The Gods And The Gods In The Epic Of Gilgamesh

The Epic of Gilgamesh is a fascinating piece of literary work that really displays the relationship between the civilians and the gods. Throughout the entire story, the people in Gilgamesh are working to please the gods, and in the end, they cannot do this. As one reads through Gilgamesh, they will see a continual pattern that shows how the gods are present in every aspect of life. The people of this time were born into a certain class and could very rarely, if ever, move up through society. There is nothing to live for in the afterlife. The people of this time believed in many gods and claimed that the gods were responsible for every natural occurrence. Heaven is not attainable for the people of this time, and this is just one of many reasons to be pessimistic. Humbaba was assigned as a terror to human beings, and Gilgamesh was …show more content…
The gods at seem self-interested throughout the readings. The gods will turn to destruction if they feel slighted at any time. The previously stated examples are all good enough reasons to be pessimistic. Ishtar is the best example, when talking about the gods' temperamental behavior toward humans. She felt slighted by Gilgamesh's refusal and used her power to harm him. She uses the Bull of Heaven as a utensil for vengeance. In the end, Gilgamesh was able to slay the Bull of Heaven along with the help of Enkidu. This is by far the best reason for pessimism in these times. If one tries to please the gods, but can never do so, how is there time to be optimistic. When the gods feel slighted, the ending is never good for the second party. The gods are very spiteful and quick to make a decision regarding humans, and in this case, Gilgamesh. It is very easy to be pessimistic when everything that has been stated earlier happens in everyday life. From Gilgamesh's fight with Humbaba to Enkidu's account of the afterlife, Gilgamesh and the people of this time have plenty of reasons to be