Gilgamesh, the Arrogant

When I first heard we would be reading the Epic of Gilgamesh in this class, I was a bit excited. I had heard about this story from many people, my past teachers, television, even my mom had mentioned it a few times over the years. The fact that it was written more than two thousand years ago also piqued my interest, and so I wasted no time in opening it up.

            I immediately found after reading the first tablet that Gilgamesh was a very prideful character, to the point that it was actually damaging to the people. From the very beginning we see how tyrannical of a ruler Gilgamesh is, the people complain to the Gods about how he has sex with women on their wedding day, how he harasses the men to no end etc. When the Gods responded by creating Enkidu, I figured that this Epic was going to be a tale of how a proud, stubborn ruler meets his end at the hands of his own vices. I could not have been more wrong.

            Not only did Endiku not defeat Gilgamesh, but he ended up befriending him! The prideful ruler’s tyranny then continued to ensue, or so it is assumed.

            And now that Gilgamesh had a friend who’s skill was close to that of his own, what was the first thing he decided to do? No, not hang out at the pub and buy his friend a drink! That would be the normal, friendly thing to do. Gilgamesh decides to take his newfound friend on a quest to kill a vile ogre, whose power is believed to be second only to a God. Here is where Gilgamesh’ prideful hubris shows again: The Elder Council, as well as his new friend, Enkidu, all told him that embarking on such a quest was a fool’s endeavor, and that he best not go through with it; to which he responds with witty sarcasm, and a hearty laugh.

            So he embarked on his quest, and succeeded in killing the mighty Humbaba. Did he do so with grace and majesty? No. He did it in the most pride ridden way possible. He severed the beasts head, and then cut down an entire forest of Cedar trees in celebration. As if killing the guardian of the forest, Humbaba, was not bad enough, now he needed to further insult the Gods by cutting down the forest itself as well? This episode shows that Gilgamesh will stop at no end to flaunt his achievements in the faces of others, be they mortal or not.

            The next example of Gilgamesh’ pride is shown when he speaks to the Goddess, Ishtar. Ishtar asks for Gilgamesh’ hand in marriage, and he refuses; very impolitely of course. He doesn’t merely respond with a no-thank-you, but he proceeds to go on with a fifty-three line tirade of vulgarity and slander directed at the Goddess Ishtar’s cruelty toward men, when he himself has done those same things to women as shown in tablet one!

            Gilgamesh is an insanely arrogant character, but in my opinion that’s also what makes him a good character. In my eyes, he’s that character who is loved for his arrogance and cruelty toward others.