The Epic of Gilgamesh
The very identity of Gilgamesh was that of a man, hero, king and a god. Like in any other epic, he is a heroic warrior who in constant struggle against the world. His commits himself to personal absolutes and at the end giving him the sense of moral growth. The death of his friend Enkidu became the catalyst for change. In this sense, the epic shifted to being a tale for it portrays the tale of growth. The discovery of suffering, limitation, death and meaning in life encompasses Gilgamesh life. But what does the author tries to portray? Perhaps it’s about the pursuit of the true meaning of life. Or could it be the awareness of death that changes a man?
Like in reality, we are in continuous struggle to survive. The attainment of power does not guarantee the happiness. Only through understanding the very purpose of our existence can we gladly see the meaning put into our lives. The sufferings, pain and struggles are bitter realities of life that molds our individuality and fosters our moral growth. As what is depicted in the epic, it is the experience of pain by Gilgamesh and his conflicts that transformed his indifference of death to a sudden dread of death itself.
Despite the enormity of his personal energy, Gilgamesh is unable to defeat death. As a human, he came to the realization that the greatest powers and achievements will not save him from dying. Ultimately, he has to come into terms with the nature of life and death which is the very theme of the epic. It is indeed, a lonely state for a victorious warrior. For no matter the greatness of his power, the realities of death he can never escaped.
The identity of Gilgamesh being a hero to a lot of people is what I wanted for myself. For what more can be fulfilling than that kind of stature. Like Gilgamesh, I would like to live at the time when the Gods speak to man. To experience the power they bestow to humans that no one could ever equate. For the devout believer in me, says that God is the truth and the life.
The wanders and the struggles of Gilgamesh remind me of the same circumstances I had in my lifetime. The victories that make me want to conquer the world and the defeats that seared my soul for countless times. Had I been given the power and greatness of Gilgamesh, I would defy the odds to win the battle I chose to fight. But life can never be too generous. If I may be defeated like Enkidu did, I would not hold any grudge. I would gladly accept what fate has given me and continue to journey to the path where the true meaning of my life lies. That is the teaching profession. By then, I shall live my life to the fullest, treating each day as if it was my last. I will do what I wanted and no gods can stop me from my vision. At the end of each day, I will rest peacefully with the thought that I have guided little angels with my teaching.
The dread of death will surely be experienced by all of us. Like Gilgamesh, man would battle against death. I don’t like to live forever like Gilgamesh wants. If death brushes my face, I’d gladly accept the fate bestowed to me even upon my birth. To me this is the very idea that the author tries to convey. It is about the appreciation of life as a gift and the acceptance of death that comes hand in hand with it.
Credit:ivythesis.typepad.com
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