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Epic of Gilgamesh

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Epic of Gilgamesh
Title: Gilgamesh

Type: Epic

Author: Anonymous

Theme: The central idea of Gilgamesh was the greed that he had to receive eternal life. Gilgamesh was a selfish person who was half god and half man and wanted to keep his youth after seeing Enkidu die. Gilgamesh knew his destiny was not to receive eternal life because he was half man. He decided to go against the odds to fight against not having eternal life searching for the secret despite what the Gods told him.

Exposition: The story dates between 2500-1500 B.C. Gilgamesh ruled in Uruk, a city in ancient Mesopotamia.

Protagonist: The epic is centered on Gilgamesh because he is the main character and ruler of Uruk who in the beginning is rude and arrogant and has a journey finding everlasting life. At the end of the epic Gilgamesh changes as a king who is loved.

Antagonist: Gilgamesh being half man is what is stopping him from receiving eternal life that Gilgamesh wants so he will not die.

Major conflict: The main issue between Gilgamesh and him being half-man is that he is restricted from not dying. He wants to remain youthful for the rest of his life after seeing the death of his friend Enkidu.

Conflicts: 1. Man vs.-Man: Gilgamesh and Enkidu fight battles to make names for them. The Gods reveal to them that one must die because of the crimes they committed. Since Enkidu died, Gilgamesh mourns for many days and searches for the secret of everlasting life.

2. Man vs.-Self: Gilgamesh could not grasp the fact because he was half god and half man he could not live forever. He did not want to die like Enkidu so he went on a journey on his own to try and find everlasting life.

3. Man vs.-Nature: Gilgamesh could not control death because he was half man.

Inciting Incident: After Gilgamesh and Enkidu battled their enemies the gods gave Enkidu a dream that one must die and Enkidu suffered for many days before he died in bed. Gilgamesh saw his death and was saddened
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