Epic of Gilgamesh

Explanation and Analysis of the Document

The most complete copy of the Epic of Gilgamesh (known as the Standard Babylonian Version) was found by the English archaeologist and diplomat Sir Austin Henry Layard at Nineveh in 1853. It was composed on twelve clay tablets, which were no doubt damaged during the Median siege and sack of Nineveh in 612 BCE. Despite the fact that there are many gaps in the various versions, one can gain a fairly decent view of the plot of the epic (although Tablet XII, concerning the death of the hero Gilgamesh, appears to be unrelated to the other tablets). Mesopotamian tradition attributes the Standard Babylonian edition to Sin-leqe-unninni, an incantation priest who lived sometime in the late second millennium BCE. The Old Babylonian version is heavily fragmented and is missing the ending of the story. It is possible to give only a composite summary of the versions of the epic.

The epic begins with Gilgamesh, son of the divine Ninsun and the heroic king Lugalbanda, behaving improperly toward his subjects, who cry out to heaven for deliverance. The gods create Enkidu, a savage hairy man who lives apart from civilization with animals, to be a counterpart to Gilgamesh. Enkidu, humanized by bread and beer as well as by a harlot, comes to the city of Uruk to do battle with Gilgamesh. Although it is not entirely clear, Gilgamesh apparently defeats the wild Enkidu, who then submits to the king’s leadership. The two become close friends and go on many heroic adventures, including the conquest of Huwawa, a monstrous giant. Because of his heroic deeds, Gilgamesh garners the attention of Ishtar, goddess of love and war, who expresses a love interest in him. His friendship with Enkidu, however, has caused him to distance himself from ephemeral and superficial love, and thus he rejects the goddess’ entreaties. Spurned, Ishtar complains to her father Anu, who happens to be the king of the gods. Anu sends the Bull of Heaven against Gilgamesh and Enkidu, but they promptly defeat and kill it.

The penalty for this sacrilege, however, is death. The gods by lot determine that Enkidu must pay the price; Enkidu’s death profoundly changes Gilgamesh, who is now confronted with his own mortality. Thus, the king goes on a long quest for immortality, refusing to cut his hair or bathe while on his journey. His journey culminates in a meeting with Utnapishtim, hero of the flood. After a lengthy tangential narrative about the deluge, Utnapishtim encourages Gilgamesh to “take a bath” (that is, return to normal human life), although he does let the Uruk king know about the Plant of Life, which could reverse the effects of mortality. Predictably, the king finds the plant but selflessly wants to share it with his people (thus providing evidence that he has changed into a good shepherd of the citizens of Uruk). The plant is then snatched from him by a snake.

On the surface, the story appears to be depressing, as Gilgamesh failed to achieve physical immortality, but the epic ends on a positive note, as the Sumerian monarch was immortalized in word and deed. The reader is asked to examine the walls of Uruk, which were built by Gilgamesh, and to consider his great deeds and learned wisdom. One scholar has summarized the epic thus: Gilgamesh is a story about growing up.