this early on in his violent immoral Acts of the Apostless against his people. Another clip this subject is displayed when Gilgamesh and Enkidu cut down the cedars, kill the demo
n Huwawa, and particularly when Gilgamesh makes Ishtar huffy plenty to direct down the Bull of Heaven. In all these cases Gilgamesh answers the enemy with another triumph. Even when a goddess has sent down? the Bull of Heaven with which to kill him? ( VI ii 83 ) Gilgamesh overcomes it. After Enkidu? s decease Gilgamesh is faced with something that can overmaster him: decease. Since he has this newfound hinderance, Gilgamesh sets out to get the better of the last thing that can overmaster him. There is one individual in history that defeated destiny and mortality, so Gilgamesh seeks to happen Utnapishtim and be enlightened by him.
After Gilgamesh? s long quest to happen Utnapishtim, Utnapishtim proves to Gilgamesh there is no manner he can go immortal by proving Gilgamesh. Utnapishtim says to Gilgamesh, ? Tell me, who would convey all the Gods together so that for you they might in council decide what your deserving is, that you be granted entree into the company of Gods? ? ( Eleven v 240-243 ) Utnapishtim said this because he knew there would be no 1 of importance stand up and for Gilgamesh in this scene. He besides knew of Gilgamesh? s continuity, so he told Gilgamesh he would give him a trial. Gilgamesh would be satisfied if he had a opportunity at a trial because he can command the result of his actions. When the trial of traveling without slumber for a hebdomad comes Gilgamesh fails miserably. Equally shortly as he sat down to prove himself, he was in a mist of slumber. This was the first obstruction Gilgamesh couldn? t overcome, but it was plenty for Gilgamesh to larn he doesn? Ts have to overmaster to be powerful. I believe Gilgamesh realized he was already powerful, but his thirst for more power or to get the better of was overmastering his demand for company. He goes back to Uruk after accepting the fact he is mortal and he is to hold compassion for comrades and it is the Gods topographic point to overmaster.
The text does non uncover what happens to Gilgamesh after he gets back to his metropolis scene of Uruk. Based on his alteration of character throughout the heroic poem we can do a judgement on how he will govern as male monarch. Will he travel back to being the foolish hero or will he be the wise king the seniors wished he had been? I believe Gilgamesh ruled as a knowing male monarch because he is no longer foolish. He has faced and accepted the rough world that as worlds we can non hold power over everything. Gilgamesh realizes he excessively will decease and this is what he was nescient of earlier. This is what made him full of panic and cold-hearted toward his people. There are some readers that might state Gilgamesh would non handle his land any different, but to these people I have to inquire: What do you state about Gilgamesh? s character patterned advance? You can non disregard how he reacts to things different after the turning point of the heroic poem, Enkidu? s decease. By the terminal of the heroic poem, Gilgamesh has become a knowing male monarch who exemplifies what the seniors of Uruk questioned if was earlier: a wise shepherd.
