The Character of Gilgamesh in the Epics of Gilgamesh - Essay Example

Ancient literature is marked with the mention of human beings with extraordinary powers with the ability to perform what normal men could not (Hunters 4). The Epics of Gilgamesh is one of such texts. The book is about a man described as being wise, perfectly built, and having the ability to tell secret visions. (Sandars III) The mans name was Gilgamesh. He was a king in a country called Uruk. Although he was tyrannical, his subjects loved and hated him with equal measure. He provided leadership and protection for his people as exemplified by the great walls he built around the cities of Uruk. Gilgamesh set out on a journey that would turn to be the savior of human kind. He would risk his own life to cross seas and wilderness in a move to find a solution for mortality. The Epic of Gilgamesh comprises of episodes that significantly mimic those narrated in the Bible like the Great Flood of Noah and the Cedars of Lebanon. Therefore, Gilgamesh is likened to men who made superhuman exploits in the Biblical times. Thus, as depicted by his deeds, the character of Gilgamesh from the text is tyrannical, heroic, committed, rebellious, wise, and manipulative.

Is your time best spent reading someone else’s essay? Get a 100% original essay FROM A CERTIFIED WRITER!

Order now

Gilgamesh is a protagonist as well as the antagonist in the text. He is also the hero and the villain in the land of Uruk. The character of Gilgamesh plays a central role in the development of the plot. In the prologue, the book describes the origin, physique and the mentality of Gilgamesh. It is from this prologue that the book is developed, explaining how the extraordinary abilities of Gilgamesh allowed him to rule his people with an iron fist and yet became to be loved by many. Gilgamesh is obsessed with sex. He sleeps with every woman who crosses his path. In one extreme case, he planned to have sex with a newlywed bride before her husband: the king to be first and the husband to follow. (Sandars 6) From the text, this particular episode is important since it marks his transition from being vicious to virtuous, when he meets Ekidu, a man equally powerful as him, Gilgamesh begins to express his noble character as he gradually drops his oppressive past.

Gilgamesh is an embodiment of both nobility and barbarism. His godlike abilities render him an idol among his people, first by developing their country, and second by sacrificing his happiness for them. He is a man of great deeds. After meeting Ekidu, Gilgameshs powers are augmented. Together, both men wrestle and defeat Hubamba, the monster in the cedar forest. They steal cedars for the sole purpose of construction of Uruk. At this juncture, the reader knows that Ekidus ability was not only conflicting with Gilgameshs but was also complementing it. In another act of courage, Gilgamesh tours the wilderness of Dilmun to find Utnapishtim, who ultimately offers him the continuity of human kind.

In conclusion, The Epics of Gilgamesh is a story of tyranny coupled with heroism. The two traits work in coordination to save the human race from extinction. Gilgamesh, the protagonist in the book, is from a superhuman lineage and possesses the ability to wrestle and defeat gods. His abilities are complemented by his great friend, Ekidu, whose death sparks Gilgameshs pursuit of Utnapishtim for the secrets of immortality.

Works Cited

Hunter, Richard. Plato and the traditions of ancient literature: the silent stream. Cambridge University Press, 2012.Sandars, N. The Epic of Gilgamesh. Penguin UK, 1972.