Plot Summary In the poem of The Epic of Gilgamesh, there are Queens, Gods, and Giants. There was once a king of Uruk named Gilgamesh known as beauty and strength there is no man who can match up to him. Gilgamesh was an abusive and cruel king he rapped and slept with men’s wives before they got married. And Gilgamesh worked the people of Uruk so much. The people of Uruk call upon a God for help after being treated so badly by King Gilgamesh. The Gods finally hear them Anu God of the firmament. Any told the Aruru God of creation to create another human. And Aruru created a wild man who was raised by animals a man named Enkidu made from clay and water to be the contender of Gilgamesh. Enkidu met a temple prostitute who made love with Enkidu and civilizing him while lovemaking for six days and seven nights. After Enkidu sleeps with Shamhat Enkidu realizes he starts to lose his strength and animal nature. Enkidu took on a fight with Gilgamesh the beauty and strength of men. Gilgamesh won the fight against Enkidu and they became friends. Gilgamesh had a dream about finally getting a new friend. Gilgamesh and Enkidu went on a quest to kill a giant demon named Humbaba and chop down the big cedar tree in the forest. Shamash the sun God helps them defeat the giant Humbaba’s and they cut off the demon head. And both Gilgamesh and Enkidu chopped down the tree. The goddess Ishtar of love, fertility, and war she falls for Gilgamesh and asks him to marry her and he said no and she got upset and sent a bull of heaven from Anu her father to punish Gilgamesh and Enkidu and they defeat the bull. The Gods realized once Gilgamesh and Enkidu chopped down the tree, killed the bull of heaven and killing Humbaba one of them have to die. And the Gods have picked Enkidu the friend of Gilgamesh. Enkidu gets really sick and then dies. Gilgamesh realizes that relationships with other people are important and to Cherish them, and the time on his earth is limited. Gilgamesh goes to Utnapishtim who has been granted eternal life. Gilgamesh has no luck in getting eternal life as he expects. Gilgamesh’s personality changes and he became a better person, after all, he has been through. Gilgamesh still lives on to this day in books and movies
The Correct Answer and Explanation is:
:
Corrected Plot Summary:
The Epic of Gilgamesh is one of the earliest known works of literature, originating from ancient Mesopotamia. It tells the story of Gilgamesh, the powerful but arrogant king of Uruk. Though unmatched in strength and beauty, Gilgamesh abuses his power by overworking his people and taking brides before their weddings. Distressed, the people of Uruk pray to the gods for relief. In response, the god Anu instructs the goddess Aruru to create Enkidu, a wild man made from clay and water, to challenge Gilgamesh.
Enkidu lives with animals until he meets Shamhat, a temple prostitute. Through six days and seven nights of lovemaking, Enkidu becomes civilized. Losing his wild nature, he travels to Uruk and confronts Gilgamesh. After a fierce battle, Gilgamesh wins, but the two become close friends.
Together, they embark on heroic adventures. They defeat the guardian demon Humbaba in the Cedar Forest with help from the sun god Shamash and cut down the sacred trees. Later, the goddess Ishtar proposes to Gilgamesh, but he rejects her. Angry, she sends the Bull of Heaven to punish him, but Gilgamesh and Enkidu kill it.
The gods, angered by their defiance, decree that Enkidu must die. He falls ill and dies, leaving Gilgamesh heartbroken and fearful of death. Seeking immortality, Gilgamesh journeys to find Utnapishtim, a man granted eternal life by the gods after surviving a great flood. However, Gilgamesh fails to attain immortality.
Through his journey, Gilgamesh learns the importance of human relationships, humility, and accepting mortality. He returns to Uruk wiser and more compassionate, leaving behind a legacy that lives on through literature and history.
Explanation:
The Epic of Gilgamesh is not only a heroic tale but also a deep philosophical journey that explores themes of friendship, power, mortality, and human growth. At the beginning, Gilgamesh is portrayed as a tyrannical ruler who abuses his strength and power. The people of Uruk suffer under his rule, prompting the gods to create Enkidu as a balance to Gilgamesh’s might. Enkidu’s transformation from a wild man into a civilized human reflects the theme of human development and the importance of community and culture.
The friendship between Gilgamesh and Enkidu becomes the emotional core of the story. Their bond teaches Gilgamesh the value of companionship and loyalty. Their joint adventures—slaying Humbaba and defeating the Bull of Heaven—demonstrate human courage and defiance, but also invite divine punishment, emphasizing the limits of human power against the gods.
Enkidu’s death marks a turning point. Faced with the loss of his friend, Gilgamesh begins to fear his own mortality. His quest for eternal life symbolizes humanity’s universal struggle with the inevitability of death. Gilgamesh’s journey to meet Utnapishtim and his failure to gain immortality teach him, and readers, a profound lesson: that eternal life is reserved for the gods, and humans must find meaning in the time they are given.
In the end, Gilgamesh returns to Uruk a changed man. He is wiser, more just, and more connected to his people. His legacy, preserved through stories and stone tablets, reflects the human desire to be remembered and to find purpose beyond personal power. Thus, The Epic of Gilgamesh remains timeless for its deep insights into what it means to live, to love, and to leave a lasting legacy.
