Epic of Gilgamesh An Analysis Timeline Gilgamesh JE Priestly Enuma Elish Genesis Theogony Genesis Metamorphoses 1600 900 750 500 0 8 Before Common Era Common Era (BCE) (CE) Heroic Cycle Campbell • Call to Adventure • Refusal Common Day X Z • Supernatural Aid Hero returns with Travel from common day power to bestow • Crossing the Threshold into a world of benefits to supernatural wonder mankind • Belly of the Whale • Road of Trials • Meeting the Goddess Y • Woman as Temptress Supernatural forces encountered and • Atonement with Father victory is won • Apotheosis Supernatural World • Elixir • Return or Refusal of Return Levi-Strauss • Though myths typically seems arbitrary and random, there are common elements that illustrate universal laws of human thought. • “Mythical thought always progresses from the awareness of oppositions toward their resolution.” – Levi Strauss – Myths consist of opposing or contradicting elements • Ex) Mortality vs immortality, nature vs culture – Myth contains some kind of mediator to resolve those oppositions Epic of Gilgamesh • Gilgamesh (2600 BCE) – Historical Gilgamesh • King of Uruk, built walls, led Uruk in war of independence against Kish • Euhemerism – Mythical Gilgamesh • 2/3 God • Womanizer, demanding leader, residents of Uruk discontent Relief of Gilgamesh with Lion Palace of Sargon, Khorabad, 8th c. BCE The Story • Opens by praising Gilgamesh – He had the wall of Uruk built, the sheepfold Of holiest Eanna, the pure treasury. – There is nobody among the kings of teeming humanity Who can compare with him... Two-thirds of him was divine, and one-third moral. • Character flaws – Day and night his behaviour is overbearing... Gilgamesh will not leave any son alone for his father. Gilgamesh will not leave young girls alone, Anu often hears their complaints. The Story • Citizens of Uruk call to gods for help – Now create someone for him, to match the ardour of his energies! Let them be regular rivals, and let Uruk be allowed peace! • Enkidu created – She created a primitive man, Enkidu the warrior: offspring of silence, sky-bolt of Ninurta He knew neither people nor country; he was dressed as cattle are. – Enkidu causes problems for hunters, helping the animals escape traps The Story • Hunter goes to Gilgamesh for help – Gilgamesh gives him a harlot to seduce Enkidu. • Enkidu “experiences” the harlot for six days and seven nights. – The gazelles saw Enkidu and scattered, The cattle of open country kept away from his body, For Enkidu had stripped; his body was too clean. His legs, which used to keep pace with the cattle, were at a standstill. Enkidu had been diminished, he could not run as before. Yet he had acquired judgment, had become wiser. • Enkidu wants to befriend, yet challenge Gilgamesh – One who was born in open country has superior strength! The Story • Harlot continues to educate Enkidu on how to eat, drink, and dress as a human • Enkidu goes to challenge Gilgamesh, after hearing a man complain about Gilgamesh’s sexual improprieties. – They wrestle, Enkidu wins. Gilgamesh adopts Enkidu as his brother. The Story • Enkidu complains about getting lazy and complacent • Gilgamesh comes up with grand plan to kill the fearsome Humbaba • Enkidu does not think this is a good idea. – Humbaba, his roar is a floodstorm, His mouth very fire, his breath death. Why do you want to do this? An irresistible onrush is the trampling of Humbaba • However, they arm themselves and head to the forest – They stood and admired the forest, Gazed and gazed at the entrance to the pines, Where Humbaba made tracks as he went to and fro. The Story • With the assistance of the sun god Shamash, Enkidu and Gilgamesh strike down Humbaba – Shamash summoned up great tempests against Humbaba, Thirteen winds rose up at him and Humbaba’s face grew dark. He could not charge forwards, he could not run backwards. Thus the weapons of Gilgamesh succeeded against Humbaba... Gilgamesh slew him at the neck Enkidu strick at the heart. At the third blow [Humbaba] fell. • Ellil is kind of mad about this though. The Story • After battle, goddess Ishtar hits on Gilgamesh – Come to me, Gilgamesh, and be my lover! Bestow on me the gift of your fruit! You can be my husband, and I can be your wife. • Gilgamesh rejects her, harshly – She is an unfinished door which does not keep out wind and drafts, pitch that dirties the one who carries it, a water skin which leaks on the one who carries it, a shoe that pinches the foot of its owner. • Complains to God Anu, demands the Bull of Heaven – If you don’t give me the Bull of Heaven, I shall set my face towards the infernal regions, I shall raise up the dead, and they will eat the living, I shall make the dead outnumber the living! – Eventually, Anu agrees The Story • Ishtar sends down the Bull of Heaven but Gilgamesh and Enkidu won – Enkidu slaps Ishtar in the face with the Bull of Heaven’s shoulder • In retribution for this and Humbaba, the gods struck down Enkidu with illness – And Anu said to Allil, “As they have slain the Bull of Heaven, So too they have slain Humbaba, who guarded the mountains planted with pines.” And Anu said, “One of them must die.” – Enkidu whom I love dearly... the fate of man has overtaken him. All day and night I have wept over him, and would not have him buried – as if my friend might yet rise up at my loud cries – for seven days and nights, until a maggot dropped from his nose. TheThe Story Story • Seeks immortality by finding Utnapishtim – Because of my brother I am afraid of death; because of my brother I stray through the wilderness. His fate lies heavy upon me. How can I be silent, how can I rest? He is dust and I shall die also and be laid in the earth forever. • Reaches mountains of Mashu, guarded by Scorpion-men – Nobody has passed through the mountain’s inaccessible tract. The darkness is too dense, there is no light. • Passes through the darkness, emerges on the other side. – He came out in front of the sun. Brightness was everywhere. All kinds of thorny, prickly, spiky bushes were visible, blossoming with gemstones. • So what’s the point of this story? TheThe Story Story • Finds his way to the ferryman. They fight, but eventually make up and they cross the “lethal waters” to reach Utnapishtim. • Utnapishtim is not impressed with Gilgamesh’s goal. – Death is inevitable at some time, both for Gilgamesh and for a fool... Why have you exerted yourself? What have you achieved? You only bring the distant days of reckoning closer. • Utnapishtim explains his unique circumstances with Flood myth • To illustrate inevitability of death, he tells Gilgamesh to stay awake for six days and seven nights. Then, he might be worthy to achieve immortality. – As soon as he was sitting, his head between his knees, Sleep breathed over him like a fog. TheThe Story Story • As a sympathy prize, Utnapishtim’s wife convinces him to tell Gilgamesh about the plant that grants rejuvenation. – He gets it, but a snake steals it away. • Returns to Uruk with ferryman – Go up on to the wall of Uruk...and walk around, Inspect the foundation platform and scrutinize the brickwork! Testify that its bricks are backed bricks, And that the Seven Counsellors must have laid its foundations! One square mile is city, one square mile is orchards, one square mile is claypits, as well as the open ground of Ishtar’s temple. Three square miles and the open ground comprise Uruk. TheAnalysis Story • From a Levi-Straussian analysis, what are the overriding conflicts/opposing forces at play? • What other themes did you notice? Gilgamesh themes • Heroic values Group up: – Physical prowess, quests, walls of Uruk • Campbell’s Heroic Cycle Discuss examples that illustrate these themes. See book for details • Nature vs Culture 15 minutes – Seduction of Enkidu, Humbaba, Bull of Heaven • Immortality vs Mortality – Enkidu’s death, quest for immortality, inevitability of death Flight from Reality Return to Reality Immortal Achievement Walls of Uruk • Flood Story Realizes Goal is Impossible • Sleep Bet • Loses Plant Realizes Death is Inevitable Collapse of Impossible Goals Accepts Reality • Death of Enkidu Fame loses value Fears Death Horus and the Pharaoh Another Example Origin of Horus • Seth tricks Osiris – Tosses him in the river • Isis retrieves Osiris – Puts a baby in the fire (later version) • Seth rips Osiris to pieces – Scatters him across land • Isis jigsaws Osiris back together – Missing a piece Horus origin cont... • Isis flees – Raises Horus in secret • Horus killed – Resurrection • Battle – Seth vs Horus over the throne • Judgment of Horus and Seth – Placed before the Ennead – Weirdness ensues Meditation Moment • What do these myths tell us about the roles and characteristics a pharaoh is expected to fulfill? – Pharaoh is divine – Pharaoh is intelligent – Pharaoh can fight • Emphasized during New Kingdom • Thutmosis III and Ramses the Great.