Johnson 1
Shannon Johnson
ENG 24803-01
October 19, 2012
Critical Analysis: The Epic Tale of Gilgamesh
The Epic Tale of Gilgamesh is a poem about nature vs. civilization and the gods’ power,
and how the scheme of events can change the lives of the main characters. The poem reveals that
nature and civilization cannot intertwine, and the gods can and will overpower the people. For
instance, Enkidu was one with nature, and lived with the wildlife until it all changed due to a
Harlot whom seduced him and he became civilized. There are also stages of Gilgamesh that
describe the process of nature vs. civilization. The differences throughout the poem between
nature and civilization can be seen through each stage of the story. The first stage is Gilgamesh
and his evil reputation, the second is the relationship between Gilgamesh and Enkidu, and the
third stage is Enkidu’s death.
First, the poem reveals that Gilgamesh is an evil king that can’t be controlled, but is also
a hero who is wise and brave, but later is described as the king who is cruel and unkind. The
King Gilgamesh may be living in a civilized environment, but he himself isn’t tame or controlled
but rather the opposite, because he is cruel and evil to his people. Enkidu is a part of a wildlife
environment the animals graze on grasses and drink water and live in the elements of the
wilderness; it is Enkidu who is part of this wilderness where he protects the beasts of the wild
and is uncontrollable and free. Separated they are a chaos to the world around them, but together
maybe two negatives can make a positive. Therefore, the gods decide to create Enkidu, in order
for each of them to tame one another and restore balance: “It was you, Aruru, who created this
Johnson 2
man, now create a counterpart to him. Let him be equal to Gilgamesh’s stormy heart, let them be
a match for each other so that Uruk may find peace,” (“The Epic Tale of Gilgamesh” I. 70 pg.
76).Therefore, the Gods created such and named him, Enkidu.
Second, Enkidu is a wild half-man, half-beast that is as strong as an ox that lives in the
wild with the animals and is Gilgamesh’s other half. Therefore, once Enkidu was created, and the
two of them came together they established a balance and tamed one another. In addition, this is
an example of how the characters’ lives had changed for the better because balance was restored
for the people. When Gilgamesh and Enkidu decide to become friends because they are a
reflection of one another, their friendship involves journeys, dreams, and defeating monsters.
Even though their friendship helps the city it isn’t as graceful for nature. However, the nature and
civilization isn’t just between the main characters, but it is also differentiated between
environments as well; to define nature it would be described as an environment where an
ecosystem and balance coexist. However, the civilized environment, where the people cook meat
and drink ale as well as sleep in a hut for shelter to be safely protected from the elements. When
Enkidu loses his ability to bond with nature due to the harlot seducing him, the animals, who
were once his family and friends, flee because he was intimate with a human, and took away his
innocence of nature. It is curious that civilization is the difference between structure and
uncontrolled chaos. Perhaps Gilgamesh reflects the cultural aspects of the poem; for instance,
due to the Harlot’s seduction towards Enkidu it refers the city’s culture of having passion and
pleasure coexisting.
Next, many events that occurred in the Epic Tale of Gilgamesh happens to not only to
entertain, but to define a point such as an evil king learning his place in life, and to understand
Johnson 3
that life is short. For instance, when deciding to slay Humbaba, he tells Enkidu he is a traitor, and
how could he betray him after he has protected Enkidu throughout his life?
“To the large and small turtles which do not suck their mother’s milk! When you were
still young I saw you but did not go over to you;…Now, you have brought Gilgamesh to my
presence, Here you stand, an enemy, a stranger…I would feed your flesh to the screeching
vulture, the eagle, and the vulture!” (“The Epic of Gilgamesh,” V. 15 page 89).
Also, once Humbaba is slayed Gilgamesh and Enkidu decide to send the wood back to the city in
order to finish building the walls which is a symbol of nature being tamed and controlled by
civilization. In addition, Humbaba is a perfect example of nature because he is a ruthless, strong,
guardian of nature and once he is defeated it proves that civilization is there to control nature and
nature is there to be controlled which is a perfect example of nature being beneath civilizations
just as civilization is beneath the gods.
Fourth, when Gilgamesh attempts to be young forever it is proven to be impossible no
matter how badly humans yearn to be immortal.
“Gilgamesh was in despair because he lost his magical plant, his last opportunity for
immortality, which he believes is a sign that he should abandon his quest. But this loss was also
the moment of truth. Accompanied by Urshanabi the boatman, who has been forbidden to have
any further commerce with the immortals, he approaches the vast, beautiful urban expanse of
Uruk, with its cultivated fields and orchards and its towering ziggurat devoted to Ishtar, all of it
enclosed by intricately wrought walls. Gilgamesh, seeing it anew, regards it with pride and awe.
Offering up his realm for the boatman’s admiration, Gilgamesh repeats, word for word, the
opening lines of the epic. This is my city, he says. My place. He has quested to the ends of the
Johnson 4
earth for the meaning of life and found it at last in his own home. Thus ends The Epic of
Gilgamesh.” (“The Epic of Gilgamesh”).
Therefore, Gilgamesh ventures to the underworld to achieve immortality, but he fails by falling
asleep the first night. Then, he found a plant to keep him from aging physically, but a snake eats
the plant while Gilgamesh is bathing. These are an example of how it is in our nature to age and
to one day perish, and there is no spell nor herb or anything that can prevent each of us from
breathing our last breath.
Also, the writer provides an example of the gods and how powerful they are and how
they can do what they please to the people of Uruk. To the reader the gods have human-like
characteristics. When the gods becomes angry he or she basically has a temper tantrum and
lashes out which is deadly. For instance:
“Furious Ishtar went to heaven, to complain to her father Anu that Gilgamesh had
insulted her. ‘I want to trample Gilgamesh, the arrogant one,’ ‘The Bull of Heaven will
not only trample Gilgamesh,’ warned Anu. Ishtar assured her father that she would
prepare the city for the coming drought, so Anu released the Bull of Heaven to his angry
daughter.” (“The Epic Tale of Gilgamesh Tablet VI”).
This is a fine example of the gods getting what they want, and because Ishtar was angry at
Gilgamesh for rejecting her she unrealistically sends the Bull of Heaven on not only Gilgamesh
but the people of Uruk as well. Also, the Gods control who the people are, because he or she may
dictate what they feel must be followed and believed in, and if they don’t like something the
people did the gods tell them in their dreams. So, they either decide to fix the problem in order to
please the Gods or they prepare for their fate:
Johnson 5
“My friend, did you not call out to me? Why did I wake up? Did you not touch me? Why
am I so disturbed? Did a god pass by? Why are my muscles trembling? Enkidu, my
friend, I had a fourth dream, and the dream I had was deeply disturbing.” (“The Epic of
Gilgamesh,” IV. 105 Pg. 88).
Therefore, the gods make the people who they are since they send dreams to influence their
decisions and to change their motives.
Sixth, the Tale of Gilgamesh isn’t only about the entertainment of the story, but also the
literary aspects. The literary aspects of Gilgamesh is that the writer sets the mood at the
beginning of the poem to draw interest as well; for instance, “He who has seen everything, I will
make known to the lands. I will teach him the totality of knowledge of all. He saw the Secret,
discovered the Hidden, he brought information of the time before the Flood.” Truly, it sets a
mood and makes the reader think. Throughout the poem the reader goes through the feelings of
what the main characters are going through like when Enkidu is dying or when Gilgamesh fears
his life, “I am going to die!-am I not like Enkidu?! Deep sadness penetrates my core, I fear death,
and now roam the wilderness-.” (“The Epic of Gilgamesh,” IX. 2 pg. 99). Also, the poem overall
brings the reader to each situation and feels a part of the story, watching the scenario unfold.
Seventh, the aesthetics of this poem are very creative and expressed with imagery that is
very exquisite especially considering the time period it was written. Therefore, the first thing the
reader can determine is that the poem was developed beautifully except for the inconsistency
which will be discussed later on. Gilgamesh has many aesthetics of beauty and development
which really makes the reader appreciate the mood of the poem. For instance:
Johnson 6
“Seven days and nights I sat beside the body, weeping for Enkidu beside the body, and
then I saw a worm fall out of his nose. Must I die too? Must Gilgamesh be like that? It
was then I felt the fear of it in my belly. I roam the wilderness because of the fear.
Enkidu, the companion, whom I loved, is dirt, nothing but clay is Enkidu. Weeping as if I
were a woman I roam the paths and shores of unknown places saying: ‘Must I die too?
Must Gilgamesh be like that?’” (“Quotes and Analysis”).
The mood of this example shows the bond and love each had for one another, and really executes
the point of life and death. Also, it shows nature, at the beginning the gods brought Enkidu to
life, and now they brought him to his death which is what life is all about life and death. Truly,
the gods have the power to give life as well as take it away.
Additionally, in the epic tale of Gilgamesh the reader will notice a lot of inconsistency
which makes the poem very confusing. Since the reader is progressing and preparing for a
climax when Gilgamesh and Enkidu are ready to battle, but by surprise one little push solves the
matter and the both of them are friends forever which is a bit confusing. For example:
“‘Your mother bore you ever unique, the Wild Cow of the Enclosure, Ninsun, your head
is elevated over other men, Enlil has destined for you the kingship over the people’……. They
kissed each other and became friends.” (“The Epic of Gilgamesh,” II. 68 pg. 82).
Also, due to many cuts in the poem because the story isn’t completely present it makes the reader
lose focus and become confused. At one point Gilgamesh has a dream, and because a tablet is
missing the reader doesn’t know Enkidu’s response, and also when defeating Humbaba there are
many descriptions let out which really makes understanding and being involved in the poem
complicated.
Johnson 7
In conclusion, the poem has many examples of nature vs. civilization, and throughout
each stage there was a process with many different symbols of meanings of each situation.
Overall, the poem is a work of art that no other piece can compare to even though there may be a
few similar stories, none of them can compare to Gilgamesh because each story is different and
this one is a true work of art that describes nature and civilization as well as the power of the
gods.
Johnson 8
Citations Page:
“The Epic Tale of Gilgamesh” The Longman Anthology World Literature ed. Damrosch David,
Pike, David L. New York 2008 p.76-99.
“The Epic Tale of Gilgamesh Tablet VI” Academy For Ancient Texts. Carnahan Timothy R.
Nevada. 7 June 2001.
<http://www.ancienttexts.org/library/mesopotamian/gilgamesh/tab6.htm>.
“The Epic of Gilgamesh” Sparknotes. 2012.
<http://www.sparknotes.com/lit/gilgamesh/quotes.html#explanation5>.
“Quotes and Analysis” GradeSaver. Harvard College 1999-2012.
<http://www.gradesaver.com/the-epic-of-gilgamesh/study-guide/quotes/>.