The Epic of Gilgamesh

Montserrat Navarro
Dr. A.J.E. Bell
Hist 105 European Civilization
The Gods in the Epic Of Gilgamesh
“I have been looking at you, but your appearance is not strange- you are like me! You
yourself are not different- you are like me” (97)! In the Epic of Gilgamesh, the Gods are very
similar to the humans. Although the Gods come off as powerful and constantly interfere with the
lives of humans, they share the same feelings and emotions. The book symbolizes that both the
mortals and Gods must work together to balance one another.
In the Epic of Gilgamesh, the people complain that Gilgamesh, the king of Uruk, does not
treat them well because he abuses his power by sleeping with multiple women. Soon enough,
Aruru, the Goddess of creation, creates Enkidu to help shape Gilgamesh. Enkidu is a very wild
man who had a prostitute named Shamhat sent to him by Gilgamesh to seduce him which caused
him to lose his innocence and truly become a man. Aruru is an example of how she interfered
with Gilgamesh’s life. Instead of disciplining him for wrong actions, she creates another man to
equal him. Not only does this example show the power of females, but depicts the role of the
Gods. Aruru, with no warning created another person to distract Gilgamesh from his
objectionable actions. Humans are expected to obey the Gods. Aruru could have simply punished
Gilgamesh for his wrong actions, but instead she helped better him and created a distraction for
him. Later in the play, Shamash, the sun God, protects Gilgamesh on his way to the cedar forest.
As Gilgamesh and Enkidu encounter Humbaba, a giant protecting the forest, Shamash sends men
to from all directions to blast Humbaba and secure Gilgamesh. Throughout his journey,
Gilgamesh prayed to Shamash every night. Although, Shamash is a God, both men get along
very well that it’s very hard to distinguish the relationship with God versus human besides the
power Shamash has. When Enkidu is dying, Shamash was also there for him, he tells him, “Now
Gilgamesh is your beloved brother-friend! He will have you lie on a grand couch, and will have
you lie in the seat of ease…”(63) This scene really shows that no matter what power or title,
humans and Gods have the same feelings. Enkidu is dying and Shamash is by his side telling him
comforting words and giving him wise advice instead of just letting him rot. All pride is set aside
and the true feelings are uncovered.
After Enkidu’s death, Gilgamesh discovers he is not immortal and decides to find the key
of immortality which is where his journey begins. Along the way he meets several different Gods
such as Ishtar, the Goddess of love and war; Enlil is the God that suggests that mankind should
be destroyed by a flood. Last but not least, Ea, the God of fresh water that helped Utnapishtim,
an immortal human, escape the storm. Not all the Gods are pure and protecting as Shamash.
Enlil, as written in the script is a proud and impulsive God. He later discovers that although he is
superior to humans, he can not destroy mankind. Ishtar allows all hell to break loose. After
Gilgamesh and Enkidu kill Humbaba, she gains feelings for Gilgamesh and asks to marry him.
When Gilgamesh rejects her, she plots to send down the Bull of Heaven and punish both Enkidu
and Gilgamesh. This ancient epic demonstrates that Gods are not more divine than mortals. In
this scene specifically, the divine powers of Ishmar are used poorly and child-like.
At the time this work was work was written, from 2700 B.C. to 600 B.C in Mesopotamia,
Gods all play a different role. There is a God in charge of fresh water, making wine, vegetation,
the sun, and love. They are actual people who interact with mortals. In modern times, such as
today, Gods are spiritual. They are not physically existing and they are not in charge of the sun or
the winds. Instead there are different types of religions such as Christianity, Judaism, Buddhism,
etc. each with their own Gods and beliefs. On the other hand, Sumerian Gods had human-like
traits. Mankind’s role was to serve the Gods. In the Epic Of Gilgamesh, Gilgamesh is two-thirds
God and one-third mortal. The only difference between him and a Sumerian God is that he is
considered an epic hero rather than a God. He is independent before and after Enkidu dies, and
goes on a journey searching for the key of immortality. He goes through a divine birth and
encounters many Gods in his journey, but he isn’t a “real” God because he isn’t immortal. In the
end, after his quest, he is forced to return home to his mortal life.
Through the creation of Enkidu, Shamash’s rescue, and Ishmar’s revenge, the Epic of
Gilgamesh portray the Sumerian Gods with human-like features and actions. The Gods have
feelings and emotions just as the mortals do. They interact with the mortals and are barely
different to mankind. Throughout generations, the stereotype of Gods has changed dramatically,
what will it be like in the next 1,000 years?

WORK CITED
" ." Sumerian Religion. N.p., n.d. Web. 04 Oct. 2016.
By around 2500 BCE, the Sumerians Had Become Individualistic. "Sumerian Polytheism, Sin
and a Great Flood Myth." Sumerian Polytheism, Sin and a Great Flood Myth. N.p., n.d. Web. 04
Oct. 2016.
By Pushing Himself past Disappointment and Grief and Focusing on the Needs of His People,
Gilgamesh Triumphs and Becomes an Even Nobler Sort of Hero. "What Made Gilgamesh an
Epic Hero?" Education. N.p., n.d. Web. 04 Oct. 2016.
Infoplease. Infoplease, n.d. Web. 04 Oct. 2016.
Kovacs, Maureen Gallery. The Epic of Gilgamesh. Stanford, CA: Stanford UP, 1989. Print.
Shmoop Editorial Team. "Gilgamesh in The Epic of Gilgamesh." Shmoop.com. Shmoop
University, Inc., 11 Nov. 2008. Web. 04 Oct. 2016.
"What Is the Role of Gods in The Epic of Gilgamesh? | ENotes." Enotes.com. Enotes.com, n.d.
Web. 04 Oct. 2016.

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Montserrat Navarro

Dr. A.J.E. Bell

Hist 105 European Civilization

The Gods in the Epic Of Gilgamesh

mortals and Gods must work together to balance one another.

and the true feelings are uncovered.

what will it be like in the next 1,000 years?

" ." Sumerian Religion. N.p., n.d. Web. 04 Oct. 2016.

Epic Hero?" Education. N.p., n.d. Web. 04 Oct. 2016.

Infoplease. Infoplease, n.d. Web. 04 Oct. 2016.

Shmoop Editorial Team. "Gilgamesh in The Epic of Gilgamesh." Shmoop.com. Shmoop

University, Inc., 11 Nov. 2008. Web. 04 Oct. 2016.

Web. 04 Oct. 2016.

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