We All Have The Same Fate
As I mentioned in my last blog post, this epic reminds me of The Iliad. The fact that these two epics are so similar motivated me to continue reading (despite having to read for the class). When I first began to read, I got this feeling of excitement and adventure. After reading the last few books, I got a different feeling. The feeling of excitement and adventure switched to a more depressing feeling. I cannot find the right word to express the mood that is portrayed to me. It is not depressing or sad, but it is also not happy. It is more of a neutral feeling.
Books four through seven tells the reader of Gilgamesh's quest to find immortality. He not only wants to find immortality by living forever, but also by being remembered. Throughout the whole epic, Gilgamesh is obsessed with being remembered. It is not until the serpent snatched "The Old Men Are Young Again" flower on page 117 that the feeling changes. Of course the fact that Gilgamesh does not finish his "hero's journey" is anticlimactic and depressing, but also it is also realistic in a way. No human can achieve immortality. As Sophia mentioned in class, maybe the serpent was Ishtar seeking revenge on Gilgamesh. Maybe it was one of the gods or Shamash trying to make the point that immortality is not meant for humans. Although Gilgamesh is two-thirds god and one-third human, his human part prevents him from achieving immortality like the gods. He has the same fate as every other human: Death.
Sydney Snow
P.S. I commented on Philip's and Joshua's post!
P.S. I commented on Philip's and Joshua's post!
I really enjoyed this theme of shared fate. The lives of the Sumerians was unpredictable. There was, however, one predictable event: death. You couldn't tell when it would happen, but, no matter what you did, you couldn't avoid it. It's a little strange, but I believe there would be comfort in this fact. You can't do anything to stop it, so you might as well take Siduri's advice and live life while you can. It would also be comforting to know that even Gilgamesh, who was a king and two-thirds god, couldn't avoid the fate of death. I believe that this is one reason why the story was so popular.
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