The Epic of Gilgamesh is regarded as one of the earliest extant written works and is in many ways the foundation for every story that would come after it, from the Biblical story of Noah and the flood to today’s action-adventure superheroes. The Epic of Gilgamesh tells a tale of gods and monsters, and of two heroes—King Gilgamesh and his companion, Enkidu—whose impossible feats of strength, bravery, and cunning would fit easily alongside those of figures like Perseus and Hercules. Like the myths of other well-known heroes, Gilgamesh and Enkidu undertake quests, first killing the Humbaba, then slaying the Bull of Heaven who’s sent in retribution of this act; ultimately, Enkidu dies and Gilgamesh travels to the underworld hoping to retrieve him (Sandars). Though The Epic of Gilgamesh is stylistically very different than a modern novel, its place in the history of the written word makes it an excellent text to examine when contemplating the question of just what is literature. Looking at its major themes, and contemplating its similarities with modern stories, a critical reading of Gilgamesh suggests that literature is any text that uses the written word to examine one or more aspects of the human experience.
Though the term literature is always used to refer to written word, the more subtle connotations of the term are different depending on the context in which it is used. The most general application of the term refers to anything “written with letters,” though as David Damrosch points out its cultural meaning “refers first and foremost to poems, plays, and prose fiction—works of creative imagination written in heightened and pleasurable language” (Damrosch 6). Even in this definition, though, Damrosch acknowledges that “literature’s boundaries are blurry” (6). Whether or not non-fiction is included in literature and the extent to which the artistry of the language matters are the questions most often considered by modern readers looking to define the term in its cultural context.
While craft considerations like genre and language certainly play a role in what could be considered “high literature” or “good literature,” these are ultimately secondary considerations when looking for a definition that can span human history. Aesthetic tastes change; what was beautiful in one era may not be in another. Functionally, though, literature meant much the same thing to the ancient Sumerians as it does to modern readers: it was the means by which people could contemplate and better understand their world. The epic poems written in ancient times share key characteristics, regardless of their date and place of origin. These stories “celebrate the unusual and sometimes miraculous exploits of individual heroes, men assisted or thwarted by divine beings” (Davis 9). The heroes in these stories are often struggling against forces they cannot control in the powers of the gods—often tragically, as is the case with Gilgamesh, who despite his great feats cannot overcome death and save his brother Enkidu. The plot of the myth is ultimately a means to contemplate life, death, love, and fate—the major questions humanity has wrestled with since man could first consider his own condition, and which are still wrestled with in the literature of the modern day. Comic books trade the gods for superheroes; literary novels trade the gods for everyday people. Ultimately, though, all three genres often wrestle with the same key issues.
The invention of the written word was one of the most important developments in the progress of human history. Not only did it allow for better accuracy in business records and historical accounts, it also meant more thought and attention “was paid to this world and to individuals’ needs, which led to a new consciousness of the self” (Davis 3). However modern cultural interpretations of the term may change, literature is intrinsically a means by which humans contemplate existence and their role within it. This underlying motivation has remained unchanged across the centuries, and is the reason ancient literature like The Epic of Gilgamesh can remain so relevant to readers in the modern day.
Works cited
Damrosch, David. How to Read World Literature. West Sussex, UK: Wiley-Blackwell, 2009. Print.
Davis, Paul, et al. The Bedford Anthology of World Literature. Boston: Bedford/St. Martin’s, 2009. Print.
Sandars, N.K. The Epic of Gilgamesh. New York: Penguin Books, 1972. Print.
