The Epic of Gilgamesh

A detailed Summary of The Epic of Gilgamesh

I noticed two main underlying themes in The Epic of Gilgamesh, fighting a common foe or working toward a common goal forms close ties between people, and man's natural fear of death.

In the story Gilgamesh and Enkidu started out as enemies, the first time that they ever saw each other they joined in fierce combat. It wasn't until Enkidu withdrew, accepting Gilgamesh's supremacy that the battle ended. It was because of this battle that two started to become friends, in the way that two modern day opposing athletes would. Out of respect for each others' abilities and the way they "play the game" so to speak. And as time went on they faced many dangers and had many adventures, each bringing them closer to each other than the last. By walking the same path and fighting the same battles the two went from enemies t

On another note, after reading I was left with a burning question. You see, during the reading I became confused as to what the Deluge that they kept talking about was. I did not understand it until near the end of the story, but once it was explained it sounded very familiar. Which left me wondering is this the same story as Noah's Arch? And if not which came first?

Then there is the fear of death which everyone, no matter how brave, feels at some point. After Enkidu's death Gilgamesh is slapped in the face by the realization that life is fleeting and he too will die someday, and this terrifies him. So he embarks on a quest for the secret of eternal life, which in the end only brings him even closer to death. He endured many hardships and challenges in the course of his journey which took their toll on h

Some common words found in the essay are:
Gilgamesh Enkidu, Epic Gilgamesh, , fear death, Noah's Arch, death matter,

Approximate Word count = 551
Approximate Pages = 2 (250 words per page double spaced)

Category: English

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The Epic of Gilgamesh

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