Comparing Gilgamesh And The Code Of Hammurabi

Two literary texts that were impactful to the way their society runs the way it is are The Epic of Gilgamesh and The Code of Hammurabi. The myth of Gilgamesh represents one of the earliest forms of mankind forming a civilization and a centralizing power. The Code of Hammurabi is also significant because it is the first set of concrete laws written down. Under the powerful reign of Hammurabi, Babylon rose to prominence. His empire spread most of Mesopotamia. These two myths demonstrates how some civilizations were more powerful than others and were able to gain dominance over other groups through their tyrannical rule and laws. There are many differences and similarities between the two myths in respect to their rulers and social hierarchy within their civilizations. Their achievements marked a transition in societies that greatly influenced the formation of future civilizations.
Mesopotamian religious beliefs derives from their literature, which includes several major myths of western civilization such as the Great Flood in the book of Genesis and the Garden of Eden. Gilgamesh contains a lot of religious symbolism. Religious rituals involved sacrifices, punishment, celebrations and sex. In these rituals, piety …show more content…
Gilgamesh was a tyrant and rule oppressively the people of Uruk. If anybody rebelled, people would get punished. As a result, his supreme rule also allowed "to be the first with the bride," claiming it was his right that had been "ordained from birth, from the time the umbilical cord was cut" . This displays that he forced wives to have sex with him on the first night of their marriage. He did not protect the welfare of his people, and he let his own greed take over with this amount of power. The consequences were that the city Uruk was not prospering in any way and their society was slowly deteriorating due to Gilgamesh actions as their