The Role Of Technology In The Epic Of Gilgamesh

The Epic of Gilgamesh is an epic poem that tells a story of the hero and historical figure Gilgamesh, a king who ruled over the Sumerian city of Uruk sometime around 2700 B.C.E, as well as his companion Enkidu. The epic poem explores many themes, mainly humankinds coping with the inevitably of death, as well as their struggle against the natural world and the gods. Throughout the Epic, Gilgamesh uses Technology cultivate the natural world around him and bring it to a state of civilization. One scene in the Epic where Gilgamesh uses technology to cultivate nature is the one where he and Ekindu use their axes to cut down the cedar trees in forest after defeating Humbama in battle. Afterwards, the Gilgamesh and Ekindu plan to use the lumber from the tress to build a gate, with Ekindu stating, “My friend, we have felled the lofty cedar… I will make a door six times twelve cubits high, two times twelve cubits wide, One cubit shall be its thickness… Let no stranger approach it, may only a god go through.” By using their tools to cut down the …show more content…
Gilgamesh uses technology to cut down the trees, and in the scene he, “raised the axe at his side, He drew the sword at his belt, He went down to the forest, cut twice sixty poles each five times twelve cubit long.” Gilgamesh uses not only the technology of his sword and axe to cut down the trees, but also to fashion them into poles to be used to navigate the traitorous waters of death. Without being able to cross the waters, Gilgamesh would be unable to continue to pursue his quest for immortality, making the poles, a form of technology, essential to his journey. By using his sword and axe to cut down the trees and craft the poles, Gilgamesh harnesses nature to aid him in his quest to attempt to reverse the inevitably of his