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Shahid MahdiMythology Block 1Ms. Ellis29/1/12 

Gilgamesh’s Unquenchable Thirst For Immortality  

The epic poem Gilgamesh’s protagonist expresses a foreseeable desire to attain

immortality. As with the Sumerian hero, his successors in the mythological genre including but

not limited to the Odysseus and Beowulf, emphasise the positive potentiality of enshrining

oneself with the laurels of eternal life. Immortality is oft percieved as either the byproduct of 

acheiving the initial goal or, as observed in Gilgamesh’s quest, the central goal itself. The

question is irresistible to us readers. Just why is breaching the constraints of limited life so

salivated for by Gilgamesh?

Gilgamesh’s personality is as complex as the ancient Mesopotamian art from his epoch.

 Which is to say that his approach and mentality is maze-like and impossible to define in a single

term. Given the mountainous stance he holds over his people, he’s bathed in compliments,

ranging from the “raging flood” (71) to being “unique among humans”(90), as quoth by his

fraternal love, Enkidu. This enforces his fettle of invincibility and arrogance; Gilgamesh

percieves the former to be on-par with the gods. In spite of the fact that he’s two-thirds god and

one-third human, immortality has somehow evaded his reach, and he’s

scavenged “mountains...wells...ocean...rising sun” (71) in search of this satisfaction. Enkidu

admonishes Gilgamesh that none amongst “men or gods” (92) is able to vanquish the vicious

Humbaba. Gilgamesh replies sternly: “I will make a lasting name for myself. I will stamp my 

name on men’s minds forever” (95). The third of meagre human in Gilgamesh is what defies him

from immortality, and so he only sees it fit to correct this by carrying out a seemingly 

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insurmountable feat.

 A second reason which bolsters Gilgamesh’s desparate search for indestructability is the

death of his companion, Enkidu. In the postmortem of Enkidu’s death, Gilgamesh sobs,

pleading “Must I die too? Must I be as lifeless...If only...I could...overcome death” (159). Though

Gilgamesh’s haughtiness was indirectly at fault for Enkidu’s death, his sole equal’s death is an

alarming reminder that a.) the gods shouldn’t be disrespected and b.) life can be withdrawn in

an instant at any moment. As stressed before, Gilgamesh believed that becoming immortal

 would cement his place alongside the gods. But now, with Enkidu’s death in hindsight, he

has “anguish”(159) in his heart and sentimental determination in his stride to continue his

titanic quest. As we’ve figured, it was futile, else he’d be with us today. The introduction,

however, is a true hallmark of the underlying eternity Gilgamesh did achieve-a tablet that

documents this very adventure. A relic that ensures a grin on Gilgamesh’s face upon his passing.