Mesopotamia: The Hero Gilgamesh

Characteristics of a Hero
Gilgamesh
Shamash: Sun god
Ninsun & Lugulbanda: Gilgamesh's divine mother and mortal father, respectively
Aruru: The goddess of creation who creates Enkidu
Enkidu: A wild man created by Aruru
Shamhat: The temple prostitute who civilizes Enkidu
Ishtar: Goddess of love and war; desires Gilgamesh
Humbaba: Guardian of the Cedar Forest
Cedar Forest: Domain populated by Humbaba, symbolizing natural resources
Vassal State/Client King: Politically dominated regions under a more powerful king
Bull of Heaven: Sent by Ishtar to punish Gilgamesh
Utnapishtim: The immortal survivor of a flood, akin to Noah
Atrahasis: A flood narrative also from Mesopotamian literature
Katabasis: Descent to the underworld
Siduri: A tavern keeper who aids Gilgamesh in his journey

General Definition: A hero is a figure of special interest to the gods, often partially divine.
Common Traits: - Unusual birth from divine lineage. - Threatened life in infancy (thus a reason for their journeys later). - Exile during youth, often needing to prove themselves. - Possession of an alter-ego symbolizing inner conflict or duality. - Confrontation with a great adversary, establishing their heroism. - Has a helper—either divine or human—who assists in trials. - Usually marries a high-born woman, symbolizing social elevation. - Expected to undergo trials that lead to maturation. - Engages in conquest of the underworld, reflecting the hero's journey. - Faces a cruel death or disappearance of remains, often leading to cult-like worship. - Ultimately fulfills the heroic code specific to their culture.

Background: Joseph Campbell was a prominent mythographer whose works merged scholarly and popular discourse on myth and heroism.
Key Works: - "The Power of Myth" - "Hero with a Thousand Faces" (1949)
Monomyth: Campbell proposed a universal narrative structure—The Hero's Journey—characterized by common archetypes and stages shared across diverse cultures.
Polygenesis: Suggests similar narratives develop independently across cultures due to a collective unconscious.

Concerns Stated By Scholars: - Segal (1978): Campbell did not evolve with scholarly critique. - Ellwood (1999): Highlighted a problematic focus on idealized individualism at the expense of collective narratives. - Le Guin (2019): Suggested a shift toward collective heroism instead of centering on an individual journey. - Dundes (2004): Critiqued the lack of distinction between myths and folktales, suggesting an imposed value system on various narratives. - Nield (2022): Critique of Campbell’s monolithic views, drowning out cultural plurality; remarked on the reductive use of Jungian archetypes.

Historical Context: - The Epic of Gilgamesh is the longest narrative poem from Mesopotamia, dating back to around 2800-2500 BCE. - It reflects a historical king of Uruk named Gilgamesh, believed to have existed (documented in the Sumerian King List). - The earliest versions probably trace to 2100 BCE, while the Standard Babylonian Version, most recognized today, dates to around 1200-1000 BCE. - The epic serves as a model of kingship and reflects extensive narratives across different Mesopotamian cultures.

Timeline of Discoveries: - 1849: The epic was discovered at Nineveh. - 1998: Parts were found in a British Museum storeroom. - 1990s-2000s: A dream tablet was stolen and smuggled into the U.S. - 2021: The tablet was returned to Iraq. - New discoveries continue to emerge periodically.

Exploration of the manuscript timeline reveals: - Gilgamesh’s presumed lifetime: 2800-2500 BCE. - Numerous variants and shorter cycles dating from the 18th-17th centuries BCE. - The middle Babylonian versions indicate the text’s proliferation and variations due to geography and cultures. - The Standard Babylonian Version (SBV) is most documented and faced an archivization process in the Library of Assurbanipal around the 7th century BCE. - The flood narrative in Tablet XI links to other cultural myths via a shared narrative structure.

Key Deities: - An (Anu): Sky god and father of Enki. - Enlil: God of the winds (Lord of the Wind). - Enki (Ea): God of waters, crafts, and wisdom; a benefactor to humanity. - Utu (Shamash): The sun god. - Inanna (Ishtar): Goddess associated with love, war, and fertility.

The poem opens with a proclamation of Gilgamesh's profound understanding of the world and secret knowledge.
He sets down trials and experiences on stone tablets, indicating literary framing.

Divine Heritage: Gilgamesh is described as 2/3 god and 1/3 human, which sets the premise of his semi-divine quest for meaning and legacy.
Role in Uruk: He is characterized as an oppressive ruler, leading to the discontent of his people.

Creation: Crafted by Aruru, Enkidu represents the wild and natural, contrasting Gilgamesh's urbanity.
Civilization Arc: Enkidu undergoes a transformative experience after being seduced by Shamhat, introducing the theme of civilization vs. nature.

Enkidu's transformation leads to his estrangement from nature, symbolized by the fleeing animals, and marks his first step towards human society and rational thought.

Loneliness of Gilgamesh: Gilgamesh's dreams symbolize his need for a companion, fulfilled by the wrestling match that establishes their deep bond.

Quest for Glory: Gilgamesh seeks to confront Humbaba to achieve fame and enlightenment, revealing layers of ambition and legacy.
Divine Consultation: Ninsun, Gilgamesh’s mother, prays to Shamash to aid her son during his battle.

Divine Challenges: Gilgamesh receives prophetic dreams that foreshadow his trials to come, leading them to confront the guardian Humbaba.
Moral Conflict: The battle reveals ethical dilemmas; while Gilgamesh feels compassion, Enkidu shows unyielding resolve.

Divine Charm vs. Rejection: Ishtar’s offer is shunned by Gilgamesh, igniting the divine wrath that leads to further calamities. Gilgamesh's victory over the Bull demonstrates the conflict between divine will and human choice.

The anger of the gods leads to dire predictions for Gilgamesh and Enkidu, with prophetic dreams portending Enkidu's mortality.

Suffering and Remembrance: Enkidu's illness and subsequent death provoke profound reflections on life, fate, and mortality for Gilgamesh.

Gilgamesh's journey post-Enkidu's death involves deep exploration of grief and a search for immortality, leading him to Utnapishtim.

His encounters along the way underscore humanity’s pursuit of knowledge and understanding regarding existence, mortality, and the nature of life itself.