Analysis of the Quest of Gilgamesh
Analysis of the Quest of Gilgamesh
In the Epic of Gilgamesh, Gilgamesh fulfills the conditions of a quest story because he searches for immortality, overcomes hurdles, and gets help from others. In order for Gilgamesh to achieve immortality he fights monsters, conquer lands with the help of the gods and his friends.
Gilgamesh’s search for immortality begins when he fights Humbaba. After slaying Humbaba he realizes that he will not achieve his goal for immortality, but instead eternal fame. Of course this is no good enough for him so he then proceeds to talk to Utnapishnim. Utnapishnim is a man in the story who is immortal. He tells Gilgamesh his story of how he became immortal. He then tells Gilgamesh of way he to can become immortal. He would have to stay awake for seven days without any sleep. He not only fails this task but also sleeps for six of the seven days. Gilgamesh is then given another chance for his goal; there is a root in the bottom of a sea that will give anybody who possesses it immortality. He finds this root and on his way back to the village he finds a well. He decides to bathe in this well, while in the well a serpent attacks him. The serpent steals his root. So all he has to come home with is a story. His story is then put up on a great wall that will last forever. So he does not achieve physical immortality but his story is still told today.
Next on his quest for immortality, he overcomes obstacles. His first obstacle would be his fight with Humbaba. He thought that if he fought and destroyed Humbaba he would have immortality because he was thought to be unbeatable. When that didn’t work he searches for Utnapishnim, the immortal man. After he finds him he is given another obstacle, to stay awake for seven days and nights. When that doesn’t work Utnapishnim gives him another chance. Now he has to go search for a root at the bottom of a sea that will give away immortality. He decides to share the root with all of the elders in his village, which shows how he has matured as a person. His last obstacle...