Student:

Professor:

Course:

Date:

Why Gilgamesh was a Hero

Background

The story of Gilgamesh a semi-mythical ruler of Uruk in Mesopotamia is interesting and intriguing. Gilgamesh’s mother was Ninsun, a goddess and his father, Lugalbanda, was the half-god king of Uruk, making his semi-divine. Apart from some historical documents alluding that Urlugal his would-be-successor was his son, Gilgamesh’s education and family life remain conspicuously absent in the available pieces of literature. The Epic of Gilgamesh outlines Gilgamesh’s allegiance, looks, and strength depicting him as a true hero. Throughout the tale Gilgamesh constantly goes to war, seeking answers that would make Uruk a better place. Intelligence, selflessness, bravery and human strength are some of the qualities and attributes that made Gilgamesh outstanding, underpinning his profound influence that led him to became a 5^th ruler of Uruk. Quest to attain mortality, slaying the Bull of Heaven, scaling Mount Mashu, and discovering the plant of eternal lifeare some of the reasons that made Gilgamesh a traditional epic hero.

Career as a King

Gilgamesh was an outstanding king who protected the people of Uruk from external threats. For example, Dimock posits that he built and erected a high-rising wall that eliminated dangers posed by forces from outside the city. The Epic of Gilgamesh outline that the king had many achievements such as planting orchids, digging wells, and irrigation of plantation fields, nonetheless, the construction of the city walls remains his biggest accomplishment. Mesopatamia geography comprised flat, bare land that made cities vulnerable to attacks from rivals, as a consequence, to protect his people, Gilgamesh built a wall around the city of Uruk (Beckman). The king complemented the wall with a strong army capable of defeating enemies in the battle fields, therefore, as a good leader, Gilgamesh prioritized the well-being of his kingdom. All of this evidence shows that Gilgamesh devoted his strength in protecting the people of Uruk. Despite being a good ruler, Gilgamesh also had his shortcomings.

Through an arbitrary exercise of Gilgamesh used his power to get anything he wanted, for example, he demanded that he slept with unmarried women. According to Clarke, Gilgamesh would attend a wedding the forcefully enter the marital chamber before the husband to lie in pleasure with the bride. To be specific, Gilgamesh assumed that he had the right to sleep with whomever he wanted with or without consent. George and Farouk explains that his disregard of the law instilled fear among his people, forcing them to resent his action and begged for the intervention of the gods. All of this descriptions indicate that despite being a protector of the people of Uruk, Gilgamesh threatened the safety of all brides within the kingdom. Gilgamesh’s oppression affected the trust the people had in him, prompting them to seek internal and external intervention to control their oppressive ruler. Despite understanding his obligations, Gilgamesh failed when he became uncontrollable.

What Made Gilgamesh Outstanding

Why was Gilgamesh a Hero?

Gilgamesh depicted heroism after he defeated Humbaba, a giant creature. According to Lambert, the monster resided with the Cedar Forest and instilled fear into those who lived in the neighboring settlements as it denied people access through the forest....