The Tin Man Gets His The Tin Man Gets His Heart: Heart: GilgameshGilgamesh #3 #3

FeracoFeraco

Myth to Science FictionMyth to Science Fiction

5 October 20095 October 2009

Fragments Shored Against My Fragments Shored Against My RuinsRuins While the first half of the epic is about While the first half of the epic is about

losing the things you care about, the losing the things you care about, the second is about what T.S. Eliot wrote second is about what T.S. Eliot wrote about in about in The Waste Land: The Waste Land: shoring up shoring up fragments against the ruins of the pastfragments against the ruins of the past

From Gilgamesh’s all-consuming grief to From Gilgamesh’s all-consuming grief to Utnapishtim’s tales of loss, from the flood Utnapishtim’s tales of loss, from the flood to the plant’s destruction, we never forget to the plant’s destruction, we never forget the consequences of life that is lived, nor the consequences of life that is lived, nor that nothing can be protected from the that nothing can be protected from the whims of the universe foreverwhims of the universe forever

But in the forms of Siduri and Utnapishtim But in the forms of Siduri and Utnapishtim himself, we find something different – himself, we find something different – something penetrating the gloom to offer something penetrating the gloom to offer us a chance, however incomplete, of us a chance, however incomplete, of healinghealing

Creating the Myth: Healing Creating the Myth: Healing MythsMythsAlthough the hero myth is the most popular story, Although the hero myth is the most popular story,

many myths involve healing. In these stories, many myths involve healing. In these stories, some character is "broken" and must leave home some character is "broken" and must leave home to become whole again.to become whole again.

The universal experience behind these healing The universal experience behind these healing stories is our psychological need for stories is our psychological need for rejuvenation, for balance…Something is out of rejuvenation, for balance…Something is out of balance, and the mythic journey moves toward balance, and the mythic journey moves toward wholeness.wholeness.

Being broken can take several forms. It can be Being broken can take several forms. It can be physical, emotional, or psychological. Usually, it's physical, emotional, or psychological. Usually, it's all three. In the process of being exiled or hiding all three. In the process of being exiled or hiding out in the forest, the desert, or even the Amish out in the forest, the desert, or even the Amish farm in farm in WitnessWitness, the person becomes whole, , the person becomes whole, balanced, and receptive to love. Love in these balanced, and receptive to love. Love in these stories is both a healing force and a reward.stories is both a healing force and a reward.

Linda SegerLinda Seger

Fear ItselfFear Itself

Gilgamesh seeks out Utnapishtim because Gilgamesh seeks out Utnapishtim because he is the only human who can live forever, he is the only human who can live forever, the only one who knows “the secret” of the only one who knows “the secret” of how one overcomes death. how one overcomes death.

When he sets out on his journey, When he sets out on his journey, Gilgamesh begins to experience things Gilgamesh begins to experience things he’s never – or rarely – known beforehe’s never – or rarely – known before

For example, he hears the sounds of For example, he hears the sounds of animals moving towards him in the night, animals moving towards him in the night, and fears them for the first time; now that and fears them for the first time; now that he knows how it feels to be protected by he knows how it feels to be protected by someone else, he’s painfully aware of that someone else, he’s painfully aware of that presence’s absencepresence’s absence

Take a BowTake a Bow

Next, he encounters the Scorpion Next, he encounters the Scorpion people – monsters whose glances kill, people – monsters whose glances kill, and who guard the passage and who guard the passage Gilgamesh must take to meet Gilgamesh must take to meet UtnapishtimUtnapishtim

Mortal men do not pass them; it’s rare Mortal men do not pass them; it’s rare that someone even attempts to do sothat someone even attempts to do so

Gilgamesh only survives because he Gilgamesh only survives because he bows – something that must have bows – something that must have seemed foreign to him – and because seemed foreign to him – and because his partially divine origins offer him his partially divine origins offer him some protectionsome protection

Into the DarkInto the Dark

The Scorpion man is, in some ways, a The Scorpion man is, in some ways, a parallel to Gilgamesh; he fears parallel to Gilgamesh; he fears “sentiment’s” impact on his “sentiment’s” impact on his judgment, and Gilgamesh realizes as judgment, and Gilgamesh realizes as he departs that they indeed fear his he departs that they indeed fear his journeyjourney

It’s unclear whether they fear his It’s unclear whether they fear his loss or his successloss or his success

At any rate, Gilgamesh must walk At any rate, Gilgamesh must walk through literal blackness for days, through literal blackness for days, utterly alone – a simple but effective utterly alone – a simple but effective metaphor for the initial stage of metaphor for the initial stage of deep griefdeep grief

Valley (with a Shadow of Valley (with a Shadow of Death)Death) When he emerges from the passage, When he emerges from the passage,

he gazes upon a beautiful valley – he gazes upon a beautiful valley – lush, verdant, overflowing with lifelush, verdant, overflowing with life

As with the passage, this sight As with the passage, this sight serves as a metaphor for the serves as a metaphor for the grieving processgrieving process

Namely, that life – in all its mixed Namely, that life – in all its mixed splendor, its pleasures and pains – splendor, its pleasures and pains – awaits those who wish to continueawaits those who wish to continue

Love HurtsLove Hurts

Gilgamesh is not ready to rejoin the Gilgamesh is not ready to rejoin the living world; this reminder of glory living world; this reminder of glory only makes him ache for what he’s only makes him ache for what he’s lost even more deeplylost even more deeply

He repeats Enkidu’s name and their He repeats Enkidu’s name and their exploits together for an extended exploits together for an extended period of time, explaining the depths period of time, explaining the depths of his sorrow to no one but himself – of his sorrow to no one but himself – evoking nothing so much as a evoking nothing so much as a scratched record skipping in an scratched record skipping in an empty roomempty room

Burn the MapsBurn the Maps

This does nothing to promote healing, This does nothing to promote healing, for he’s incapable of healing himself; for he’s incapable of healing himself; he’s back to tearing at his world, he’s back to tearing at his world, oblivious to the larger world around oblivious to the larger world around him except to acknowledge that the him except to acknowledge that the valley has no way to understand his valley has no way to understand his painpain

After all, it’s a private pain; we can After all, it’s a private pain; we can never really feel that which we wish never really feel that which we wish to heal in othersto heal in others

This doesn’t mean, however, that This doesn’t mean, however, that “others” cannot do some good“others” cannot do some good

Up on the RocksUp on the Rocks

We meet the first of these others in the We meet the first of these others in the person of Siduri, a barmaid by the sea person of Siduri, a barmaid by the sea

Ordinarily meant to evoke both endless Ordinarily meant to evoke both endless possibility with its scope and the cyclical possibility with its scope and the cyclical nature of life with its tides, the water here nature of life with its tides, the water here is the Sea of Deathis the Sea of Death

We also remember that most life perished We also remember that most life perished in a great floodin a great flood

Just as we see that the Tigris and Just as we see that the Tigris and Euphrates can bring life, we’re reminded Euphrates can bring life, we’re reminded that water, like life itself, has a dual that water, like life itself, has a dual nature, and that it can bring pain as easily nature, and that it can bring pain as easily as salvationas salvation

Become What You HateBecome What You Hate Grief has transformed Gilgamesh into Grief has transformed Gilgamesh into

something monstrous, both violent and something monstrous, both violent and weakened; he’s lost weight, clothed weakened; he’s lost weight, clothed himself in the skins of beasts, and looks himself in the skins of beasts, and looks barely humanbarely human

His rage spills in every direction, and she His rage spills in every direction, and she – the first mortal he encounters – shrinks – the first mortal he encounters – shrinks from him as one shrinks from an inferno, from him as one shrinks from an inferno, rejecting his claims and minimizing his rejecting his claims and minimizing his grief (just as he minimized Enkidu’s initial grief (just as he minimized Enkidu’s initial pain at Humbaba’s gate)pain at Humbaba’s gate)

Our instinct is to retreat from pain, even Our instinct is to retreat from pain, even from others’, and it is a special person from others’, and it is a special person who willingly walks closer to that blazewho willingly walks closer to that blaze

Bear the BurdenBear the Burden

Siduri eventually comforts him – a Siduri eventually comforts him – a reverse negative of the prostitute’s reverse negative of the prostitute’s encounter with Enkidu – and tells encounter with Enkidu – and tells him that voyaging forward alone will him that voyaging forward alone will only bring him sorrowonly bring him sorrow

No man is an islandNo man is an island But he rejects her – just as she But he rejects her – just as she

counsels him counsels him notnot to do – and treats to do – and treats her compassion as a burden to be her compassion as a burden to be thrown off thrown off

Losing MyselfLosing Myself

Siduri angrily tells him to seek Siduri angrily tells him to seek Urshanabi, who can show him the Urshanabi, who can show him the way across the water – but also tells way across the water – but also tells him that he will fail, because he’s him that he will fail, because he’s too absorbed in himself to be wise too absorbed in himself to be wise enough to make itenough to make it

He screams, “I am not blind with He screams, “I am not blind with self-love, but with loss!”self-love, but with loss!”

And we wonder again for whom, and And we wonder again for whom, and for what, we grieve when we grievefor what, we grieve when we grieve

Rage AgainstRage Against True to form, Gilgamesh destroys the stones True to form, Gilgamesh destroys the stones

that lie along the way, unintentionally that lie along the way, unintentionally obliterating the way to what he seeksobliterating the way to what he seeks

Urshanabi will not help him; he forces him to Urshanabi will not help him; he forces him to help himselfhelp himself

But first, he allows Gilgamesh to exhaust But first, he allows Gilgamesh to exhaust himself with his recounting of his losshimself with his recounting of his loss

Gilgamesh finally stops talking about it – and Gilgamesh finally stops talking about it – and we sense a small break in his fixationwe sense a small break in his fixation

Siduri offers “warm love,” while Urshanabi Siduri offers “warm love,” while Urshanabi brings “tough love” – and Gilgamesh needs brings “tough love” – and Gilgamesh needs both at this stage of the healing process. both at this stage of the healing process.

Safe PassageSafe Passage

Following Urshanabi’s advice, Gilgamesh Following Urshanabi’s advice, Gilgamesh chops down his own trees, constructs his chops down his own trees, constructs his own craft – and sets out, with his new own craft – and sets out, with his new companion, toward the sea, taking companion, toward the sea, taking ownership of his conditionownership of his condition

Once he reaches it, Urshanabi gives him Once he reaches it, Urshanabi gives him advice regarding safe passage, and advice regarding safe passage, and Gilgamesh actually follows itGilgamesh actually follows it

Moreover, he comes up with his own tricks Moreover, he comes up with his own tricks for navigating the sea of death, using his for navigating the sea of death, using his clothing as a sail when all else fails – clothing as a sail when all else fails – simultaneously demonstrating initiative simultaneously demonstrating initiative and shrugging off his “shields”and shrugging off his “shields”

Beyond the SeaBeyond the Sea When he reaches Utnapishtim, Gilgamesh When he reaches Utnapishtim, Gilgamesh

is said to “resemble loss itself,” whereas is said to “resemble loss itself,” whereas the man he seeks seems to be love the man he seeks seems to be love embodied in mortal formembodied in mortal form

Utnapishtim speaks to him of love and Utnapishtim speaks to him of love and grief when he awakens, and what he says grief when he awakens, and what he says provides the epic with one of its greatest provides the epic with one of its greatest moments of profunditymoments of profundity

Many years ago through loss I learned that Many years ago through loss I learned that love is wrung from our innermost heart love is wrung from our innermost heart until only the loved one is, and we are until only the loved one is, and we are not…I think love kills the heart of flesh. It not…I think love kills the heart of flesh. It is the only way to eternal life, which is the only way to eternal life, which should be unbearable if lived among the should be unbearable if lived among the dying flowers and the shrieking farewells dying flowers and the shrieking farewells of the overstretched arms of our spoiled of the overstretched arms of our spoiled hopes.hopes.

RefugeesRefugees

For a time, both men live near the For a time, both men live near the shore, spending untold hours in each shore, spending untold hours in each other’s companyother’s company

Utnapishtim then reveals that he, Utnapishtim then reveals that he, unlike Gilgamesh, did not come to unlike Gilgamesh, did not come to this place or find the life they lead this place or find the life they lead by his own volition; he, like by his own volition; he, like Gilgamesh, is a survivorGilgamesh, is a survivor

The FloodThe Flood

We learn of Shurrupak, a city on a We learn of Shurrupak, a city on a different part of the Euphrates, and different part of the Euphrates, and see the gods planning to flood the see the gods planning to flood the land (Ishtar again!)land (Ishtar again!)

Note that not all of the gods are Note that not all of the gods are equals – there are differences in equals – there are differences in their portrayals that prove importanttheir portrayals that prove important

One in particular, Ea, warns One in particular, Ea, warns Utnapishtim of the cataclysm, and Utnapishtim of the cataclysm, and urges him to build a great, cubical urges him to build a great, cubical ship (as Gilgamesh did, although his ship (as Gilgamesh did, although his is flat) that will essentially serve as is flat) that will essentially serve as an arkan ark

Hands Held HighHands Held High

Here, once more, we see a great Here, once more, we see a great cynicism expressed towards the cynicism expressed towards the gods’ machinations; their cruelty gods’ machinations; their cruelty seems random, and their tears in the seems random, and their tears in the flood’s aftermath hypocriticalflood’s aftermath hypocritical

Yet Utnapishtim complies because Yet Utnapishtim complies because he must; to do otherwise is to court he must; to do otherwise is to court annihilationannihilation

I fell down on the ship’s deck and I fell down on the ship’s deck and wept. Why? Why did they have to wept. Why? Why did they have to die? I couldn’t understand. I asked die? I couldn’t understand. I asked unanswerable questions a child asks unanswerable questions a child asks when a parent dies – for nothing. when a parent dies – for nothing. Only slowly did I make myself Only slowly did I make myself believe – or hope – they might all be believe – or hope – they might all be swept up in their fragments together swept up in their fragments together and made whole again by some and made whole again by some compassionate hand. But my hand compassionate hand. But my hand was too small to do the gathering. I was too small to do the gathering. I have only known this feeling since have only known this feeling since when I look out across the sea of when I look out across the sea of death, this pull inside against a death, this pull inside against a littleness – myself – waiting for an littleness – myself – waiting for an upward gesture.upward gesture.

Look to the PresentLook to the Present At first, Utnapishtim is as Gilgamesh was; At first, Utnapishtim is as Gilgamesh was;

he refuses to leave the ship, to confront he refuses to leave the ship, to confront the world, to face the “deaths he knew the world, to face the “deaths he knew were there”were there”

Ultimately, he is blessed with eternal life Ultimately, he is blessed with eternal life because he has survived – and he must because he has survived – and he must leave behind the life he once ledleave behind the life he once led

To reach backward into the past for it is to To reach backward into the past for it is to reach for nothingness – for our pasts no reach for nothingness – for our pasts no longer exist, and to ignore the present is longer exist, and to ignore the present is to forego livingto forego living

Utnapishtim then tells Gilgamesh that he Utnapishtim then tells Gilgamesh that he envies him, for the younger man still must envies him, for the younger man still must build his own world anew, must recover build his own world anew, must recover from his own loss; Utnapishtim no longer from his own loss; Utnapishtim no longer knows this sort of opportunityknows this sort of opportunity

Stay GoldStay Gold

But Gilgamesh quickly loses heart; But Gilgamesh quickly loses heart; while he doesn’t seem likely to die while he doesn’t seem likely to die (at least not during anything (at least not during anything approximating a normal human approximating a normal human lifespan), he quickly begins to waste lifespan), he quickly begins to waste his time with Utnapishtimhis time with Utnapishtim

Furiously, the elder man casts him Furiously, the elder man casts him out, summoning Urshanabi to bring out, summoning Urshanabi to bring him back the way he came…but his him back the way he came…but his anger does not lastanger does not last

Losing MustLosing Must

His wife’s love and compassion rubs His wife’s love and compassion rubs off on him, and he sends Gilgamesh off on him, and he sends Gilgamesh off in search of a boon – a plant that off in search of a boon – a plant that will both harm him with its thorns will both harm him with its thorns and grant him new lifeand grant him new life

Gilgamesh ventures into the sea of Gilgamesh ventures into the sea of death, wounds himself, and emerges death, wounds himself, and emerges with the plantwith the plant

But he does not guard this new gift But he does not guard this new gift wisely, and while he fails to tend it, wisely, and while he fails to tend it, a serpent consumes it, leaving a serpent consumes it, leaving behind only its skin in exchangebehind only its skin in exchange

The Tin Man Gets His HeartThe Tin Man Gets His Heart Ultimately, Gilgamesh realizes, death is not Ultimately, Gilgamesh realizes, death is not

to be beaten, and it is futile to try; only to be beaten, and it is futile to try; only acceptance remainsacceptance remains

He journeys home to survey the city – the He journeys home to survey the city – the monument to his achievements, the flawed monument to his achievements, the flawed but imposing physical representation of his but imposing physical representation of his life and life and those around himthose around him – and finally – and finally understandsunderstands

The place The place isis life, and therefore must be life, and therefore must be maintained, cared for, watched – and lovedmaintained, cared for, watched – and loved

When Gilgamesh looks at it, he is When Gilgamesh looks at it, he is unburdened of his grief – only for a unburdened of his grief – only for a moment, but stillmoment, but still

For that moment, he comes back to For that moment, he comes back to himself; for that moment, he understands himself; for that moment, he understands love better than he ever hadlove better than he ever had

What Do We Have?What Do We Have?

The poem ends before Gilgamesh’s The poem ends before Gilgamesh’s journey ends, before he fully healsjourney ends, before he fully heals

We never see him make it all the way We never see him make it all the way back…but we don’t really expect him back…but we don’t really expect him toto

It’s not realistic to assume that we It’s not realistic to assume that we can ever permanently shrug off grief, can ever permanently shrug off grief, no more realistic than it would be to no more realistic than it would be to chew that pain foreverchew that pain forever

At some point, the sting of almost At some point, the sting of almost anything fades; that point varies for anything fades; that point varies for each person, but it’s worth reachingeach person, but it’s worth reaching

The Lesson We Learn from the The Lesson We Learn from the LitLit We do not seek to eliminate our ability to We do not seek to eliminate our ability to

grieve; to do so is to trivialize the loss of grieve; to do so is to trivialize the loss of someone dear to us, not to mention a someone dear to us, not to mention a violation of what it means to violation of what it means to experienceexperience life rather than simply survive itlife rather than simply survive it

We do not seek to nurse our grief forever; We do not seek to nurse our grief forever; to do so is to make someone we loved to do so is to make someone we loved responsible for unfathomable pain, and to responsible for unfathomable pain, and to waste time they’ve been deniedwaste time they’ve been denied

Perhaps our greatest way to honor Perhaps our greatest way to honor someone we’ve lost is to hold them close someone we’ve lost is to hold them close to us once they’re gone, to remind and to us once they’re gone, to remind and convince ourselves that we really did love convince ourselves that we really did love them, that the opportunities we missed them, that the opportunities we missed don’t negate the ones we shared…and don’t negate the ones we shared…and then, gradually, to keep then, gradually, to keep growing, growing, to to continue living a life that would make continue living a life that would make them proud of usthem proud of us