Gilgamesh Themes, Episodes, Concepts

Sexuality and Temple Prostitute

sex can civilize, bring people to humanity

Civilization vs. Wilderness

sex civilizes people, Enkidu starts in wilderness but only becomes great when he comes to civilization

Gilgamesh's Journey

driven by grief searches for way to become escape death → eventually accepts his mortality, sees how much he has accomplished in life

Gilgamesh as warrior and king

War is ever present→ King must be a warrior, Gilg is first a builder, then a warrior, then a king

Gilgamesh's restless heart

After Enki dies Gilgamesh's heart is restless, he can't help thinking he must be subjected to the same fate as Enkidu--> goes on journey to find Utna to find out how to escape death

Uruk and Nature of the City

Uruk is typical original city, large wall around it protects/enables humanity but also encloses/controls it

Role of gods/polytheism

Gods(wonder, terror, mystery, power) but more human, Polytheism allows for more diversity→ acceptance of differences

The Flood

Gods couldn't control it, even gods at risk: water(source of life) becomes destroyer

Siduri's advice to Gilgamesh

Men are mortal, his journey to find immortality is futile, he should make the most of the life he's living

Grief and Enkidu's death

Grief of Enkidu catalyses Gilg's journey to find how to avoid death

Rejection of Ishtar by Gilgamesh

rejects/scorns her→ sends Bull of heaven to punish Gilg but he/Enk kill it→ Gods sentence Enkidu to death as punishment

Friendship

Enk/Gilg=BFFLs, friendship powerful

Utnapishtim and immortality

sees life extends past the individual(have family/culture), tries to get Gilg to understand this

Cuneiform

early form of writing, use reed stylus in wet clay to make wedges

Hierogamy

symbolic sexual ritual that guarantees fertility of land, prosperity of community, and continuation of the cosmos

Ziggurat

religious tower