The Hero’s Journey is a basic pattern that every hero goes through in order to achieve a goal. This pattern consists of a quest, challenges, and then ends with a change in their life forever. Throughout their journey, the hero encounters challenges but also has allies to help them out. In The Epic of Gilgamesh, the Hero’s Journey, consisting of the departure, initiation, and then the return, is clearly displayed throughout the whole story.
Gilgamesh’s journey started with the departure stage, when he begins with his ordinary life and has an event happen to prompt him onto a journey. Before he went on his journey Gilgamesh lived in Uruk with his friend, Enkidu. When Enkidu becomes ill and dies, Gilgamesh sees the pain and suffering affiliated …show more content…
From there he goes through obstacles to complete his journey. The only way he could complete these tasks is by having helpers and his special powers, or talisman. Because he is part human and part God, he is stronger than regular humans. But he also needed helpers to achieve his quest. When Gilgamesh reaches the new world, he meets Siduri who tells him to go to Urshanabi to cross the ocean. Urshanabi becomes an ally to Gilgamesh because he helps him get to Utnapishtim by boat. When he reaches Utnapishtim, Utnapishtim explains to Gilgamesh how he received everlasting life and how Gilgamesh can receive it himself. Utnapishtim tells him that God told him to build an ark, for a flood was coming. Even though that sounded crazy, Utnapishtim obeyed God’s message. For doing that, Utnapishtim was rewarded with everlasting life. Gilgamesh is then instructed that he can receive this too if he finds a certain plant at the bottom of the ocean. To do so, Utnapishtim says to prevail from sleep for seven nights. Utnapishtim then instructs to Gilgamesh to clean up and go with Urshanabi to find the plant at the bottom of the ocean. Utnapishtim clearly instructs, “There is a plant that grows under the water…but if you succeed in taking it, then your hands will hold that which restores his lost youth to a man” (Gilgamesh). Gilgamesh then willingly goes to the bottom of the ocean and …show more content…
Gilgamesh realizes he does not have a chance at everlasting life anymore because the serpent snatched the plant from his hands, therefore its not meant to be. At first, Gilgamesh wept thinking that he went through his whole journey and tests for no reward in the end. Gilgamesh sadly said, “O Urshanabi, was it for this that I toiled with my hands, is it for this I have wrung out my heart’s blood? For myself I have gained nothing” (Gilgamesh). Then after walking twenty leagues home to Uruk, Gilgamesh comes to a realization. He realizes that everlasting life may not be for him and that it is reserved for the Gods. Gilgamesh becomes the “master of two worlds” because he returned home from his journey gaining knowledge even though he didn’t find what he was looking for, which was everlasting life. This knowledge gives him everlasting wisdom though and helps him be a better king and man. The journey becomes exactly what Gilgamesh needed in the
Gilgamesh’s journey started with the departure stage, when he begins with his ordinary life and has an event happen to prompt him onto a journey. Before he went on his journey Gilgamesh lived in Uruk with his friend, Enkidu. When Enkidu becomes ill and dies, Gilgamesh sees the pain and suffering affiliated …show more content…
From there he goes through obstacles to complete his journey. The only way he could complete these tasks is by having helpers and his special powers, or talisman. Because he is part human and part God, he is stronger than regular humans. But he also needed helpers to achieve his quest. When Gilgamesh reaches the new world, he meets Siduri who tells him to go to Urshanabi to cross the ocean. Urshanabi becomes an ally to Gilgamesh because he helps him get to Utnapishtim by boat. When he reaches Utnapishtim, Utnapishtim explains to Gilgamesh how he received everlasting life and how Gilgamesh can receive it himself. Utnapishtim tells him that God told him to build an ark, for a flood was coming. Even though that sounded crazy, Utnapishtim obeyed God’s message. For doing that, Utnapishtim was rewarded with everlasting life. Gilgamesh is then instructed that he can receive this too if he finds a certain plant at the bottom of the ocean. To do so, Utnapishtim says to prevail from sleep for seven nights. Utnapishtim then instructs to Gilgamesh to clean up and go with Urshanabi to find the plant at the bottom of the ocean. Utnapishtim clearly instructs, “There is a plant that grows under the water…but if you succeed in taking it, then your hands will hold that which restores his lost youth to a man” (Gilgamesh). Gilgamesh then willingly goes to the bottom of the ocean and …show more content…
Gilgamesh realizes he does not have a chance at everlasting life anymore because the serpent snatched the plant from his hands, therefore its not meant to be. At first, Gilgamesh wept thinking that he went through his whole journey and tests for no reward in the end. Gilgamesh sadly said, “O Urshanabi, was it for this that I toiled with my hands, is it for this I have wrung out my heart’s blood? For myself I have gained nothing” (Gilgamesh). Then after walking twenty leagues home to Uruk, Gilgamesh comes to a realization. He realizes that everlasting life may not be for him and that it is reserved for the Gods. Gilgamesh becomes the “master of two worlds” because he returned home from his journey gaining knowledge even though he didn’t find what he was looking for, which was everlasting life. This knowledge gives him everlasting wisdom though and helps him be a better king and man. The journey becomes exactly what Gilgamesh needed in the