Gilgamesh Social Class Analysis

Improved Essays
Looking at social class with Postcolonial Theory is a good choice for the literature because decolonized people develop their identity based on cultural and social relations. Looking at these texts through a class lens allows the reader to further analyze the text and gain a better understanding of the characters and their actions due to their class standing. Class is a set of concepts in both the social and political theory that is centered on social stratification in which people are grouped into a set of hierarchical social categories. People are grouped in classes based on variations in wealth, bloodline, material possessions, and prestige in society. The most common breakdown of class being upper, middle and lower classes. The precise …show more content…
It isn’t until the prostitute Shamhat comes into his life followed by Gilgamesh and the people of Uruk that he is introduced to civilization and human ways of life. Enkidu quickly becomes a close friend of Gilgamesh regardless of his social standing and their social class differences. It was not common for people to cross classes in such a manner during the time period the narrative is set it. A reader would be just in thinking that Gilgamesh and Enkidu’s relationship blossomed due to Enkidu’s naiveté towards class.

Due to Gilgamesh’s class standing he feels invincible, after all he is the top dog in Uruk. Gilgamesh felt he was entitled to always get his way. He felt himself to be invincible and untouchable even by the Gods. It isn’t until Enkidu’s death that Gilgamesh realizes that regardless of your social class standing one event can break you down emotionally and physically.

In William Shakespeare’s The Tempest, Prospero is a Duke. His status as a Duke makes him of a higher class probably upper middle class for the time period that The Tempest is set in. Due to his social standing he feels he is entitled similarly to Gilgamesh. He continues to feel entitlement even after his brother banished him to the island and steals his

Related Documents

  • Improved Essays

    Succeeding Enkidu’s death, Gilgamesh goes a journey for immortality, which proves to be futile. Gilgamesh and Enkidu did not have what some would call a normal relationship. First of all, they only met because Enkidu was trying to stop Gilgamesh from raping a bride on her wedding day. “For the goddess of weddings the bed was laid out, Gilgamesh met with the maiden by night. Forward came (Enkidu), he stood in the street, blocking the path of Gilgamesh”…

    • 985 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Improved Essays

    Gilgamesh’s relationship with Enkidu was much like any other friendship. From the beginning, it was very evident that Gilgamesh would receive a friend in which he would be able to confide in. It was discussed that Gilgamesh was very different from the rest of his people. He was capable of many things and he knew many secret things as well. It was stated that Gilgamesh did not have anyone who supported him; he was alone until the gods lamented and a goddess created Enkidu to be a friend for Gilgamesh.…

    • 258 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Improved Essays

    and Enkidu’s I-Thou relationship can be explained, it is important to understand the background information on both pieces of literature. Briefly, The Epic of Gilgamesh begins with an explanation of how Gilgamesh is a terrible king. The story progresses to when Gilgamesh meets Enkidu and the two become the best of friends; a ceremony is even performed for them to be considered brothers. As the epic continues, the two go on adventures together and their bond grows even stronger.…

    • 1564 Words
    • 7 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Improved Essays

    Throughout the journey Gilgamesh embarks upon, he gradually changes by the characters he meets along the way. Gilgamesh is confronted with new emotions such as love, compassion, and belonging from Enkidu. They create a bond with their differences which enhanced their friendship because the qualities that Enkidu lacked, Gilgamesh is able to reinforce and vice versa for Gilgamesh. “He turned to Enkidu, who leaned against his shoulder and looked into his eyes and saw himself in the others, just as Enkidu saw himself in Gilgamesh” (Mason 24). This quote shows their first encounter with each other.…

    • 913 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Improved Essays

    When Enkidu was placed on Earth by gods, he was roaming with animals. He had not encountered any other humans. His first exposure to humanity was when he met Shamhat, a temple prostitute, who was purposely brought into his life to change him into a civil man (The Epic of Gilgamesh, 78). The only way for this to happen…

    • 804 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Improved Essays

    Were Gilgamesh and Enkindu gay is a question that has been raised several times from the myth of Gilgamesh. In my opinion, maybe he was bisexual. One of the complaints his subjects have against him is that he's forcing himself on their women, especially having his way with brides before their husbands. Although he rejects the invitation of the goddess Ishtar to become her lover, he makes it clear that his reason is that her lovers always come to bad ends when she tires of them--not that he isn't interested. Then at the end, after he dies, he leaves behind both a wife and a concubine as well as a son.…

    • 669 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Improved Essays

    Enkidu was doomed and soon faced death. Gilgamesh lost his companion and would now have to learn how to be alone once again. This was a major turning point in the story for Gilgamesh. He was broken. He wept and mourned for his friend,…

    • 1439 Words
    • 6 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Superior Essays

    Enkidu is a huge part of Gilgamesh realizing that he is not immune to the human condition. In the beginning, he is somewhat reckless because he is two-thirds divine, one-third human. This put the idea in his head he is invincible. Gilgamesh and Enkidu embark on a journey to kill Humbaba, guardian of the forest. This happens to be one of their only adventures, for Enkidu falls ill and he eventually dies.…

    • 1550 Words
    • 7 Pages
    Superior Essays
  • Great Essays

    Gilgamesh's Suffering

    • 2311 Words
    • 10 Pages

    Together, they complete each other and change each other significantly. Thy fight together, drink together, are are close as brothers. Yet when Enkidu dies, Gilgamesh is thrown into a deep sadness and goes on a quest to bring him back to life. Gilgamesh suffers without his friend, because his friend grew to be such a part of him. On page 53 it says “ GIlgamesh wept Sometimes I act a lot older than I am – I really do – but people never notice it.…

    • 2311 Words
    • 10 Pages
    Great Essays
  • Improved Essays

    Even though Enkidu, Gilgamesh’s new companion, helped to balance Gilgamesh, he also boosted his pride at the same time. After Gilgamesh won the fight, he says: “Enkidu has neither father nor mother, / His hair was growing freely / He was born in the steppe.” (109). This is Gilgamesh’s way of belittling Enkidu.…

    • 996 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Improved Essays

    Life Of Gilgamesh Quotes

    • 1297 Words
    • 6 Pages

    Gilgamesh Essay Gilgamesh never experienced the feeling of sadness. He lived his life privileged as the king of Uruk, lavished by the gods. He acted lawlessly, avoiding any punishment at all. Then, the gods had retribution towards Gilgamesh for killing Humbaba.…

    • 1297 Words
    • 6 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Improved Essays

    Gilgamesh had to be taught about civilization. He was trying to search for immorality but he never seems to have any hope. Enkidu makes Gilgamesh a better person not only to himself but to the people of Uruk as well. He also became a better king of Uruk. Gilgamesh had to learn a very tough lesson in that of immortality.…

    • 855 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Improved Essays

    The literary works Medea, Sir Gawain and the Green Knight, and Male Desire Female Disgust; The reading of Hustler, all include several reoccurring themes. One of these themes is social class. Social class is a division of a society based on social and economic status. Social classes have been common practice for centuries. Social class is in a nut shell the pecking order of society based on finance.…

    • 916 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Improved Essays

    After learning this about Gilgamesh we know that even though he is part god he is also human, meaning that he has to face death sooner or later. I think that because he knows he has to face death at one point he takes advantage of the people and things surrounding him. Even though he does do a couple of good deeds like building the walls and temples…

    • 793 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Superior Essays

    Social Stratification in The Hunger Games Many people consider their daily lives to be “normal.” To someone with privilege, being picked up from school in a Lexus and going home to a 6,000 square foot house is typical. To someone less fortunate, this is outrageous when buses and apartments are the norm. The world is divided up into social classes, from rich to poor, and those found in between.…

    • 1492 Words
    • 6 Pages
    Superior Essays