(855) 4-ESSAYS

Type a new keyword(s) and press Enter to search


            An epic is defined as a long serious poem that tells the story of a hero or heroes. To be considered an epic a story must be consistently relevant to a human society but also carry immortal themes and messages. Some examples of epics are the Iliad, the Odyssey, and Gilgamesh. One of the most famous epics of all is probably the Epic of Gilgamesh. Not only is it very well known but it is also thought to be one of the first stories that were written down. With all the numerous and variety of events that happened in Gilgamesh, there are several lessons that can be learned from this age old epic. It shows one thing that has not changed from the beginning of time is that the fundamental laws of society never change, people are what they are and the nature of people will remain consistent till the end of time.
             The history of the epic is quite remarkable. Although it is thought to be one of the first stories carved in stone this is not the birth place of this wonderful epic. The legend itself was told verbally and passed on for many years. Scholars have dated the written version of the epic to at least as early as 2000 B.C. The tale is from the Sumerian culture and found on various sets of tablets in Mesopotamia. Each tablet has a slightly different story; some even have different events that took place. It is believed by most historians that because of the many different findings of the epic and the different variations of the story that is was not collected all in one piece or at one time. It has kind of evolved and grown by the many story tellers over the years. .
             Gilgamesh in the story is known as the King of Uruk. He was the son of the goddess Ninsun and a Uruk priest. So he is considered to be two-thirds god and one-third man. He was a very cocky and arrogant king who loved having control and showing how powerful he really was. He looked down on everyone in his kingdom. The people of Uruk viewed him as a tyrant, who was not fair to his people and would work them too hard for no reason at all.

Essays Related to Gilgamesh

Got a writing question? Ask our professional writer!
Submit My Question