IndexThe theme of mortality and human existence in "The Epic of Gilgamesh"ConclusionWorks CitedOne of the earliest pieces of literature to survive into the modern era is the ancient Epic of Gilgamesh Mesopotamia. It was written as a poem on 12 tablets in the Akkadian language in 2750 BC after years of being passed down through storytelling by the Sumerian people. Storytelling was used by the Sumerians in early times to orally transmit historical stories. The poem has no known author, but it is possible that it was conveyed through storytelling as a means of entertainment and a way to teach important cultural values ​​and history through Gilgamesh's quest for eternity. The poem tells the story of the life of Gilgamesh who was part divine and part human, king of Uruk, as he struggled to accept the concept of immortality. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on "Why Violent Video Games Shouldn't Be Banned"? Get an Original Essay The Theme of Mortality and Human Existence in “The Epic of Gilgamesh” The beginning of the poem portrays Gilgamesh as a ruler who abuses his power. Death didn't concern him. He lived as if he were immortal. He would enlist the community's children for his army and exploit young women. This led the inhabitants of Uruk to ask the gods to intervene. The goddess Arura creates Enkidu – “panther of the wild” – to balance the power of Gilgamesh. They become best friends after a battle between them called by the people of Uruk because they wanted to be defended by Enkidu. As Enkidu and Gilgamesh go through adventures fighting different battles, the gods decide that Enkidu must die. The loss of his closest friend made Gilgamesh realize that he was just like Enkidu and would die a similar, meaningless death. This is demonstrated by Gilgamesh stating, “Am I not like him? Shall I lie down and never rise again?" When Enkidu dies, he states that his "afterlife will be a place of sorrow." This indicates that Enkidu was not proud of the way he led his life and this may have been what prompted Gilgamesh to think about the fact that he was mortal is: does he really deserve immortality after raping young women whenever he wanted and treating his people like he did? to seek eternal youth. When Gilgamesh realizes that he may die, he decides to gain immortality. He meets Siduri, a tavern keeper, who sends him to find Utnapishtim. Utnapishtim had been granted immortality by the gods, but Gilgamesh will have to overcome several obstacles to reach it. After a difficult journey, Gilgamesh finally finds Utnapishtim who tells him that no human being can be immortal. But there is a plant that restores youth. After finding the plant, Gilgamesh decides to “make the plant it on an old man to test it." This statement shows Gilgamesh's fear of death as well as his true personality in having it tested by an old man. He could test it himself because you never knew if the system worked. It might have been poisonous, but Gilgamesh only cared about his eternal youth. The plant is then taken by a serpent while Gilgamesh is bathing. It is therefore not confirmed whether the system worked or not. This shows us that while Gilgamesh could easily fight visible forces like Humbaba and the Bull of Heaven, he did not have the power to fight immortality which is unknown. He does not have a physical form like Humbaba and the Bull of Heaven. Gilgamesh finally realizes that he is mortal and has no good deeds to show for himself, which leads back to Enkidu's final declaration: "The afterlife will be a place of sorrow." This.