Gilgamesh's last entry

This is the last entry on Gilgamesh and I wanted to write my best entry but honestly, I can't. The last section of the book was very confusing and I think that it has to do with the fact that the last tablet was a translation from the Akkadians. Altough it seems to be a part of the story, the way it is written has nothing to do with it and apparently the tablet used pure metaphors because it had nothing to do with what had happened on the past tablet.

It could be that the author added that tablet to leave the readers with confusion. This happened to me when I saw a movie called the illusionist. Everything on the movie changed in the last 4 minutes compleatly and my brain didnt have enough time to process the information so I ended up wanting to repeat it.

Reality (Gilgamesh)

Reality

“In the reeds nearby a serpent pf the place
became aware of the fragrance of the plant

breathed of the perfume, desired it, and approached,
and stole away with it among the reeds” Gilgamesh pg 80-81

Gilgamesh went trough the impossible looking for immortality and he faced a test which he failed by falling asleep. He was going to return empty-handed but Utnapishtim recognized that he made a terrible journey so he told him about the youth plants. When Gilgamesh got them, he hurt his hands badly bud at least he had something to return with to his town.

I think that the Serpent symbolizes reality and that the plants didn’t exist. When reality came, there were no plants because the plants never existed. This could be or not be a metaphor but it seems logical to me. The snake represents reality because a snake is harsh and cold and sometimes, that’s how reality is. The plants were fictional and that could explains why Gilgamesh presented his city to the boatman although he felt terrible for the loss of the plants

Lord of the Rings (Gilgamesh)

Lord of the Rings (48-65)

When I started reading Gilgamesh, Lord of the Rings (the movie) came into my mind. I ignored that idea because I didn’t have enough facts to compare them but after I read pages 48 to 65, I definitively knew they were similar indeed. In Gilgamesh, Gilgamesh has a certain mission, which he doesn’t know yet; he faces tasks impossible for humans and as great as he is, he suffers deeply and questions death.

In Lord of the Rings, the life on thousands depends on Frodo. Although he is a regular hobbit and there are many species stronger than him, he is chosen to save the world. During his journey, he fears and suffers and Gilgamesh suffered in his journey too. When he went to Utnapishtim, he had to do what no one did before. Gilgamesh traveled trough paths that created for gods.

“The old man spoke and said to Gilgamesh:
“Your face is bitten by hunger or by sorrow.

Why do you look like one who has undergone
a terrible journey? Why do you look like one

who grieves? Why do you wear the skin of a beast?
Why is it that you roam the wilderness?” Gilgamesh pg 62

In this quote, it says that Gilgamesh is weak and dirty. You can deduce that he is suffering intensely and this shows that even heroes have problems. Frodo suffered throughout his journey. He faced external and internal problems but in the end, he defeated them all and saved the world. I think that Gilgamesh will be faced upon a difficult decision later on the story in which he will have to sacrifice what he loves the most.

Another thing in which Gilgamesh and Frodo relate is in the companion. Both of them have partners who help them trough their missions. Frodo’s partner is very similar to him and is fully loyal. Enkidu was Gilgamesh’s companion and they were like brothers. Enkidu was fully loyal too. These are some of the aspects in which Gilgamesh is similar to The Lord of the Rings.

Anger (Gilgamesh)

Anger

I read pages 37-47. When I read about the decision of the gods’ council, I remembered various events of my own life. There’ve been situations in which I’ve got really mad at my friends. When any one insults my family, I tend to loose control and eventually attack physically. I am an aggressive person and when one of those situations happen, I seek revenge.

People try to calm me down but I block my self from the right thing to do because I want vengeance. Although sometimes I know I overreacted and know I’m wrong, I simply don’t obey to it and proceed with my initial goal. I think this was the case with Anu, Ishtar’s father. He wanted to avenge Gilgamesh’s behavior towards Ishtar so he looked for excuses to convince the other gods to punish them. He tried to stop them with the Bull of Heaven and failed and knew that the gods could make Gilgamesh and by consequence Enkidu, suffer.

I’d say he knew that he was pleasing his necessities and he wasn’t doing the right thing. He blocked himself from the correct path and caused an unfair death (in my opinion). I don’t understand why did the gods were convinced so easily. If they are gods, they are supposed to be wiser than humanity and I’d say that if a human council would’ve been responsible for the decision, Gilgamesh and Enkidu wouldn’t have been punished.

“I dreamed that the gods were offended and held a council,
And Anu said: They killed the Bull of Heaven

and killed Huwawa. One of them must die,
the one of them who felled the tallest cedar.” Gilgamesh, Pg 37


From what I read, Enkidu did die and I disliked that because Enkidu was my favorite character. I hope that some gods save him at last or that Gilgamesh saves him by performing a task because with Enkidu dead, Gilgamesh would be alone again. What will be Gilgamesh’s next task? What will happen with the unique bond they had?

Soccer (Gilgamesh)

Gilgamesh pages 21-39

"Two people, companions, they can prevail together,"
and Enkidu seized the Bull by the reeking tail

and Gilgamesh thrust his sword with the skill of a butcher
between the shoulders and horns, and they killed the Bull" Gilgamesh, Pg 34

This reminds me to my experience in the soccer team. As almost everyone knows a soccer team is made up of 11 players on the field. I play as a goalkeeper and altough I'm good at it, we lost many games. By playing yourself, you could do great things but not enough to win a match because you're facing another 11 players of the opponent team. Not even Pele won by playing alone. You need to work in companion to beat the other team. That is crucial for you in life if you want to succed.

The same occured in Gilgamesh. The Bull of Heaven was clearly a a superior being and it was stronger than any of this two by themselves. Enkidu tried and tried in every way he could to defeat the Bull but as strong as he was, it was imposible. Enkidu asked Gilgamesh for help and that is when they succeded. When each one attacked a different part of the Bull, they managed to control him and eventually kill him. Not only in soccer but in every aspect of life, working together is easier and more effective.

Temptation (Gilgamesh)

Temptation

Temptation is one of those things that most of us can't defeat. I personally admire those who overcome temptation because we are curious since we were born. Even Adam was overthrown by temptation when he ate the forbidden fruit. Every time they give me a paper directed for my parents I open it first and I know its wrong but temptation is stronger than responsibility. Temptation leads us to the unknown and the forbidden, it is a feeling that we all enjoy and that is why I admire those stronger than temptation.

In pages 7-10, the harlot seduces Enkidu and convinces him to travel to Uruk. Enkidu was distracted from his mission, he lost the company of his creatures and he changed his life for a women. Although he know that by sleeping with Shamhat some things would change, he did it because of temptation and desire. Enkidu felt strongly attracted to her so he forgot his current mission and slept with her. After Enkidu slept with the harlot, he went out looking for the creatures that used to be his companion but when they saw him, they fled and everything changed.

This shows that not even the most powerful person in the world can resist the temptations that this life has to offer. Every human makes mistakes because making mistakes is part of being human.

Competition (Gilgamesh)

Competition

Humans compete in life in order to get what they want. Whether they are competing on a soccer match, they are dueling for a scholarship or fighting among a girl, humans tend to compete for their goals. I can relate this scenario with an event that occurred in the story when two characters who believed they were unbeatable, fought each other for respect and personal satisfaction. People are found competing against each other everywhere in the globe and there isn’t one single culture that is exempt from this fact.

“Stormy heart struggled with stormy heart
as Gilgamesh met Enkidu in his rage.

At the marital threshold they wrestled, bulls contending;
the doorposts shook and shattered; the wrestling staggered,

wild bulls locked-horned and staggering staggered wrestling
through the city streets; the city walls and lintels

shuddered and swayed, the gates of the city trembled
as Gilgamesh, the strongest of all, the terror,

wrestled the wild man Enkidu to his knees.
And then the rage of Gilgamesh subsided.

He turned his chest away. Enkidu said:
"You are the strongest of all, the perfect, the terror.

The Lady Wildcow Ninsun bore no other.
Enlil has made you sovereign over the city."

Then Enkindu and Gilgamesh embraced,
and kissed, and took each other by the hand." Gilgamesh, Pg 15


In this part of the epic, Gilgamesh and Enkidu fought intensely for mere pride. Gilgamesh the Wild Ox, the strongest one of all, the perfect, the terror, had to prove to his city and to himself that he was indeed as special and strong as he claimed to be; and Enkidu, the hairy-bodied wild man of the grasslands, powerful as Ninurta the god of war simply believed he was better and stronger than him. They fought like animals and in that moment, the world stopped and both of them were thinking the same, I am better, I am the best and no one can defeat me. Finally, Gilgamesh proved to be stronger but he said that Enkidu was as powerful as him.

Competitions come to an end. When they stop, the rivalry usually stops. For example, when two people compete for a scholarship, they fight each other but after someone is chosen, the fighting stops and the rivalry turns into friendship. This occurred with Gilgamesh and Enkidu; they fought for pride but when the fight was over, they established a truce. They talked and they developed a relationship in which both content.

Will Gilgamesh and Enkidu become friends as the story develops or will they fight again later on the story?

Purpose of this blog

I am Ricardo and the purpose of this blog is to comment about the books that I read during this school year. I will analyze and compare the books with real life events as well as with books, movies and whatever comes to my mind when I read them.