This epic was very interesting to read because of all the adventures that Gilgamesh goes through including his personal journey. His friendship with Enkidu is crucial for the transformation of his character. Gilgamesh is partly human (one third) and partly god (two thirds), so he has great strength, but he is deprived of the sense of morality before he meets Enkidu. This made me think about whether people always know how to use their power, or if they have to be taught and disciplined.
Every person needs to have an Enkidu in their life because he serves as a close friend, a brother and he helps people find orientation in life. Enkidu and Gilgamesh are great friends and they respect each other. Love is the driving force which makes Gilgamesh a better person. This noble feeling provokes the best in any person and most people find their true selves only when they are inspired by the power of love. This is heroic and people become immortal and brave when they have strong feelings in their lives. I was also inspired to think about mortality and about ways of achieving it because this concept does not belong only to the gods, but to humans as well because every person can leave traces by setting a good example in their life and inspiring other people to do good for the whole community. Selfishness never lead to anything good and people always forget those who think only about their own benefit. There is a right thing to do and Gilgamesh gets help from Enkidu in order to find his path in life.
When Enkidu dies, Gilgamesh understands that death is an inevitable part of the cycle of life. However, it is important to be selfless in life and then the myth is passed on from generation to generation because generosity and heroism leave traces that is immortalized in the souls of people who survive. In order to accept one’s mortality, a person has to accept the power in life and do the best they can to make an impact on humanity. Scientists and writers leave heritage which lasts forever as well as artists whose works are observed in museums all over the world. Students study in schools about the legacy of people who were generous enough to share their intellectual capacity with the world. Once, it is clear that there is no actual immortality, it is easy to accept death when a person chooses to leave a mark on humanity by making an effort related to the improvement of life on the planet.
Gilgamesh made me think about mortality and about the significance of life because life is short and it has to be fulfilled in order to have a meaning. Otherwise, there is no point in life at all. People are spiritual beings and their bodies do not mean much unless they are used in a proper way to help build useful things in life. It is hard for Gilgamesh, as for anybody else to accept mortality at first: “I fear death as I range o’er the desert, / I will get hence on the road to the presence of Uta-Napishtim” (Gilgamesh). Gilgamesh is like any other human who strives for immortality, but he finally becomes mature enough to deal with life and death in an adequate manner. The death of Enkidu makes him miserable and this is what happens to all of the people who lose someone close to them.
Every person can live eternally through their good deeds and through their children because they can leave mark on earth and make an impact on many lives. The key to immortality is in remembrance and great people are never forgotten. Greatness consists in being good, kind and generous, not only in being a genius. Heroes are remarkable people and all of them are mortal. There are fire fighters and surgeons who save lives every day and they will be immortal for sure because they have much impact on the lives of many people.
My conclusion is that people should do their best to live meaningful lives because it is their legacy to the world. What people leave behind matters and it is important to be useful and to sacrifice oneself for the benefit of the community. A person should live every day as if it was their last they in order to be highly moral in all situations. Feeling compassion and helping less fortunate people is the road to immortality.
Works Cited
The Epic of Gilgamesh. (n.d.). (R. K. Thompson, Trans.). N.p.: sacred-texts.com. Web. <http://www.sacred-texts.com/ane/eog/>
