Gilgamesh the Immortal The concept of human mortality and our death being inevitable has been an ongoing theme in literature, stories, and even the human mind. It can be said that death was still a key concern for Mesopotamian society and many other civilizations who retold the “Epic of Gilgamesh”, because survival was still a concern. The story was centered around the main protagonist Gilgamesh, the King of Uruk who was two thirds god and his inevitable realization that death is imminent. The theme of immortality is carried and foreshadowed from the beginning of the poem as one of Gilgamesh 's many journeys he must carry out. For Gilgamesh and the audience, the intended overall message of how one can attain immortality changes from a more
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After staying by his body for several days, he goes to look for an answer for eternal life. At this point, his view of mortality changes directions as his accomplishment that he leaves for his namesake are no longer important. He begins trying to elude death itself because of the physical destruction and pain of his would endure. Enkidu, which was in many ways his equal, made him realize that death to transcended over beings like them as well. On his journey to find eternal life, he is confronted by the god Utanapishtim and his wife who have what he is seeking. The god tells him of the great flood until which made him and his wife gods until he becomes drowsy and falls sleep. In the end Utanapishtim’s overall message is that death is a natural part of life. As a gift for coming, Utanapishtim’s wife tells Gilgamesh how to receive eternal life. Diving into the sea to get the plant, he returns excited and even willing to share the secret with the elders. While bathing, a snake steal the plant which again causes Gilgamesh to transform his way of thinking of eternal life which is no longer in his hand. In the end he tells the boat man who drops him off to Uruk to “ Go up, Ur-Shanabi, pace out the wall of Uruk. Study the foundation terrace and examine the brickwork. Is not its masonry of kiln-fired brick… three and a half square miles is the measure of Uruk!” The revelation that Gilgamesh has once he returns is that it is what he does with the life he has now that makes difference, as telling Ur-Shanabi to examine what he has built as it will always be known that Gilgamesh created this
After staying by his body for several days, he goes to look for an answer for eternal life. At this point, his view of mortality changes directions as his accomplishment that he leaves for his namesake are no longer important. He begins trying to elude death itself because of the physical destruction and pain of his would endure. Enkidu, which was in many ways his equal, made him realize that death to transcended over beings like them as well. On his journey to find eternal life, he is confronted by the god Utanapishtim and his wife who have what he is seeking. The god tells him of the great flood until which made him and his wife gods until he becomes drowsy and falls sleep. In the end Utanapishtim’s overall message is that death is a natural part of life. As a gift for coming, Utanapishtim’s wife tells Gilgamesh how to receive eternal life. Diving into the sea to get the plant, he returns excited and even willing to share the secret with the elders. While bathing, a snake steal the plant which again causes Gilgamesh to transform his way of thinking of eternal life which is no longer in his hand. In the end he tells the boat man who drops him off to Uruk to “ Go up, Ur-Shanabi, pace out the wall of Uruk. Study the foundation terrace and examine the brickwork. Is not its masonry of kiln-fired brick… three and a half square miles is the measure of Uruk!” The revelation that Gilgamesh has once he returns is that it is what he does with the life he has now that makes difference, as telling Ur-Shanabi to examine what he has built as it will always be known that Gilgamesh created this