Loss Of Happiness In Gilgamesh

Throughout life there are many miseries, including suffering, boredom, despair, absurdity, death, will, and need. In the texts of Gilgamesh, Candide, and The World as Will and Idea there are many examples of these themes. There are also ways to find happiness in life, but it is harder to find the method to happiness. When comparing and contrasting these texts, one will find, examples of death, will, boredom, cause and effect, suffering, need, and the source of misery and happiness in life.
Suffering is common place throughout these books. In Gilgamesh we see his suffering involving death and the effects death causes within his life. Gilgamesh’s first example of misery is when his best friend Enkidu dies, “I shall weep for Enkidu, my friend, like a hired mourner-woman I shall bitterly wail” (Gilgamesh, 64). Though Gilgamesh felt a strong sorrow for the loss of his friend, he felt a stronger sorrow for himself, in realizing that he too would eventually die, as he states, “I shall die, and shall I not then be as Enkidu? Sorrow has entered my heart!” (Gilgamesh, 70). So he embarks on his long journey to try and find a way to escape death and in turn his misery in life, …show more content…
This is not only an example of pain and suffering, but can also be seen as an impression upon the will according to Schopenhauer, “every impression upon the body is also, on the other hand, at once and immediately an impression upon the will. As such it is called pain when it is opposed to the will; gratification or pleasure when it is in accordance with it.” (33, first aspect). Candide getting flogged was unmistakably opposed to his will (it caused pain to his physical body and was not his own idea either, it was enforced upon him) and the auto-da-fé in and of itself was absurd. Another excellent example of absurdity and despair can be seen from the old lady in