Imagine grasping eternal life in your hands just to watch it disappear before your eyes. Or imagine that the hardest journey of your life is finally over and you have failed to obtain the very thing you wanted most. Our story begins in a land known as Mesopotamia about four thousand years ago. There one of the earliest cities in history existed, called Uruk, which lies on the Euphrates river near the Persian Gulf. This city became famous for being the site of one of the earliest piece of literature ever created, The Epic of Gilgamesh. Although in this story Gilgamesh, the hero, is the king of Uruk, he is also partly a god. He is one part mortal and two parts divine, and as such, he was a being full of beauty and courage, but also as terrifying as a wild bull.1 The Epic of Gilgamesh is an adventure story with many exciting parts. However, one of the central themes of the epic revolves around Gilgamesh’s search for immortality.2
Gilgamesh’s quest for everlasting life begins when his friend Enkidu unexpectedly dies. The trauma from losing his dear friend scares Gilgamesh. Enkidu isn’t just a dear friend to Gilgamesh, Enkidu is like a brother to him. The gods had originally created Enkidu to help stop Gilgamesh from stirring up trouble, but after they met, they got along so well that they became brothers and went on countless journeys together. With Enkidu’s death, Gilgamesh is so terrified by the idea of death that he goes on a long journey to beat the inevitable. On this journey he meets several people who tell him that his journey is pointless and that he won’t find what he is searching for. But Gilgamesh doesn’t listen, and pushes forward regardless of what people say. He is so determined to find Utnapishtim, the only human who had been made immortal, but doing so he ignores what his body really desires, sleep. He completely exhausted himself to the point where he was near dying.
After a long and dangerous journey, Gilgamesh finally meets Utnapishtim, who tells Gilgamesh, “There is no permanence. Do we build a house to stand forever, do we seal a contract to hold for all time?…. When the Anunnaki, the judges, come together, and Mammetun the mother of destinies, together they decree the fates of men. Life and death they allot but the day of death they do not disclose.”3 Even with the wise information that Utnapishtim tells him, Gilgamesh is still in pursuit of immortality, so Utnapishtim decides to put him up to a test. The test requires him to stay awake for six days and seven nights, but Gilgamesh ultimately fails the test. Utnapishtim had a kind heart and told him that, instead of obtaining immortality, he might obtain youthfulness. There was a plant in the sea that can restore one’s youth. So of course Gilgamesh doesn’t hesitate in jumping in to find this plant. He finally gets the key to youthfulness, and decides to rest and relax, because he believes his troubles are over. With his guard down, a snake snatches the plant away from him and the plant is gone forever.
Gilgamesh finally accepts this fate, and goes back to the land of Uruk. Although he never got immortality, he did get what he needed. Throughout the story the same line recurs about what is he suppose to do after Enkidu’s death, which is just to live his normal, mortal life.4 Once he returns, he writes on a wall the story of his long journey for immortality. The world may never know if there was a real living, breathing ruler named Gilgamesh, but at least for now we have a legendary one that will last forever.
- Jerry Bentley, Herbert Ziegler, and Heather Streets Salter, Traditions & Encounters: A Brief Global History Volume 1. 4th edition (New York: McGraw Hill, 2015), 5. ↵
- Tzvi Abusch, “The Development and Meaning of the Epic of Gilgamesh: An Interpretive Essay,” Journal of the American Oriental Society 121, no. 4 (2001): 614. ↵
- Nancy K. Sanders, The epic of Gilgamesh (Harmondsworth, Middlesex: Penguin Books, 1964), 23. ↵
- Nicola Vulpe, “Irony and the Unity of the Gilgamesh Epic,” Journal of Near Eastern Studies 53, no. 4 (1994): 280. ↵
93 comments
Olivia Tijerina
What if Gilgamesh did pass the test, it would seem probable for his case by his determination for such task to become true? The message tells of a journey of Gilgamesh that would take place after the death of his true friend, a friend that stood as a brother to him. The death developed a fear of the unknown and in attempt to be mortal, and afterwards youthful, the challenge could not be met and Gilgamesh accepts a life to be lived.
Michael Thompson
I had to read the legend of Gilgamesh in high school. I think that this story really was a good basis on what all literature and stories become. Obviously once Shakespeare comes in, it evolves to something large and ginormous, but as the first story, you can see the outline for every other story. The hero, and his mission. And I liked the story, just like this article.
Emmanuel Ewuzie
I would murder that snake. I don’t like to being with. I prefer to keep my distance from them but, if a snake to the one thing I suffered and strived for, I would be livid. I would strangle that snake with my own hands. On another note, the story just reminded me to enjoy life because it will be over before you know it.
Cynthia Perez
I really enjoyed this simple yet tasteful article. It illuminated the significance of mortality rather than the common lust for immortality alone. Of course Gilgamesh was searching for immortality at first, seemingly knowing how many stories follow that focus of romanticizing something humanly impossible, but this story in particular gave value to the normalcy of life. Showing and reminding Gilgamesh of the value his ordinary life holds and that immortality isn’t that much more desirable. His journey of internal knowledge and self seeking answers truly made for a meaningful story.
Julia Edwin-Jeyakumar
That’s kinda hilarious. I remember in Latin class when I heard of a similar story of a guy who loved himself so much he couldn’t stop staring at himself in the pool of water. I love these stories and different explanations different cultures use to explain the world today. This was definitely an interesting read, and I would definitely recommend it!
Jordyn Troub
I’m learning about Gilgamesh in class and this extra information really helps. I’ve read this story too in class but it gives me a better understanding of what the story is about. Thank you. I’m doing a big board game project inspired by this story
Roberto Rodriguez
I know a lot of people that have read the Epic of Gilgamesh, and I have always wanted to read it. It is crazy to think that the oldest piece of literature still has relevant lessons today. It rightfully is still being read today, the story is amazing and it is a timeless tale. Even though this article gave a great summary of the Epic of Gilgamesh, I feel like I still have to read it for myself. I am even more motivated to still read the actual epic to fully appreciate the story and writing. Great article!
Nicholas Robitille
I had never heard of the Epic of Gilgamesh before today, but it seems to be a very bittersweet tale of loss and acceptance. Gilgamesh goes on an epic journey without ending up with what he originally wanted or the backup. In the end, though, he ends up with an appreciation for life, so I suppose there was a net gain. In the end, I suppose, the point is that he got what he needed instead of what he wanted, and learned a little about life on the way.
Sebastian Azcui
I remember Gilgamesh back from High School and he is someone very interesting. The epic story of Gilgamesh is a fantasy and quite a journey. He goes in search of inmoratility. At the beginning inmortality sounds crazy, but Gilgamesh went after it and took a really long journey. At the end of this journey, Gilgamesh learns to accept himself and accept that life is not forever. He came back from the journey with nothing, but a great lesson he discovered.
Mauro Bustamante
Internal life really be something amazing, just thinking of the phrase immortality seems like a fantasy be someone who actually went on a journey searching for immortality really amazes me. His epic journey in which he learns to accept the impermanence of life and time. Although he ultimately comes back to his kingdom in Mesopotamia empty-handed, he learned a valuable lesson in the circle of life and writes this story into a wall. This article brought out fantasy and somehow made it into something that can possibly happen, search for immortality is something that many people in this world probably want.